112 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 



attended by young men belonging to the families of the first 

 respectability in the country." It is worthy of note that 

 John Home (1722-1808) received part of his early education 

 at Westruther. Who shall say that he had no vision of 

 his Tragedy of Douglas, as by " Roongie Ford" he hailed 

 ancestral spirits? The healthful climate may have been 

 rendered even more invigorating to those whose way led by 

 a chalybeate spring on Harelaw Moor, which, "perpetually 

 boiling," removed scurvy. 



The ecclesiastical history of Westruther as a separate parish 

 dates from 1649. Then was built the first church — "stone- 

 work, timber, thack, door, and glass, all perfect." It is 

 situated on the north side of Duns and Lauder Eoad. A 

 dishevelled mantle of ivy partly conceals and partly preserves 

 the sacred ruin. At the Reformation, Westruther had been 

 disjoined from the parish of Home, and attached to Gordon. 

 In 1647 a minister was appointed to Bassendean, then design- 

 ated a village. Its chapel, too, was used for public worship. 

 But the good folks of Westruther refused to walk " beyond 

 an almost impassable moor." Hence the church and parish 

 as they now are. In 1752 reconstruction reduced it consider- 

 ably in size. "Ornaments" were probably removed, and the 

 original covering of heath superseded. It was in this kirk 

 that, on 11th February 1679, James Hume of Flass, a brother 

 of the laird of Bassendean, was married to Janet Lyle (of 

 Falside.) The west gallery was used as a school before the 

 present school-house was erected. In the quaint old church- 

 yard a few interesting stones may be seen, and, by taking 

 pains, deciphered. Within the building itself, in a grave lined 

 with moss and snowdrops, lies Lady John — till " the former 

 things are passed away." 



The present Parish Church, on the south side of Duns road, 

 was built early in the nineteenth century. It is a large oblong 

 structure, with a gallery over the vestibule, which is the Spottis- 

 woode family pew. Here, for many years, the late venerated 

 Lady John Scott worshipped. She deprecated all innovations. 

 When hymns were introduced into the service she is said to 

 have remarked to a friend, " the things called hymns are now 

 sung in our Auld Kirk. When the minister gives one out, 

 I just open my Bible and sing with all my might, '0 God 



