2^4 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1908 



The rendezvous was Coldstream Station at 10-30 a.m., 

 where carriages were in waiting to convey the party to 

 Branxton. On their way thither, at a field on the North 

 side of the road to Ford, and on the farm of Crookham 



Westfield, members had their attention directed 

 Branxton. to what is locally known as the King's Stone, and 



popularly connected with the battle of Flodden. 

 It was explained, however, that the tradition of James IV. 's 

 connection with it is unsupported, and that the monolith, com- 

 posed of cherty limestone, and probably transported to its 

 present position from Carham by the action of ice, was in all 

 likelihood a tribal Gathering Stone in use for centuries before 

 that fateful event. Turning sharply to the South the party 

 skirted the Western end of the ancient marsh now drained by 

 the Pallin8burn,and passing Branxton Buildings climbed the hill 

 on which the parish church occupies a commanding position 

 over against a rounded eminence to the West, which still bears 

 the name of Marmion's Hill. Between these elevations flows a 

 streamlet on which Scott bestowed celebrity in his thrilling 

 account of the death of Marmion, whose thirst could not be 

 slaked in its waters by reason of their being stained with 

 the blood of the slain. Among the villagers of the present 

 day there survives a belief that this condition of things 

 continued for three days. The well to which in her extremity 

 Sir Walter's "ministering angel" had recourse instead, rises 

 in the adjacent field to the South, and has in recent times been 

 made use of to supply a public drinking-trough. On reaching 

 the village of Branxton at 11-30 the members assembled in 

 a chapel (kindly granted for the purpose through the good 

 ofiices of Eev. Moses Forsyth, Crookham), where in the 

 presence of a large company and with the aid of coloured 

 diagrams, the President delivered his lecture on the battle of 

 Flodden, a complete record of which will be found on page 290 

 of this volume. At its conclusion he led the party to Piper's 

 Hill, on which had been staked off the ground presented by 

 the proprietor, and thereafter to the parish church, whose 

 ancient chancel arch of the Transitional period was examined 

 with great interest. Captain Norman's observations at both 

 places will be found appended to the aforesaid full report 

 of his lecture, to which for fuller details we gladly refer the 

 reader. 



