466 Notes on Branxhohne. By W. Eliott Lockhart. 



side, there would be another strengthening tower in the N.AV. 

 angle. The possible position of this tower, and the courtyard 

 walls are shewn within dotted lines on the appended ground 

 plan. The position of the " duie tree" is shown on the plan, 

 though it presents now but a sorry appearance, two large limbs 

 having fallen within the last ten years. There is a tradition that 

 it at one time formed part of a large rookery. 1 



The ground plan [Plate IV.] was kindly made for me, from 

 actual survey, by Mr Chas. Buck, and I am under a great obli- 

 gation to Mr Jas. McVicar Anderson, Stratton Street, London, 

 for the loan of his plans, which enabled us to shew, within 

 shaded lines, the alterations made by his uncle, the late Mr 

 William Burn, in 1836. 



I am indebted for the other illustrations to the kindness of Mr 

 T. H. Laidlaw, High Street, Hawick, who specially sketched 

 them for me. 



There is an old breech loading cannon or wall piece, which 

 deserves to be mentioned, and which, Mr McGibbon points out, 

 corresponds exactly with illustrations given in Violet le Due's 

 Dictionnaire. It is about 6 feet in length over all, and with a 

 bore of about 2^ inches, but unfortunately the breech piece is 

 wanting. 



On the occasion of the Banquet at Branxholme to the late 

 Duke in 1839, it was turned into an impromptu muzzle loader, 

 and used to fire a salute, the breech being blocked up with a 

 bar of iron. In this way this curious old relic formed an in- 

 teresting connecting link between the stormy and stirring scenes 

 of a bye-gone age, and those of the peaceful present. 



"Sweet Teviot, on thy silver tide 



The glaring bale tires blaze no more ; 

 No longer steel-clad warriors ride 



Along th} r wild and willow'd shore : 

 Where'er thou wind'st, by dale or hill — 

 All, all is peaceful, all is still." - 



1 Com. by Mr Chas. Grieve, Branxholm Park. 

 * Lav of the Last Minstrel, Canto IV., I. 



