292 Notes on Newton Don. By C. B. Balfour. 



owing to the division of the Morville estates amongst the three 

 female heirs or not, it is curious to note that, for a long period^ 

 the territory of Little Newton is mentioned in several documents 

 as being divided into three portions. Two portions belonged to 

 .the family of Newton, one portion to the family of Hanganside 

 — though, besides these main divisions, there seem to have 

 been others at different times. 



In 1386 James, second Earl of Douglas, gives a charter of 

 the lands of Little Newton to Alexander Newton.® 



In 1388 Eichard of Hanganside gives Kaimflat, in the 

 territory of Little Newton, to the Abbey of Kelso, for masses 

 to be said for the souls of William and James of Douglas, 

 his overlords.^ 



This is the earliest mention of the two families, and from this 

 time on their fortunes can be more or less accurately traced. 



In my opinion the portion of Little Newton, belonging to the 

 Newton family, was the western portion of the estate — Newton 

 proper — and the portion of the Hanganside family was the 

 eastern one. Kaimflat is certainly at the east end of the 

 "territory of Little Newton," and in the Newton family 

 charters there is frequent mention of the mill of Little Newton 

 — and the Cruik — or mill of the Cruik. I take this to be the 

 "crook," or bend in the river just below the house — within 

 which bend, to this day, the names of the fields are Mill 

 Haugh, Under Mill Haugh (where the Kelso Club Curling 

 pond is situated) and two Mill Parks. 



The Douglases were attainted in 1456, their estates forfeited, 

 and the constabulary of Lauder reverted to the Crown. The 

 former vassals now seem to hold under the Crown. 



After this date the Hepburns of Waughton appear as owners 

 of part of Little Newton, and in addition, to have attempted an 

 exchange of their interest in the lands with another family. 

 In the Registrum Magni Sigilli, charters No. 780 and 782, 

 Sir Patrick Hepburn of Wauchton, in 1463, exchanges the 

 lands of Little Newton and others with William of Bekirtoun, 

 eldest son of Robert Bekirtoun of Lufness, for the lands of 

 Lufness : but this exchange can hardly have been carried into 

 effect, as the Hepburns still appear as connected with Little 



8 Douglas Book, Vol. i., p. 305. 



9 Liber de Calchon : Charter, No. 521. 



