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of the later days of the earldom would have been repeated, 

 and the boundary of Scotland would have extended 

 considerably South of the Tweed. Let us give one or 

 two instances furnished by the survey of Bowes and 

 EUerker. The tower of Tilmouth, belonging to the ancient 

 family of Clavering, is described as having been cast down 

 and defaced by the Scots more than forty years previously, 

 and had never been repaired. The neighbouring castle 

 of Heaton, the property of the Greys of Chillingham, is 

 spoken of as a ruin, having been likewise defaced by the 

 Scots at the same time as Tilmouth. The important castle 

 of Wark was in no better condition, being stated to be in 

 great and extreme decay, nothing apparently having been 

 done in the way of repairs, since it had stood its last siege 

 under the Duke of Albany. In contrast to this we are 

 told that Gilbert Swynnowe's tower of Cornhill had been 

 newly embattled and put in good repair, and was to be 

 further strengthened by the erection of a barmykin, or 

 strong enclosure around it. But of the neighbouring castle 

 of Twysle only the walls were left standing, and Ford 

 had been so burnt and otherwise defaced by the Scots 

 previous to the battle of Flodden, that though some slight 

 repairs had been carried out, the " great buyldings and 

 necessarye houses" (to use the words of the survey) had been 

 left in ruins. The valley of Bowmont-water lying towards 

 Roxburghshire was almost without any means of defence 

 or protection. The township of Shotton had lain " waste 

 and unplenyshed " for thirty years and more. Of Mindrum 

 it is stated that " becavse there ys nether towne, barmekyn 

 nor other fortresse yn yt whereyn the ten'nts maye be 

 releved in tyme of warre, therefore in ev'y apparence 

 of a troublous worlde or warre yt ys abandoned and left 

 waste as an easye praye for enemyes to ov'ronne." The 

 same tale is told of the townships of Presson, Money laws, 

 and Kilham, while of others of the neighbouring town- 

 ships it is stated that they had lain waste since before 

 the memory of man. At Pawston the owner, Gerard 



