Antique Spur at Ferney Castles. By Dr Stuart. 205 



Coldingham side of tae mire. The cereal crop when growing 

 in the same field, shows by its colour the spot where the said 

 Causeway existed. 



The Pyper Knowe is a rounded eminence on Oausewaybank 

 farm on the south side, and is easily seen from the high road 

 leading to Eeston. It is composed of water-worn stones, and 

 about 60 years ago was covered with broom, and according to 

 popular tradition was a favourite resort of the fairies, whose 

 sweet piping gave the Knowe its name Pyper Knowe. No 

 doubt many a bloody combat has taken place in this region, the 

 marks of a large British Camp, now nearly obliterated by the 

 plough, being still able to be traced, so that it is possible that a 

 careful search might reveal more relics than have yet been 

 found. The most interesting story connected with Billie Mire, 

 however, remains yet to be told. There is in the Advocates 

 Library in Edinburgh, the Manuscript of the Treaty of Billie 

 Mire in 1386. (Richard II.) "At Billymyre the 27 day of 

 Juyne, the yeer of Grace one thousand four score and sex : It 

 is accordit betwene the lord the Nevill, warrleyn of the Est 

 March of Ingland agayne Scotland on the ta part and the 

 erles of Douglas and of the Marches, wardeyns of the Est 

 Marche of Scotland, agains Ingland on the tothir part. That 

 ferme trewes, abstinance of were, and special assurance sal be 

 bytwix thaym and thar bondys, entrechangeably of Scotland 

 and Ingland, and the enhabitants in thar bondys forseyde bothe 

 be see and be land, the bondys of the see begynnand at the 

 south side of the Toys to north side of the Scotish see in this 

 manere,* etc., etc." 



This truce continued from 27th June 1386, till the last day of 

 May in the following year at sunset — that is to the end of seed 

 time. It was afterwards prolonged till 19th June 1387. 



Sixty years ago, large flocks of wild ducks frequented this 

 fen, and even since I came to the county, more than forty years 

 ago, I have seen hundreds of these birds in stormy weather. 

 The Kingfisher is a constant visitor to the last. The Marsh 

 Harrier regularly built tliere among the reeds, within the 

 memory of persons alive, and the Bittern or Bull-of-the-mire, in 

 more ancient times, whose boom in this dreary morass may have 

 given rise to the old rhyme and superstition, that the mire 

 contained a supernatural being of doubtful character. 

 * Botuli Scotiae, vol. ii., p. 85. 



