Elwyndale and its Three Toivers. By J. Freer. 195 



connection with the Novel itself, it seems curious that 8ir Walter 

 should, while still strictly preserving his incognito at the time it 

 was written (1810), have chosen for the scene of the Tale a 

 locality so near his own door. 



CoLMSLiE Tower (Plate VII.) is generally supposed to be an 

 older building than Hillslap, but the windows, which are larger 

 than in either of the other two Towers, seem to throw some 

 doubt on this, if the size of the windows in such buildings may 

 be taken as an evidence of their age. It is of rectangular shape, 

 with roofless walls of immense thickness. Its whole appearance 

 has been greatly marred by the freestone of the windows and 

 cornices having been torn out for use in other buildings. 

 Colmslie belonged at the time of the Reformation to the Cairn- 

 crosses. An old dial from this tower is to be seen in the front of 

 the farm-house close at hand ; and built into the wall above the 

 door of the farm-house is a square freestone also removed from the 

 Tower, with the coat of arms of the Cairncrosses, and the initials 



t 



Nisbet, in his Heraldry, published in 1722, says : " The name 

 of Caikncross in old charters writ Carnea Crux, of which there 

 was a Bishop of Ros and an Abbot of Holy -rood-house, and other 

 Barons of that name carried the same Arms with the Abbacy of 

 Holy -rood-house, as Andrew Cairncross of Gowmslie, argent A 

 8ta(fs Head erazed, and between the Attiring or Horns a Cross 

 Croslet fitchie surmounted on the top with a Mullet Gales. Motto : 

 Eecte faciendo neminem timeo (N.R.)" 



In a field to the west of a line between Hillslap and Colmslie, 

 and belonging to the adjoining farm of Buckholm, are a series of 

 low earthen mounds, suggesting the idea of ancient erections of 

 very considerable extent. "As Richard de Morville made a grant 

 toMelroseAbbey,by which he gave the monks permission to have 

 a place that would hold sixty cows at Buckholm on the west side 

 of the Alwent or Allen, and a convenient dairy house within the 

 enclosures existing there previous to this grant." It is believed 

 that the enclosures and byres of monkish times are now repre- 

 sented by these low mounds, for the field where they are found 

 is the only one on Buckholm that is near to the west side of 

 Elwyn ; the next in proximity being at least half-a-mile away. 



