Report of Meetings for 1885. By Jas. Hardy. 47 



as it not ^infrequently does. In A.S., seta is an inhabitant, 

 setena inhabitants. It had been Simon's seater or hill pasture 

 perhaps. If we could be assured that this was a regular place 

 of execution, we can understand how the " Jabel Trew," a de- 

 pression or hollow on the great Tosson portion of the Simonside 

 Hills, would signify the jail-trough, the burial place for criminals. 

 Javel, Northumbrian, from French geole a gaol ; and trowe, a 

 hole or pit. 



There is a broad mountain pass traversed by one of the old 

 trade roads of the district between Simonside and the still higher 

 heathy backed Tosson Hill, which rises to 1447 feet of elevation. 

 The " Main Stone "—said to be a sandstone boulder — an oblong 

 block of great size rests on the ridge above Eavensheugh. At 

 the far end where the hill turns, is a detached stone on a slope, 

 like a barrel resting on a prop. The rocks continue to crown the 

 hill beyond our view, and look down towards Hepple. There 

 are two prominent crags on the face of Eavensheugh called 

 " Geordie " and "Kate." Eavensheugh, 1365 feet, tells the 

 story of its banished occupants, the King and Queen of the 

 Crows. 



The entrance to the pass which fronts us is much shattered by 

 old track- ways, there having been no central metalled rodd. It 

 is unsafe to cross the moors in that direction after dusk from the 

 .absence of landmarks, and the number of open peat pits in the 

 great mosses. The waste too has its mysterious tenants — the 

 dwarfs — born of the night terrors and the lingering vestiges of 

 vanished religions. See "Wild Adventures" in Eichardson's 

 Table Book, Leg. Div. i., pp. 96-7 ; as good an example of impish 

 lore as needs be anywhere. 



The fertile vale of the Coquet lies beneath us expanded almost 

 to its utmost stretch, and sloping up to the green sides of the 

 Cheviots. Chillingham Park and Eass Castle were the extreme 



this is also the name of an extinct township on the Wreckendike, and he 

 adds, " The Simon of mythology was, it seems, a domestic brewer to King 

 Arthur, identical with the German Sigmund, and very fond of killing dra- 

 gons." (Proc. Arch. Institute, Newcastle, i., p. 66, with reference to 

 Athena3um, June, 1850, p. 637.) In another page, 63, speaking of Gates- 

 head, he notifies: " Heved, head, ide, and ett after s, are convertible, but 

 are apparently of varied meaning. Gatesheved or Gateside is the capras 

 caput of Bede, but the Side (now Bridge Street) in the same town wound 

 up the side of a hill like the Side in Newcastle. Simonside was Symondsett, 

 Conside was Conkeshevede, etc." 



