EEPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1898 



4. NeWCASTLETON for HERMtXAGE OaSTLE AND THE Bh\CK 



Burn, &c. By the Rev. David Hunter, D.D., 

 Gralashiels. 



The fourth meeting of the Club was at Newcastleton on 

 Wednesday and Thursday, 23rd and 24th August, for the purpose 

 of a raid into Liddesdale. The Rev. Dr Hunter of Galashiels 

 being of the party, the President invited him to draw up notes 

 of the day's proceedings. Combined, therefore, with the 

 diary will be found a historical account of the Castle, by Dr 

 Hunter, which will be followed by the botanical record of 

 the day by the Secretary. — D.M.H. 



It was a small but pleasant party that gathered in the Com- 

 mercial Hotel of Newcastleton, on the evening of the 23rd 

 August. The old village of Castleton, which took its name from 

 the Castle of Liddal or Clintwood, stood a good mile further 

 north where the Hermitage Water falls into the Liddle. The 

 new village, locally known as Copshawholm, was laid out in 

 1793 by Henry, third Duke of Buccleuch. It consists of one 

 long street, intersected at right angles by two shorter streets. 

 At the intersections is a wide square which gives a certain char- 

 acter to the place. There are no special industries and the 

 inhabitants are mostly crofters. The town is an excellent centre 

 for cycling and touring in Liddesdale. There are two good 

 country inns, and lodgings can easily be obtained. 



Next morning most of the party drove out towards Hermitage 

 Castle. The day was beautiful, with bright sunshine, flying 

 shadows along the hills, an invigorating breeze, and great clear- 

 ness of atmosphere. The drive along the picturesque Hermitage 

 Water, whose banks are fringed with natural wood, had the 

 charm peculiar to Border scenery. It needed only the destina- 



