Report of Meetings for 1881). By Dr. J. Hardy. 463 



the structureless ruins of the " Abbey," and has sculptured the 

 handle of a sword, the remainder being lost. It is nearly four feet 

 long (fig. A.) This is apparently a memorial cross. The second 

 was found in the Abbey Sike, and only the rounded head with a 

 cross on each side is left. The fracture is recent, and appears 

 to have been purposely done to separate the head from the shaft. 

 It has the character of a Boundary Cross (see fig. B. ) Both figures 

 are pen and ink transfers by Mr Wilson, from one of Mr Bruce 

 Armstrong's plates, Hist, of Liddesdale, p. 90. There may be 

 some doubt about the exact spot where the first cross was found. 

 Mr Bruce Armstrong says it was " not far from the Abbey syke." 

 The crosses were both presented by Mr Elliot Stavert to the 

 Hawick Museum, where they are now safely preserved from the 

 ill usage and mutilation to which they had been subjected, when 

 standing out of protection, on the wild. Mr David M. Watson, 

 secretary of the Archaeological Society, has showed me Mr 

 Stavert's letter, with liberty to take a copy, so far as relates to 

 the cross. It is as follows : — 



Saughtree, July 9, 1880. 



Dear Sir, — I have had very much pleasure in despatching to-day by 

 rail the Stone Cross [Fig. B.] which the Rev. Mr Birrel has mentioned 

 to yon 



The Cross was found by one of my shepherds — John Chisholm— early in 

 May last in the Abbey Syke. The Syke is a small tributary to Dawston 

 Burn, and not far from the find of the former Cross now in your Museum. 



I may mention for Chisholm's credit, that in the first instance he noticed 

 a small portion of stone bearing church marks, and thinking there might 

 be something more, he imbedded the Cross as now presented. 

 I am, dear sir, 



Yours faithfully, 

 D. Watson, Esq. ELLIOT STAVERT. 



Mr Chisholm is now a farmer ou the North Tyne. The shaft 

 was reported to be still in the burn. On the subsequent day the 

 shepherd at Singden told me that there is a portion of the shaft 

 of this or another cross in a stone dike in the pass ; possibly the 

 remainder of A. There was no time to look for it. My own 

 conjecture about the name Abbey and Abbey Syke is that the 

 boundary of the Church-lands belonging to Jedburgh Abbey lay 

 in the vicinity, and that the Boundary Cross was one of several 

 that had indicated the line of separation of their property from 

 that of lay proprietors. The entire lands of the Abbey in this 

 district are pointed out in the " Acts of Secret Council." " Thir 



