Notes on A keld and Coupland. By M. Culley. 407 



there before their purchase at Coupland in 1563. There is a 

 will of William Wallis of Akeld in 1588, 1 in which he bequeathes 

 to his eldest son William, and his heirs-male, all his inheritance 

 within his fields of Akeld, Humbleton, etc. 



At this time the Forsters still held some rights at Akeld, for 

 Thomas Forster of Adderstone, Esq., by his will dated April 4, 

 1589, left to John Lyle, his servant, his glebe land in Akeld for 

 21 years. 2 



Early in the 17th century, we find the Wallises already con- 

 siderable landowners in Glendale. The Greys still held the 

 signoiial rights both in Coupland and Akeld, but next to them 

 the Wallises were the biu-gest "Lairds" in both places. It was 

 probably during the first quarter of this century, that the castle 

 at Coupland was built. When the Survey of Border towers and 

 castles was made in 1552, there was "no fortress or barmekyn " 

 at Coupland. On one of the chimney-pieces in the oldest part of 

 the present castle is the date 1619, and on either side the initials 

 G-.W. and M.W T . The date is very probably that of the building 

 of the castle, and the initials are most likely those of the builder 

 and his wife who would be Wallises. That there may have been 

 a tower at Coupland at some period prior to the survey of 1552, 

 is quite possible, but I am unable to ascertain that there ever 

 was. The oldest portion of the existing castle consists of two 

 strong towers, containing eleven rooms, and a remarkable stone 

 " corkscrew " staircase. The walls of this building are in some 

 places six and seven feet thick. 3 



That such a stronghold should have been built, as I am 

 decidedly of opinion it was, as late as 1619, is a remarkable proof 

 of the unsafe and unsettled state of the Border-land, at that not 

 very remote period. The union of the English and Scotch crowns 

 under James, had to a great extent put an end to the old feeling 

 of enmity which had always existed between the two countries, 

 and with especial intensity on the Borders ; but the consequences 

 of this enmity remained in the Border counties, on both sides, 

 long after the original cause of it had ceased, and indeed until a 

 very recent period. These consequences shewed themselves in a 

 restless and lawless disposition on the part of the inhabitants, 



1 Surtees Soc. Vol. of Wills. 2 Surtees Soc. Yol. of Wills. 

 3 The greater part of the castle is of much more recent date, having 

 been built in the early part of this century, with the exception of a 

 portion of the south wing, which dates from the latter half of last century. 



