38 Report of the Meetings for 1892. 



On the opposite side of the road from Grants Braes, but 

 inside the Park wall, is another ruin propped up with timber, 

 and whose arch is supported b}'^ an imitation of a portcullis 

 drawn up. The tympanum above the arch has a small plain 

 column at each side. The tympanum has probably contained a 

 Coat of Arms, but is now all shattered and broken, and the 

 action of weather has removed all traces of such Arms. This 

 is the archway of a former entrance to Lennoxlove. A tradition 

 is current that this drive was discontinued, and the cottage 

 attached to the gateway pulled down to appease the anxiety of 

 a former Lady Blantyre, who, in passing through, had a 

 narrow escape by one of the stones falling from above and 

 smashing through the roof of her carriage. 



Before reaching the north-west corner of the Park wall, we 

 crossed a small stream near its confluence with the Tyne. 

 Herons are frequently observed in the stream at this place. 

 This is the St. Bothans Water, whose acquaintance we made 

 again at Tester. From Tester it changes its name according to 

 the estate it flows through, thus below Gifford village it is 

 termed the Gifford Water, the Eaglescarnie Burn, Bolton Burn, 

 and Coalstoun Burn, which last name it retains to its mouth, 

 although it runs through the length of Lennoxlove Parks. 



We made here a detour to our left— the road to the right 

 leading to Salton, so closely linked with Gilbert Burnet the 

 historian, and his pupil, afterwards the famous patriot, Andrew 

 Fletcher. The church spire of Salton, a prominent object 

 erected by Lord Milton in memory of his uncle the patriot, 

 could be seen peeping through the trees which shelter Salton 

 village on the east side. In the wood below Salton lies 

 Hermanston, the ancient home of the Sinclairs, and still in 

 their possession ; while beyond that again the woods around 

 Pencaitland and Winton House could be discerned. Samuelston, 

 also to our right about a mile up the river, was located by the 

 trees which surrounds it, and a farm house peeping through 

 them. This is a possession of the Earl of Haddington, and 

 was at one time notorious for the number and vagaries of its 

 witches ; so bad indeed was the reputation of the place that the 

 Earl of Haddington had to resort to extreme measures to root 

 them out, and the minister of Gladsmuir (Mr John Bell) within 

 which parish Samuelston is situated, wrote a book dated 1705, 

 which was considered an authority to consult in order to find 



