Elwijndale and its Three Towers. By J. Freer. 191 



Communication between the divisions of Melrose Parish, north 

 and south of the Tweed, must have been at all times a matter of 

 great importance. Antiquarians are generally agreed that the 

 Romans had a bridge near Millmount, immediately north of 

 Newstead ; and so long as this bridge stood, safe, if circuitous, 

 access to the dale of Elwyn was always to be had. The 

 destruction of this bridge must have taken place at a very early 

 date, a date, which cannot even be conjectured with probability. 

 Thereafter, communication between the north and south banks 

 of Tweed must have been carried on mainly by the old ford at 

 Gattonside Suspension Bridge. It is quite possible, perhaps 

 probable, that the use of this ford goes back to the times of the 

 Eoman occupation, as the hillroad from Gattonside to Earlston 

 is believed to show signs of Roman formation in some of its 

 parts, and this hillroad leads directly to the old ford. From old 

 deeds it is known that the part of this road between Gattonside 

 and the Tweed bore the name of the Grange gate, a name going 

 to prove that the products of the Abbey Grange of Drygrange 

 were conveyed to the Monastery along this road. Further up 

 Tweed and above Melrose Cauld, there must have been in 

 monkish times a ferry boat stationed, as from old deeds it 

 appears that both on the north and south sides of Tweed, the 

 name Boatshielhaugh was applied to ground close by the river. 

 About a hundred and thirty years ago, a stone and lime bridge 

 was erected at this point, which stood, however, no more than 

 ten years, and which, after it fell was replaced by the present 

 substantial stone bridge of two arches, a few hundred yards 

 further up the river. On one of the cope stones of the parapet 

 of this Bridge there is the date and initials thus : — 

 17 69. 

 W. F. 

 On the north side the name Cobbleheugh has taken the place of 

 the older name now disused. 



The Gateside road leading north started from Cobbleheugh, 

 and is probably the original line or track of the Girthgate. 

 Some gate or road must have given its name to Gateside, and 

 the Girthgate is the only one known to have been used in the 

 older times. If the Girthgate went by Gateside it must have 

 been on the line of the present public road, till near Wester 

 Housebyres, where it would strike in a N.W. direction towards 

 Elwyn, crossing it some distance above the bank where the fairy 



