Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 4G9 



Appendix : Upper Liddesdale. 



Saughtree, Thorlieshope, Wheelrig, Peel Fell, Deadwater, 



North Tyne, Kielder Castle, Singdean, Note-o'-the- 



Gate, Head Waters op the Jed and Eule. 



During the Club's visit to Liddesdale, I stayed, by invitation of Mrs 

 Johnston, for a few days at Saughtree House to investigate the neighbour- 

 hood. There is not space to enumerate all that was seen or learned, but 

 an outline of what was more important may be summarised. Mr Edward 

 J. Wilson has again supplied me with additional notes, which I can scarcely 

 do justice to within our narrow bounds. The opening notices of the events 

 of the first evening are chiefly his. I had then merely to do with what 

 was shown under his and the Rev. Mr Wilson's guidance. On Monday 

 afternoon, June 24th, I arrived at Steele Road Station to commence the 

 peaceful " raid " of the Club. Steele Road Station is, I am informed, the 

 nearest and best for access to Hermitage Castle and Hermitage Valley, 

 and stands amid grassy slopes, forming part of the farm of Shaws, held by 

 Mr Ballantyne, whose father is mentioned as a. Nimrod in H. H. Dixon's 

 book " Field and Fern.'' 



On leaving Steele Road Station, on our right hand is a shepherd's 

 cottage called Cleuch Head, at the head of a small ravine, where stood a 

 tower, once occupied by a branch of the Croziers. The drive over the 

 moor is unenclosed and has a naked aspect, but soon the wooded parks of 

 Larriston, immediately in front, relieve the monotony of the scene, and at 

 Steele Road End (another shepherd's cottage) the main road from 

 Newcastleton to Saughtree is reached, and we are now really in Upper 

 Liddesdale, or Liddel Head. 



After arrival at Saughtree House, and tea, a visit was made to Thorlies- 

 hope (Thornlawishop, Thorneleshop) about half a mile to the east, on the 

 banks of a small burn, which winds through a well wooded ravine — some 

 of the wood having a native aspect. The house — near which are several 

 old ash trees, a large two-storeyed white sandstone building, slated with 

 large bine slates — has the entrance door at the south side. There are two 

 carved stones, probably from the old peel tower, inserted in the western 

 end wall ; one is a human head surmounted with a broken canopy, the 

 other is an oval smooth stone, like an ostrich egg ; and there is another of 

 these stones in the back part of the house, and some irregular arch work 

 over the head of a window now built up. The walls at the west end of 

 the building are fully a yard in thickness. The head of the front door- 

 way has an inscription, of which the cut, from a drawing by Mr Wilson, 

 is a copy. 



Inscription on Doorway. 



