530 D. MILNE HOME ON HIGH-WATER MARKS ON THE 
castles which are noted on the Ordnance Map, and traces of which are still 
visible on the land. It was a common practice in ancient times to form 
camps near large bodies of water, as they afforded protection on at least one 
side.* Like protection, however, would have been afforded if, instead of 
water, there had been an impassable morass, which is very likely to have 
been the state of matters more recently on Millfield Plain.t On each side 
of the great morass west of Stirling, there had been in like manner ancient 
fortresses, the Broch of Coldoch being one. | 
There is evidence that since the 185 beach line was formed, the River Glen 
has greatly changed its course. Near Kirknewton, the river had joined the 
body of water ;—but since that body of water disappeared, the glen has cut out 
for itself the channel in which it now runs. On the diagram there will be seen 
an elongated ridge with the word Coupland on it. This ridge is composed of 
gravel near the west end and sand towards the east. It had formed originally 
part of the bottom of Millfield lake or estuary. At first the Glen seems to 
have run on the north side of Coupland; ultimately it diverged into its present 
course, running for about a mile along the base of a nearly vertical bank of 
gravel and sand, which it is still undermining. This mass of gravel and 
sand (182 feet above the sea) gradually slopes down towards the middle 
of the plain, being, at the entrance-lodge to Ewart House, 166 feet above 
the sea. Through this mass, the river has cut its way 40 or 50 feet. Most 
probably the large amount of detrital matter here, was brought down by 
the River Glen and other streams, when water prevailed to the height of 185 
feet. ; 
To the east of Kirknewton, it may be observed that the interrupted line rises 
a little above the 200 feet contour line. It is difficult to account for the circum- 
stance. It may, however, be, that the interrupted line here indicates, not a water 
margin, as it does elsewhere, but only an accumulation of detrital matter washed 
down the sides of the hills, which at this place are close to the contour line, 
and unusually steep. 
As to the question whether this body of water which prevailed over 
Millfield Plain was a lake or an arm of the sea, there are but few data on 
which a satisfactory opinion can be formed. 
If it was lake, there must have been a barrier of considerable height and 
extent, at or near New Etal or Crookham, which is the only place where the 
* Tn the “ Berwickshire Nat. Club,” vol. ii. p. 345, there will be found a list of old camps, castles, — 
and towers situated in this part of the Borderland. In this list several are mentioned as situated near — 
Millfield Plain, which are not marked in the Ordnance Map. 
+ The names of “ Howmyre” and “ Floaty,” which refer to places or fields on the lower grounds, — 
probably originate from this cause. 

