Eeport of the Meetings for 1892. 31 



On the whole the Club's visit to Philiphaugh was one of the 

 most delightful in its annals, and after luncheon, very cordial 

 applause followed the President's expression of thanks for Mr 

 Steel's kindness and hospitality. 



About three o'clock the long line of carriages left Philiphaugh 

 for Woodburn, the President's house, on the confines of the 

 town of Selkirk. Here a number of interesting objects were 

 exhibited— among them two stone fonts, one extremely old, 

 archaic, and roughly sculped, and the other (from the vicinity 

 of Peebles) showing bas-reliefs of the Poyal Arms, an antlered 

 stag, and a wild animal in full flight. There were other 

 sculptured stones, one with the spectacle ornament, all found in 

 the town of Selkirk. Inside the house were seen a large and 

 valuable silver cup, presented to the Burgh of Selkirk by Duke 

 Walter of Buccleuch, when Earl of Dalkeith. If not actually 

 designed, it was commissioned by Sir Walter Scott, whose 

 humorous letter to the Duke about the cup appears in Lockhart's 

 biography. The cup, filled with wine in which "the birse " is 

 immersed, is used when the Provost admits an honorary 

 burgess, or " Souter of Selkirk." It is the only piece of 

 Corporation plate ; but a very handsome gold badge and chain 

 for the Provost, provided in honour of the Queen's Jubilee, 

 were also exhibited. A very characteristic letter of Sir Walter 

 Scott, giving his ideas as to the designs on both sides of a new 

 flag, and the flag itself, were inspected with much interest. 

 Also the Burgh flag and flagstaff, the latter adorned with 

 ribbons, attached by various standard bearers since 1805. 

 Besides these, were the unique and ancient halberts of the 

 Souters of Selkirk, and the Craft of Pleshers, the procession-staff 

 and snuff-mull of the Deacon of Souters, the Souters' or 

 Cordiners' minute books from 1609 to 1844, a pike and sword 

 found together on the wall head of an old house in the Kirk 

 Wynd, a sword left by an officer in Montrose's army after the 

 battle of Philiphaugh in 1645, a long flint-lock gun found in 

 an old house at Philiphaugh, etc. 



Afternoon tea having been served in the conservatory, a large 

 proportion of the members and friends walked to the Haining, 

 where the site of old Selkirk Castle was inspected. The castle, 

 which stood on the Peel Hill, is first mentioned in David's 

 charter of 1119. It was a frequent residence of William the 

 Lion (1159-1214), of Alexanders II. and III. Edward I. (1300) 



