260 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1902 



Lauder. By the Rev. Thomas Martin, M.A. 



The meeting at Lauder in August was largely attended. 

 Many of the members from the south and from Edinburgh 

 travelled by the new railway, and arrived at the station at 

 11-17. In walking from there to the Black Bull Hotel, where 

 conveyances were provided, the members passed along the 

 High Street of the old Burgh. At the West Port they saw 

 the only part that remains of the old wall which once 

 surrounded the town. Outside of this wall a back street leads 

 to the right and another to the left, which permitted passage 

 past the Burgh when the ports were closed. Inside the wall 

 the Rotten Row runs to the left, at right angles to the High 

 Street. This, as the name indicates, was one of the roads 

 which led to Lauder Fort or Castle. Till 1823 this formed 

 part of a road which led through the Lauderdale policies to 

 the old road at Norton. In passing down High Street some 

 few specimens can be seen of houses built with the gable 

 to the street, with narrow closes leading down to gardens and 

 offices. On the right hand the Vonnel branches off. This 

 leads to AUanbank, the residence of Colonel Money, C.B., 

 the Manse, the Castle Riggs, and some burgess acres. On 

 the left hand there is a wide open space named the Avenue. 

 This was at one time the approach to Thirlestane Castle, 

 and some sketches still exist which show the avenue, with 

 its grand line of trees, as the approach to the Castle, before 

 it had been extended in the front by the massive wings and 

 other appendages added by the Duke of Lauderdale and his 

 successors. By an arrangement with the Earls of Lauderdale a 

 right of way by the avenue and past the Castle over the Leader 

 to the old road was given up many years ago. On the other 

 side of the street from the avenue there is pointed out the site 

 of what was formerly an old inn, called Johnny Cope's. Sir 

 John is said to have made his first stop here after his defeat 

 at Prestonpans in 1745. The site is now occupied by a 

 handsome warehouse. From this point down to the Town 

 Hall the street is called the Market Place, and is about 100 

 feet wide. In front of the Town Hall steps, the Town Cross 

 once stood. In the Market Place is the Black Bull Hotel, 

 once the site of an old " Peel." On the opposite side, and back 



