Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 480 



notice — Mindrum : "Foundations of an ancient chapel were dug 

 up in 1819. Remains of a neglected Cemetery." In company 

 with the Rev. Matthew Culley, I visited, May 21, 1889, this 

 outlying grave-yard which is adjacent to the public road at a 

 short distance from Mindrum Mill. It is well protected by a 

 stone wall. It has occupied a low flat knoll, which is much 

 depressed at the north end. There are no remains of a chapel, 

 but where it may have stood, is a space enclosed with a high 

 wall of no great age, within which are some large flat sandstone 

 slabs that may cover a vault. The name Edrniston is inscribed 

 on an uprooted stone near. The standing stones are not 

 numerous : they are much sunk into the soil, and most of them 

 are inclined from the perpendicular, owing to the coffins 

 collapsing. They are of a grey sandstone, that weathers red, 

 and unfaithful to its charge, peels off. Most of the stones are 

 so coated with Lecanora parella, that the inscriptions are illegible. 

 Some Halls lie here ; there is one stone to James Dods, tenant 

 in Cherrytrees, 22nd May, 1805, aged 52 ; one to James Rea, 

 1719; and on the same stone, a date of 1730. One name is 

 peculiar: " Helender Gramoud, who died 4th June, aged 58 

 years." There were also a Kerr, a Piercy, a Tait, and a 

 Matthevs r son ; and a recent stone to one Wilson in Mindrum. 

 There was sculpturing of hour-glasses, cross-bones, and death's- 

 heads. The ornamental design and workmanship of one stone 

 was much superior to the rest. There is in the middle a series 



hamlets, viz. — Suggariple, Hesterhch or Hesterhob, Oiatatadun, Waiguirtun, 

 Cliftun, Scerbedle, (another reading is Merbedle), Colwela, Elterburna, 

 Thornbumum, Scotadium, Gathan, and Minethrum. (Hist. St. Cuthberti 

 apud X Scriptores a Twysden, col. 673 ; quoted in Morton's Mon. Hist, of 

 Teviotdale, p. 3 note. See also Hodgson Hinde's Northumberland, p. 127.) 

 Some of these are still recognisable ; others may have perished. Sugar or 

 Suggariple, may be Sourhope Chill ; Hesterhch, (Easter haugh or hope) 

 may survive in Elstan haugh ; Gistatadun, Venchen, (some say Gateshaw); 

 Waiguirtun, unknown ; Cliftun, still extant ; Colwela, Col for cold still 

 remains in Colroust ; Scerbedle, the bottel or vill of the Sheriff or Bailiff, 

 unknown ; but according to the second reading, Merbedle is Morebattle 

 on the Kale ; Elterburn survives in Halfcerburn ; Thornburnum, Thorning- 

 ton, but very doubtful ; Scotadium is Shotton ; Gathan is Yetholm ; and 

 Minethrum is Mindrum. In one old spelling at least Mindrum is written 

 Mildrom, as if corrupted from Molitura, a grinding, Malldr, Islandic, 

 Melder, Scots, and ham, a dwelling. In old Scots, Milnare is a miller, the 

 Swedish Moelnare. Through these we get all the main consonants of the 

 modern Mindrum, and the early Minethrum, for th is a variant of d. 



