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Yeavering Bell, Harehope Fort, and Humbleton Hill. 

 By Francis Lynn, F.S.A. (Scot.), Galashiels. 



(Plates IX. and X.) 



From its prominent position near the termination of the 

 Cheviot range, that great natural dividing line between 

 North and South in the British Isles, this mountain position 

 must always have been an object of importance. While the 

 land in the central valleys to the North of the range was 

 occupied by the early tribes, to whom one constant danger 

 was invasion by strangers landing on the Eastern seaboard, 

 the commanding position of the Bell, and its advantages as 

 overlooking the point of danger, and as a signalling station, 

 would make its possession a matter of the first importance. 

 From it warning of coming danger would flash to the Eildons 

 and beyond. Eoman writers describe these central regions 

 as occupied by the Gadeni, or men of the woods, and the 

 Eastern coast as occupied by the Otadeni. When the Roman 

 power was withdrawn, we have the Cymric Britons, partly 

 Romanized, holding together under the kingship of Strath- 

 clyde, and the invading Angles and Frisians on the East bear- 

 ing relatively to each other the same position as formerly was 

 borne by the Gadeni and the Otadeni. Yeavering Bell and the 

 group of hill-positions round it still remained the key of the 

 position, and the Cymric kingdom clung to it tenaciously. 

 One of the Arthurian battles — the first — was fought on the 

 plain below ; and we may conclude that the possession of 

 these positions was the prize contended for, and that here 

 the mighty Arthur struck his first blow, because the possession 

 of the point was vital, and because here the danger from 

 ever increasing sea-borne hordes was felt to be the greatest. 



