is not inconfiftent with a high wall, and is unwilling to alarm thofe who ought to vifit prifons with apprehenfions. This volume concludes with fome judicious remarks relative to the improvement of the Manchefter infirmary. We trust that the author, by collecting his mifcellaneous publications, does not mean to drop the pen from which the world has received fo much advantage. The hic cæftus artemque repono' we hope is yet far diftant.

The Antiquities of Scotland. By Francis Grofe, Efq. F. A. S. (Concluded from p. 79.)

'N Roxburghshire, the first antiquity that occurs is the abbey of Kelfo. This was an abbey of Tironefian monks, brought over from France by king David, when earl of Cumberland, during the reign of his brother Alexander the Fierce, The building is of that plain and undecorated ftyle called Saxon or early Norman. The church of this monaftery had been used by the town of Kelfo as a place of worship till within these few years. There flill remains of it the whole tranfept, the fouthern and western tower, which ftood at the interfection of the tranfverfe parts of the building; with a part of the fouth wall of the nave, in which is an arch that communicated between the cloyiter and the body of the church.

Roxburgh Castle is fituated near the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot, about a mile fouth-west of Kello. It is of an oblong figure, elevated above the plain about forty per pendicular feet, chiefly natural; on the brink of which are the remains of a wall, the outward defence of the ancient caftle. The interior part is now planted with trees. The mount is defended at the foot of the north and weft fides by a deep moat and outward rampier of earth; a fine plain intervening between thefe and the Tweed. The moat was fupplied with water by a dam which croffed the river Teviot in an oblique direction, the remains of which still appear, The fouth and eaft fides are defended by an inacceffible precipice, at the foot of which runs the Teviot with a rapid current. This caftle has been the scene of many military tranf actions and incidents, recited by our author. The fortrefs having been furprised by the English, James II. of Scotland, whilft he laid fiege to it with a large army, was killed by the bursting of a cannon.

The abbey of Melrofe is pleafantly fituated near the fouthern banks of the Tweed, and was founded by king David, in the year 1136. An old monaftery of the fame name, which flood

about a mile and a half to the east of the present town of Melrofe, is mentioned by Bede as exifting in the year 664.

The remains of this monaftery confift of fome fragments of the cloyfters richly ornamented; and the ruins of the church, part of which still ferves for parochial ufes. Nothing, fays our author, can exceed the elegance and finiffing of the windows, and beauty of the ornaments with which this building was profufely adorned. For though this church was founded by king David, very little of the original structure is remaining; most of the architecture being of the ornamented Gothic, a ftyle which did not take place till upwards of a century after that period, The view from the entrance of the church-yard is noble. The church is in the form of a crofs: the arching of the door-way is compofed of a femicircle, with various members of the moft delicate work falling behind each other, fupported on light and well proportioned pilalters, On each fide is a projection of rich tabernacle-work. The corners of the fouth end of the tranfept which prefents Stfelf in front, are compofed of regular buttreffes, terminated by fpires of tabernacle work. These buttreffes are pierced with niches for ftatues; the pedeftals and canopies of which are of the lightest Gothic order, and ornamented with garfands of flowers in pierced work. Above the fouth gate are feveral niches for ftatues, decreafing in height as the arch rifes, in which fome mutilated effigies remain, many in ftanding pofitions, others fitting. In the centre are the arms of Scotfand, above which is the effigy of John the Baptist, to the wait, fufpended on a cloud, cafting his looks upwards, and bearing on his breaft a fillet, infcribed, Ecce Filius Dei.' This is faid to be a very delicate fculpture, and in good prefervation. On the buttress eaft of the door, is the effigy of a monk, fufpended in like manner, fupporting on his shoul ders the pedeftal of the niche above: in his hands a fillet is extended, on which is infcribed Paffus eft quia ipfe voluit.' On the western buttress is the like effigy, bearing a fillet infcribed, Cam venit Jefus, fequitur umbra.' Thefe two fculptures are of excellent workmanship. To the westward of the laft mentioned effigy, is the figure of a cripple on the fhoulders of one that is blind, well executed. Under it is infcribed Uncte Dei. Above the fouth door is an elegant window, divided by four principal bars, or mullions, terminating in a printed arch. This window is twenty-four feet in height within the arch, and fixteen in breadth. We fhall here break off the defcription of this ancient fabric, which our author has chiefly copied from the account delivered by Mr. Hutchinfon: but he affirms, on his own authority, that the abbey

of

of Melrofe contains a greater variety of Gothic ornaments, than all the other religious ftructures in the island, collectively taken. The length of this edifice from east to west is 258 feet, the cross aile 137 feet, and the whole contents of its ichnography 943.

The abbey of Jedburgh is situated in Teviotdale, on the weft fide of the river Jed, near where it falls into the Teviot. It was founded by king David I. This building is partly in ruins, and part ferves as the parish church. The workmanship is faid to be extremely fine.

The caftle of Godielands ftands in the fame county with the preceding, about a mile weft from Hawick, on an eminence on the fouth fide of the Teviot, nearly oppofite to where the water of Borthwick joins with that river. Of this caftle no other circumstance is mentioned, than that it was anciently the refidence of a family of the furname of Goldy, whence it derived its prefent appellation,

Minto-Tower is a small building, fituated on a rugged and picturefque rock, close to the Teviot, and on the right hand of the high road leading from Jedburgh to Hawick.

Entering Lanerkshire, we are prefented with the collegiate church of Biggar. This church was founded in the year 1545, by Malcolm lord Fleming, lord high chancellor of Scotland, and ancestor to the earls of Wigton. It is a handfome building, and, from its general appearance, seems much older than the time of the foundation just now mentioned, As this place is preferved an ancient vafe, fuppofed, says our au thor, to be Roman, In the times of popery it was appropri ated to facred offices, as it ftill continues to be; for it is now used to contain the water for baptifm. The iron collar, call. ed the Jougs, an inftrument for ecclefiaftical punishments, is yet hanging by a chain in the wall, near the door of the church.

In Clydfdale, the caftle of Bog Hall Stands upon a flat, or rather a marshy ground, half a mile diftant from the town of Biggar. The building was at a distance encompassed by a fofs, or ditch, and within chat by a ftone wall flanked with towers, The entrance was through a handsome gate. The dwelling houfe is in ruins; it feems more modern than the furrounding wall or towers.

The collegiate church of Hamilton was founded in the year 1451, by fir James Hamilton of Cadzow, ancestor to the dukes of Hamilton, for a provoft and feveral prebendaries. It is alfo the burial place of that family,

Proceeding into Dumfriesshire, we come to Hoddam Caftle

which is delightfully fituated on the south bank of the river Annan. According to tradition, it was built between the years 1437 and 1484, by John lord Herries, of Herries, with the ftones of a more ancient castle of the fame name, which flood on the oppofite fide of the river. The old caftle is said to have been inhabited about the beginning of the fourteenth century, by a branch of the family of Robert Bruce, and to have been demolished some time after by a border-law. The historical detail of the fucceffive proprietors of this caftle is, as usual ̧ ̈ clear and explicit; but as it contains nothing remarkable, we confine ourselves to the general defcription. The following fhort extract, however, we think worthy of inferting in our Review.

Refpecting the Tower of Repentance, there are various ac counts of the causes of its conftruction. One of them is, that John, lord Heries, having been on an expedition to plunder fome part of the English border, was, on his return, in great danger of fhipwreck; and on which occafion he made a vow, that if he escaped, he would, by way of expiation of his crimes, and as a mark of gratitude for his delivery, build a watch tower, with a beacon, to be lighted by a watch, kept there at his expence, whenever the English were difcovered making an inroad into the Scotch border. This he accordingly did, and caufed the word Repentance, to be cut over the door between the figures of a dove and a ferpent, whence it derives its name. The building is a fquare tower of hewn ftone, and is mentioned in the border laws by the name of the watch tower of Trailtrow, and a watch ordered to be kept there, and a fire made in the firepan, and the bell to be rung whenever the Englishes are feen coming near to or over the river Annan, and to be kept conftantly burning in weir time.

In the additions to Camden, it is faid, this tower was built by a lord Herries, as an atonement for putting to death fome prifoners, to whom he had promifed quarter: on it is carved the word Repentance, between a ferpent and a dove, emblems of prudence and meeknefs; and probably the word is the family motto.'

Tradition, we are told, has preferved a bon mot of a fhepherd's boy to fir Richard Steele, founded on the name of this tower. Sir Richard having obferved a boy lying on the ground, and very attentively reading the Bible, afked him if he could tell him the way to Heaven? Yes, Sir,' replied the boy; you must go by that tower;' alluding to its appellation of Repentance.

Spedlin's Caftle ftands in the parish of Lochmaban, about three miles to the northward of that town, and on the weft bank of the river Annan. All that is known of it is, that it

has

has long been, as at prefent, the property of an ancient and refpectable family, the Jardins of Applegarth. Its form, like most of thofe buildings, is a ftrong, fquare, vaulted tower, with walls of a great thickness, flanked by round turrets, at the angles. Up one pair of stairs there is a good room, with an ancient carved chimney-piece. The following narrative we introduce for the entertainment of our readers.

But this building is chiefly famous for being haunted by a bogle, or ghoft. As the relation will enliven the dullness of antiquarian difquifition, I will here relate it, as it was told me by an honest woman who refides on the fpor, and who, I will be fworn from her manner, believed every fyllable of it. In the time of the late fir John's grand father, a perfon named Por teus, living in the parish of Applegarth, was taken up on fufpicion of feiting fire to a mill, and confined in the lord's prifon, the pit, or dungeon, at this caftle. The lord being fuddenly called to Edinburgh on fome preffing and unexpected bufinefs, in his hurry forgot to leave the key of the pit, which he always held in his own cuftody. Before he difcovered his mistake, and could fend back the key, which he did the moment he found it out, the man was ftarved to death, having first, through the extremity of hunger, gnawed off one of his hands. Ever after that time the castle was terribly haunted, till a chaplain of the family exorciled and confined the bogle to the pit, whence it could never come out, fo long as a large Bible, which he had ufed on that bufinels, remained in the calle. It is faid that the chaplain did not long furvive this operation. The ghost, however, kept quietly within the bounds of his prifon till a long time after, when the Bible, which was ufed by the whole family, required a new binding: for which purpofe it was fent to Edinburgh. The ghoft, taking advantage of its abfence, was extremely boisterous in the pit, feeming as if it would break through the iron door, and making a noife like that of a large bird fluttering its wings. The Bible being returned, and the pit filled up, every thing has fince remained perfectly quiet. But the good woman declared, that should it again be taken off the premises, no confideration whatsoever would induce her to remain there a fingle night.'

Tortherold Castle ftands on an artificial mount, in the parish of the fame name, about a mile to the east of the Loughes, half way between Dumfries and Lochmaban, close to the road fide, and a small distance from the rivulet. The building feems to have confifted folely of a tower, or keep, of a quadrilateral figure; its area measuring, on the outfide, 51 feet by 28; the longeft fides facing the east and west. It was furrounded by a double ditch.

Cowhill Tower, Nithfdale. This old tower flood upon an eminence, commanding a charming profpect of the vale of

L4

Nith,