118 



THE SYCAMORE. 



north-west from the house, and the largest tree of 

 its kmd about the place, in 1789, measured, at four 

 feet from the roots, eighteen feet seven inches 

 in girth. At the height of two feet and a half 

 from the ground, it was twenty-four feet four 

 inches, and it is about seventy feet high. It has 

 the appearance of great antiquity, but seems still 

 to be sound. Many other Sycamores at New- 

 bottle were planted before the Reformation, and 

 apparently about the same time with this, though 

 they are inferior in size. This tree was pro- 

 bably planted before the year 1530." 



The Sycamore at Kippencross is truly a noble 

 tree. It has been figured by Nattes in his ' Scotia 

 Depicta.' He states it to have been in 1801, 

 twenty-eight feet nine inches in girth, wdth a stem 

 of thirty-feet. He must have measured its cir- 

 cumference at the ground, as when taken breast 

 high, in 1798, its girth was only twenty -tw^o feet 

 six inches. In 1809, this tree was in full health 

 and beauty."* All that is known of the age of 

 this tree is, that in Charles the Second's reign it 

 went by the name of " The big tree of Kippen- 

 cross." 



But the most remarkable Sycamores in Scot- 

 land are those w^hich are called " Dool trees." 

 They were used by the most powerful barons in 

 the west of Scotland, for hanging their enemies 

 and refractory vassals on, and were for this reason 

 called dooly or grief trees. Of these there are 

 three yet standing, the most memorable being one 

 near the fine old castle of Cassillis, one of the 

 seats of the Marquis of Ailsa, on the bank of the . 

 river Doon. It is not so remarkable for its girth 

 * Lauder's Gilpin. 



