152 NOTES ON CHURCH AND BARONY OF LINTON 



last day of February, 1540." By this time Linton had passed 

 into the hands of the Kers, an offshoot of the Cessford family. 

 For the next two centuries their name figures prominently in 

 the civil and military annals of Teviotdale. A graphic view 

 of the castle and its inmates is afforded us one July morning 

 in 1522, when the English warden with 2000 men "set upon 

 it with spear and shield, and, or it past noon, wan it, and 

 burnt it clene down to the bare stane walls. Notwithstanding, 

 all the men that were therein, which was sixteen, were 

 saved, by reason of a gable of the house, that was of stone, 

 and the wind, which was their friend, for betwixt the said 

 gable and the batialing they lay until the huse roof was 

 fallen, when their enemies left them, all except one Eobyn 

 Oarr, which came down in a rope when the huse was first 

 fired."*- 



In the now disused churchyard of Lyndean, near Selkirk, 

 may still be seen a weather beaten tombstone with this 

 inscription: — "To the happie memorie of twa honorabill 

 personis, Andrew Ker of Liutoun, and his spouse Catherine." 



Near the close of the 17th century the barony passed, by 

 purchase, into the hands of the family of Pringle of Clifton, 

 whose most distinguished scion was John, Lord Haining. 

 Apparently they presented to the Church the silver Communion 

 cups now in use, and the Church bell, one of the finest 

 toned in the neighbourhood. Embossed upon it is this 

 inscription: — "Linton, 1697, John Meikle me fecit Edinburgh." 

 From the Pringles the barony passed, under the entail, to 

 Robert Ker Elliot of Harwood, and his son, the present 

 proprietor. 



No stone of the ancient Linton Tower now remains above 

 ground, only the general line of the fortalice is still clearly 

 traceable, with a deep hollow where the dungeon lay. 



Turning to the churchyard, one cannot venture upon any 

 decided opinion as to the origin and structure of that singular 

 mound of pure sand, on the summit of which the Church 

 stands. Legend affirms it to have been sifted by two sisters 

 by way of penance, to save the life of their brother, condemned 

 to death for the slaughter of a priest. Science informs us 



* Morton' i Monastic Annals of Teviotdale, p. 26. 



