Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 461 



Riccarton Mill on our left is the place where Scott makes 

 Dinmont direct Harry Bertram to, (see "Guy Mannering," chap. 

 xxn.) It remained a public house until a few years ago. The 

 present tenant was the last licensed owner. At least one person 

 has been drowned by falling into the mill-dam. 



On the opposite side of the road is the neat tree-sheltered farm 

 steading of Riccarton, on and near the foot of a burn of the same 

 name, which descends from Arnton Fell. A tower stood a short 

 way up the burn, the site of which is now occupied by a sheep- 

 stell. This tower, of old called Rakestonleis, belonged to a 

 branch of the clan Crozier. 



Passing Burnmouth farm, and Pinglehole cottage, we reach 

 Saughtree school, where lived for many years, and died, James 

 Telfer, schoolmaster, poet and literateur, known and remembered 

 by all friends of Border letters and lore. The present school 

 house and school are new, and, but on a greatly enlarged scale, 

 occupy the old site. The Mission Church erected by the late 

 Duke of Buccleugh in 1876, is near, and not far distant hidden 

 among trees on the margin of Dawston burn, are Saughtree 

 House and farm steading. 



Keeping straight on up the left branch of the valley which is 

 here divided into two by the Dawston or Hudshouse Rig, (782 

 feet), we follow by the side of the Dawston burn, the Jedburgh 

 road, shut in by precipitous banks, and under the viaduct of the 

 North British Railway near Saughtree Station. The most visible 

 rocks are Upper Tuedian Sandstones. Bilberry and short 

 heather are conspicuous on the right hand side. The carriages 

 stopped at the heap of stones on the platform on the left hand, 

 which also shows some indefinite ruins, possibly sheep folds, 

 called "The Abbey," although there is no record of any eccle- 

 siastical structure ever having occupied it. The Abbe}' Sike 

 joins the Dawston burn here. Up the deep valley, which has 

 steep sides clad with grass and ferns, with bits of naked scaur 

 near the burn, where Oliffhope Burn and Alison Sike unite, is 

 the Saughtree Grain, a shepherd's house, where for six months 

 in the winter the inmates do not see the sun. The glen itself 

 is called Cliff-hope, and it rises between the Mid Hill (1423 ft.) 

 and the Lamblair Hill (1635 ft.) The Abbey Knowe, a conical 

 hill overlooking the "Abbey," is 1000 feet of elevation. The 

 Jedburgh road continues to follow the mountain pass to Singdean 

 shepherd's cottage and then crosses by the Note or Knot of the 

 2h 



