255 



Notes on some old Earlstoun Localities avd Traditions, 

 with Personal Reminiscences of the far-famed "Broom 

 of the Coiod.cnknowesr By Mrs Wood, Galashiels. 



In an ad<1ress delivered to the memhers of the Berwickshire 

 Naturalists' Club in May 1899, there is mentioned a 

 tradition, at one time quite current in Earlstoun, that the 

 knowe called the Hawk Kaim derived its name from the 

 falconry of the Earls of Dunbar having been situated 

 there. 



The Earls of Dunbar were the superiors of the lands of 

 Earlstoun from the 12th century till 1435, but a few vague 

 and contradictory traditions and some local names, such as 

 "The Hunt Pools," "The Doocote Knowe," "The Coach 

 Hole," "The Pleasaunce," and "The Ha' Kaim." alone 

 remain to suggest that these Earls or some other great 

 family once possessed a tower or hunting seat somewhere 

 about the east end of Earlstoun. 



The name Runtpools is applied to the green Ijing on both 

 sides of the Braid Burn, at the Horse Market, and it may 

 have been connected with "The Hunt" of the Earls. The 

 character of the ground in former years used to be wet and 

 spongy, fostered perhaps by the overflowing of the burn 

 in times of spate. On the north side of the stream, 

 however, there were always deep, boggy pools, which have 

 only been filled up in recent years by the rubbish ©f the 

 village being shot there. 



Several years ago, when a well was dug at the Green, the 

 upper surface to the depth of three feet was found to 

 consist of ordinary soil ; below that it was composed of 

 black, decayed vegetable matter, and at the depth of twelve 

 feet, embedded in this deposit, were some of the bones of 

 tlie red deer. 



The Coach Hole, a dark muddy pool of the same burn, 

 and near the Green, is pointed out as the place where the 



