east-lothian-1924/05-155

Transcription

OLDHAMSTOCKS.] INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. [OLDHAMSTOCKS.

Kello, Chirnside, Oldhamstocks, Dewingham,
and Reidspittal.8 Pope Nicholas V. in 1454
granted a seven years and seven quarters re-
laxation of penances to those who yearly
visited the " colledge Kirk of Dunglass " on
the feast of Assumption, and a similar in-
dulgence was granted by Pope Pius II. in 1459.9
On August 16, 1544, an English raiding party
from Berwick spoiled and burned the vill of
Dunglass, on which occasion " the Scots shot
fourth of the Tower (i.e., of Dunglass, No. 128)
and College with gunnes and slew an English-
man and hurt too (two)."10

1 Home MSS., pp. 77, 124 ; 2 Ibid, No. 122 ;
3 Home MSS. No. 123 ; 4 Ibid. No. 128 ;
5 Ibid. Nos. 124, 125, 126, 127, 318, 278 ;
6 Laing Charters No. 1866 ; 7 Milne Home
MSS. No. 378 ; 8 Ibid. Nos. 115, 120 ; Home
MSS. No. 129 ; 9 Home MSS. No. 318 ;
10 Raine's North Durham p. xvii.

xiii. S.W. 19 August 1915.

DEFENSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS.

125. The " French (?) Camp," Dunglass.-
Te earthworks known as the "French Camp"
near Dunglass House, Oldhamstocks consist of
ramparts and deep ditches enclosing a tri-
angular area (fig. 118) on the edge of the plateau
overlooking Dunglass. Towards the south side
is a high rectangular mound with a summer
house dated 1718 at one end and an excavated
bowling green to the west. The ditches are
deepest on the side next the steep slope and
slight on the opposite side where they were
most necessary if required for defence. The
place is much cut up with modern walks.
The so-called " French Camp " was really
an English Fort constructed and used during
the occupation of Haddington in 1548-9.1
By the Treaty of Boulogne (1550) it was to
be handed over to the Scots and by them
destroyed.2

1 Introd. p. xxx. Illustrations of the Reign
of Queen Mary pp. 47, 52 ; 2 Foedera xv.,
p. 215, where it is called " Douglas."

xii. S.E. 27 June 1913.

126. Fort, Castle Dykes, Bilsdean Burn.-On
the south bank of the ravine at the mouth of
the Bilsdean Burn is the entrenchment known

79

as Castle Dykes, a long triangular area meas-
uring about 200 yards from east to west and
about 85 yards across the eastern end. It is
adequately defended on the north by the
ravine, through which the burn flows, and on
the east by the precipitous slope which rises
about 100 feet from the high water mark, but
on the south, where the land is level, it has been
defended by a massive rampart of earth running
generally east and west, the western extremity
resting on the steep bank of the burn about 250
yards west of its mouth, and the eastern ex-
tremity terminating about 20 feet from the
edge of the cliff some 100 yards south of the
mouth of the burn. The central portion of
the rampart, for a distance

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 118.-Earthwork
Dunglass (No. 125).

of about 110 yards across a
slight hollow, has been re-
moved to permit of agricult-
ural operations, but there
remains a length of some
50 yards at the western end
with a breadth at base of
36 feet and a height of 7 feet,
while at the eastern end,
which has a slight curve to
the north, there is a length
of some 86 yards which shows a basal
breadth of 30 feet and a height of 12 feet.
In the eastern portion of the fort, foundations
of stone structures are reported to have been
encountered in ploughing.

xiii. N.W. 27 June 1913.

MISCELLANEOUS.

127. Sundial.-Some 70 yards east of the
church is a dial possibly dating from the 17th
century (fig. 84). From a moulded plinth,
square on plan, rises a pierced pedestal with
two pilasters on each face. These have moulded
bases, neckings and capitals; above the latter
a heavily moulded cornice or shelf swells out
to a great projection and is surmounted by a
small cubical dial.

xiii. S.W. 19 August 1915.

SITES.

The O.S. maps indicate the following sites:-

128. Dunglass Castle, Dunglass. xiii. S.W.

129. Black Castle, Oldhamstocks. xii. S.E.