REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 87 



Lord John himself, after his last salmon leistering expedition. 

 Much interesting information was given regarding the gifted 

 Lady John, whose sympathies, even if eccentric, were certainly 

 wide enough to include all classes, and whose love for the old 

 ways, especially the old Scotch Border ways, was only equalled 

 by her strong Jacobite leaning. Sir George Douglas, who 

 was most active during the day in securing that nothing of 

 interest missed observation, pointed out her Ladyship's bower 

 in the garden, and remarked that it was specially built for 

 her so that when in the mood she might enjoy, uninterrupted, 

 her favourite view of the valley, which stretches away towards 

 the Cheviots. Growing luxuriantly beside the bower is Lady 

 John's favourite rose bush. 



Adjoining Kirkbank grounds is the Church of Eckford, 

 which was next visited. This is a 17th century building. 

 Two or three years ago it was renovated, reseated, and 

 repainted, and underwent some slight structural alterations. 

 On entering the churchyard the first object noticed was the 

 resurrectionist watch-tower, which takes one back to the time 

 when body-snatching was rampant. Here we were met by 

 the minister of the parish, the Rev. C. L. McLaren, who 

 was so good as to lay out for our inspection some interesting 

 relics of the past. These included the flint-lock gun which 

 was used by those who kept watch in the tower by the gate 

 during the exciting resurrectionist times, the bell used by 

 the crier to acquaint people of the time of funerals, and the 

 old money-box, with tokens and very old kirk session records. 

 Hanging on the church walls, too, there are still to be seen 

 the "halsfang" or " jougs " — a necklace for serious mis- 

 demeanants, well described as a relic of ecclesiastical barbarism. 

 Dr Carlyle Johnston was the only one in the company tall 

 enough to demonstrate the use of the halsfang. In the church 

 Mr McLaren gave a short historical sketch, and he said he 

 did so with considerable diffidence, seeing that the company 

 included one who was so much better qualified. He alluded 

 to Sir George Douglas, the author of an invaluable history 

 of the Border counties, by whom he was willing to be 

 corrected. 



It was, in his opinion, an established fact that there had 

 been a church on or near this site since the beginning of 



