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Annals of Dunfermline
Addenda 2


SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGES

  Near the North east corner of the King’s Cellar there is an opening 2 feet wide and 2 ½ feet in height, which leads upwards by a gentle incline into a small recess.  This opening appears to us to be the top part of an ancient doorway.  Were the accumulated earth and rubbish to be cleared away in front of said opening, it is likely that a flight of steps would be found descending to the foot of the now unseen doorway, or steps going down by the side of the wall.  This done, a number of steps would likely be discovered leading up into this small recess just mentioned.  In February, 1877, our friend Mr. George Robertson (Comely Park) armed with lights and a magnetic comp0ass, ascended said opening or top of door.  The following are a few of the interesting details he has kindly sent to us, and for which we return thanks:  “In the said recess there is a water-course, which apparently comes from the north foot of the wall below the great western window.  There is also an ascending small opening, covered with an iron grating, just below the causeway of the Pends.  In the north west corner there is a Gothic entrance-the entrance to the subterranean passage-which goes in a north west direction parallel to the Palace wall.  The passage is not straight, but bends a little at several places.  The entire length of the passage is 89 feet, and 2 ½ feet in breadth and about 4 ½ feet in height.”  (See also Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. i. pp. 95-97).

  It appears to us that the uneven and somewhat slight circular direction in some places of the passage would indicate the foundations of circular towers, which may have stood on each side of the main door of the Palace, similar to those seen at Holyrood and Falkland.

TOWER RUINS (MALCOLM CANMORE’S), TOWER HILL

  Of this celebrated tower there exists only small fragments of the south and the west walls.  In 1790 the south wall measured 31 feet in length, the west wall 49 ½ feet, with a height of about 8 feet and a thickness of about 8 feet.

LIST OF PICTURES AND OTHER WORKS OF ART BY
SIR NOEL PATON, R.S.A., LL.D. &c

  THE following paintings, &c., are the work of two eminent natives of Dunfermline who have, through their productions, conferred great honour on the “old grey city”—namely, Sir Joseph Noel Paton, R.S.A., LL.D., Her Majesty’s Limner for Scotland, and Mr. Waller H. Paton. R.S.A.  Also a list is added of the sculptured works from the chisel of their talented sister, Mrs. D. O. Hill, now al resident in Edinburgh.

List of a few of Sir Joseph Noel Paton’s Works from 1838 to 1878

  “Fight between Bothwell and Balfour,” 1838.  “Rachel Weeping for her Children,” 1845.  Quarrel of Oberon and Titania,” 1846.  “Puck and Fairy,” 1847. “Christ Bearing His Cross,” 1847-likfe size.  “Reconciliation of Oberon and Titania,” 1847; these two Pictures jointly obtained a Prize in the Second Class of £300 at the Westminster Hall Competition this year.  “Thomas the Rhymer and the Queen of Faerie,” 1851.  “Christ Blessing Little Children” 1852.  “The Pursuit of Pleasure,” 1855, an Allegorical Picture, painted in Wooer’s Alley, Dunfermline and exhibited in the Music Hall, Dunfermline, for a benevolent purpose.  “Home for the Crimea,” 1856.  “In Memoriam,” 1858, an Illustration of the Indian Mutiny.  By Command of Her Majesty a large Photograph was taken fro this Picture.  “The Entombment and Gethsemane,” 1860.  “The Dowie Dens of Yarrow,” 1862; six pictures, Engraved for the Royal Association for the Promotion of the Fine Arts.  “Illustrations to Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner,” 1864.  “Fact and Fancy,” 1860.  “Faith and Reason,” 1869.  “Christ and Sleeping Disciples,” 1870.  “The Good Shepherd,” 1872.  “Bruce and the Spider,” 1873.  “Christ and Mary at the Sepulchre,” 1873.  “Satan Watching the Sleep of Christ,” 1874.  “The Man of Sorrows,” 1875—life size.  “Christian Arming in the House Beautiful.” 1876.  “Christ the Great Shepherd,” 1876, &c

Read a small biography of Sir Joseph Noel Paton (pdf) also a Book of his poems

List of a few of the Painting, Drawings and Water Colours, &c Exhibited by Waller Hugh Paton, Esq., R.S.A.

  “Ellen Masson,” 1851.  “Edinburgh from the Fife Coast,” 1852.  “The Black Pool and Upper Pool, Finnich Glen.” 1853.  “Outlet of Loch Achray,” 1859.  “The Two Templars,” 1861.  “Cologne, from Bridge of Boats,” 1862.  “Rome from the Pincian Hill,” 1862. “Holyrood Palace,” 1862.  “Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat,” 1864.  “Lochaber no more,” 1865.  “The Island of Graves, Skye,” 1867.  “Tomb of the Bruce, Dunfermline,” 1868.  “Castle Campbell,” 1870.  “The Fair of St. Olaf, Kirkwall,” 1874.  “Entrance to Glencoe,” 1877, &c.

List of Sculptured Works by Mrs. D. O. Hill (Amelia Paton)

  Bust of Noel Paton, 1842 (first attempt).  Bust of the Countess of Elgin, 1863.  Bust of Mrs. A. Burns Shand, 1865.  Bust of Dr. Livingstone, 1866.  Bust of Sir R. Murchison, 1866.  Bust of Thomas Carlyle, 1867.  Bust of Sir David Brewster, 1867.  Bust of Sir George Harvey, 1868. Marble Statuette of Hugh Miller, 1869.  A Marble Statuette of Robert Burns, 1870, &c.

MR. ANDREW BLAIR’S PAINTINGS

  THE following is a list of a few of the Paintings by Mr. Andrew Blair, Dunfermline; many of these were exhibited in Edinburgh, were most favourably criticized in the newspapers of the day, and were disposed of at high prices: 

  “City of Dunfermline from the North West”-A large Lithographic Print was taken from this Painting in 1862.  “A Shadowy Lane, Pittencrieff Glen,” 1864.  “The Tay, above the Bridge of Aberfeldy,” 1865.  “Old Porter’s Lodge, near Dunfermline Palace,” 1866.  “Old Mills, Monastery Street, Dunfermline,” 1866.  “Dunfermline Palace from the King’s Kitchen,” 1866.  “Edinburgh from the Bell House Rock, Aberdour,” 1867.  “Norham Castle,” 1869.  “Loch Awe,” 1869.  “North Porch of Old Abbey Church, Dunfermline,” 1873.  “Frater Hall, Dunfermline from the West,” 1873, &c.

MR. A. P. TAYLOR’S PHOTOGRAPHS

  THE following is a list of a few of the full plate photograph views of the public buildings, &c in and around Dunfermline, by Mr. Alexander Taylor, photographer, East Port Street, viz.:-Two large views of Dunfermline from the south and the south east—The Abbey Church, from the north and the south—Interior Views of the Nave—The Monastery Ruins (interior and exterior)—The Great Western Window and “The Pends”—The Palace, from Pittencrieff Glen and from the north east.  The Old Town House, the New Municipal Buildings, the County Buildings, the Carnegie Baths, &c., and, on a smaller scale, many of the Churches, the High School, and the principal streets, as also the Mansion Houses of Pittencrieff, Pitfirrane, Pitliver, Broomhall, Fordel, &c. 

SITE OF ALTARS IN DUNFERMLINE ABBEY

  IT is now impossible to point out the sites of all the altars of Dunfermline Abbey.  The sites of only two are known with certainty, viz., that of the High Altar and the Altar of the Holy Cross. 

  The HIGH ALTAR, from circa A.D. 1075 to 1226, occupied a site near the extreme east end of the then Abbey—afterwards known as the Nave, and latterly as the Auld Kirk.  In the space between the two spiral cut columns at the east end of the kirk the high or “grate awtre” stood for about 151 years, and right in front of it and near, was an area known as the locus sepulturæ regum, or royal burying place.  In this area, between A.D. 1093 and 1250, many of the royal remains were interred.  (See An. Dunf. for dates of royal interments and Appendix).  After A.D. 1226 the High Altar was transferred to the east end of the then newly built Choir, about three yards to the east of the present Session house door. 

  The HOLY CROSS ALTAR or “Rwde Awtre,” stood in the space between the zig zag cut pillar on the south side and the plane pillar near to it on the west.  Before this altar the remains of St. Margaret were interred, and near to it one of her sons (Ethelrede) whose remains were discovered in 1847, when the flooring of the Auld Kirk was being levelled and repaired.  Probably St. Mary’s Altar stood opposite this Rood Altar on the north side—Viz., the Altar of our Lady Mary.

  ST. MARGARET’S TOMB.—The base or plinth stones of this tomb are in a very dilapidated state, probably broken, as we find them, by the fall of some wall which “wes castit doun” at the Reformation, in 1560.  The site is covered by two stones—the largest, the undermost one, is about 9 feet in length by 6 in breadth; the upper stone, which lies upon it, is about 7 feet by 4.  These stones are composed of a kind of blue limestone, marked all over by shells and other figures.  They were probably quarried in 1250 from either Charleston or Roscobie, as the quarries in these places abound in compact limestones similarly marked.  On the surface of one of the stones are to be seen six circular indentations, which, according to a vague tradition, were pointed out to the curious as being places on which once stood tall candle sticks with their candles, which were kept perpetually burning on the tomb.  Shortly after the Chartulary of the Abbey was printed, in 1842, we went carefully over may of the old charters, when we discovered the lights were kept perpetually burning, not on the tombs, but before them, or on the outside of them.  We consequently came to the conclusion that the six circular marks on one of these stones were simply the worn out sockets from which arose tall slender stone pillars, which supported an ornamental canopy, or “herss,” considerably above these stones, and that on the upper would be a full length figure, in stone, of St. Margaret lying on her back, with clasped hands, as observed on other royal tombs.

  HIGH ALTAR STEP—Mr. John Baine, C.E., who made so many plans and took so many sketches of the old ruins in 1790, has indicated on one of his plans the site of the old High Altar and notices the position of the remaining step belonging to it.  In his plan this step lies on a site between the present pulpit and the Session house door.  When the ground in this locality was being levelled, in 1817, for the New Abbey Church, this old step was removed.  The step still exists and may be seen doing service as a sear for the weary at the outside of the south wall of the New Abbey Church, a few yards east of the entrance to Pitreavie burying vault.  Here it rests on two pillars which were taken from a grave in the north churchyard.  By inspecting this very interesting relic of the past, it will be seen that in its composition it is precisely similar to the base or plinth stones of St. Margaret’s tomb.

ETYMOLOGIES

THE following etymologies of manes of places near Dunfermline are taken from Fernie’s History of Dunfermline, pp. 130, 131—

            BALMULE, from bal (Gaelic) a dwelling and maol (Irish) an eminence or promomtory-“the dwelling on the eminence.”

            BEATH, from the Britich, dedev; or Gaelic, beath—“Birchwood.”

            CAVEL, it derives its Celtic name from the British, cavell, signifying retired, or “enclosed place, a retreat.”

            CRAIGLUSCAR, from the British and Irish, craig, a rock; and the Gaelic, lusca, a cave, or luscair, signifying a person who lives in a cave—“”the rock of the hermit.”

            DRUMTUTHIL, from the Gaelic, drum, a ridge, and tuathal, northern—“The northern ridge”—(double ridge?)

            DUNDUFF, from the Gaelic; dun a hill and dubh, black—“the black hill.”

            GARVOCK or GARVOCH, an abbreviation of the Gaelic garbh-cnoc; garbh, rough; cnoc, a hill—“the rough hill.”

            KNOCKHOUSE, from cnoc, Gaelic; and house, English—“the house on the hill.”

            LOGIE, from the Gaelic, lagan, signifying a hollow; the Gaelic an, as a termination, is often changed into the Scoto-Saxon; hence “kilnlogie.”

            PITTENCRIEFF, from the Gaelic, pit-an-croibh; pit in the Gaelic and pitt in the British signify a hollow; craobh, provounced criev, a tree—“the hollow of the tree; perhaps the hollow of the wood.”

            PITFIRRANE or PITFERRAN, from the Gaelic, pit, a hollow and fearn, land—“the hollow of the land.”

            PITLIVER, in the British hliver signifies a flux or flow, probably the hollow of the stream or water; in the neighbourhood of Pitliver the burn or water runs through a deep hollow or glen.

            ROSCOBIE, from the British rhos-cobau—“the moor with mounds.”

            TOUCH, from the British tuach, signifying the side of the water.

To which we add the following from our own list;

  Limekilns was known before the middle of the sixteenth century as Limekilhill, Lymekill, &c., the name originating fro the limestone kilns.  Inverkeithing, inver (Gaelic), i.e., at the mouth of the Keithing.  Aber-dour (British), mouth—“at the mouth of the Dour.”  Carnock or Caer-enoc, caer (British) a castle; and cnoc, an insulated hill.  Caer-neil“the castle at the termination of, or end of the wall.”  Carniehill mau either come fron cairn, heap of stones for the dead or from caer, a castle; and in  or n,  on and hill; English—“the cairn of stones on  the hill.”  Crossford (Corsford) Scotch—“stepping stones across the rivulet.”  Crossgates, the site where cross roads meet.  Rosythe (Rosshythe) derived from ross, old British, which means a promontory, and hythe, from the Saxon, meaning a port or landing place—“the port or landing place of Edgar, the atheling, and his Saxon retinue in the 1069.  This root of the word rosythe was discovered by the writer in 1835, and by him then made the subject of an Essay, showing that the name was derived from its being the port where the Saxon exiles landed in 1069.  “Ross” being the primitive name, and hythe being added to Ross after the Saxon landing.  (See An. Dunf. date 1069.)  “Saline”—some writers refer the orgin of this name to saline or saltish.  In charters of date about 1300 the name is sauelyn, quite a different root from our now common name, saline.  The meaning of sauel has not been ascertained; lyn, a pool or waterfall; sauel may therefore have some connection with the contour or aspect of the ground or view in the locality of the lyn.

1.  PAR-DIEU KNOLL—This knoll, or knowe, appears to be artificial; “it lies” on a level extent of ground at a distance of about 230 yards directly south of the Netherton Bridge.  Fernie in his History of Dunfermline, P. 83, notes that it is 30 feet in circumference, and about 16 feet in height, and adds, that according to tradition it was formed by people who brought sand on their backs from the sea, as a penance enjoined in the days of popery, and that the name if the hillock seemed to favour the story of its origin.  We rather think that its name is derived from the ancient name of the land on which it is situated, viz., Pardusin, a name alluded to by King David I. in his first confirmation charter to the Monastery of Dunfermline in A. D. 1128.  The site came afterwards to be known as Pardews, Per-deus, and the hillock appears to be a large tumuli, in the certre of which probably lie the remains of some unrecorded hero or heroes who fell in battle on the spot. 

2.  WHIRLBUT—The origin of this name is now unknown; the grounds of Whirlbut, probably a toft or acre, lie immediately to the south of the “Spittal Brig” on the west side.  Some old dictionaries state that Whirlbut was an old game, and Jones in his Dictionary states that Whirlbat means anything moved rapidly round to give a blow.  There is a tradition that Wappenshaws were conducted here and that the arrows were shot against Par-dieu Knowe as a target, the distance between Whirlbut and the knowe being about 600 yards.  (Whorle also refers to ancient spinning.)

3.  BUYT-ACRE, some times called Boot-acre, but the proper name would b e Butt-acre, an acre adjacent to Par-dieu Knowe, the annual proceeds of this would likely be expended on keeping up the archery butts, &c.  A tradition also exists which asserts that a butt was set up on a site near the parish manse, west end of Priory Lane, and that arrows were shot from a site near Par-dieu Knowe, about 500 yards distant. 

4.  MOUNT HOOLY, or Mount Holy, as it has some times been designated, is the name of a property adjacent Rumbling Well Toll Bar, east end of Baldridge Burn.  The origin of the name is unknown, but perhaps the name is not an old one.  There are several Mount Hoolies in Fifeshire. 

5.  GEELIES WYND or JEELIES WYND—A well known name from a remote period down to the end of the first quarter of the present century.  This ancient wynd about 1820 was named Reid Street and the Abbey Wall, the lower parts of which still front Reid Street, had a private gate on it here, for the use of the Abbey servants, &c, hence Gillie’s Wynd or Servant’s Wynd.  The Abbey Servants Wynd or Road led to the Abbey Grange, about three fourths of a mile south south east from Gillie’s Wynd.

6. BEE-ALLEY GARDEN—This is evidently a corruption of the Bailie Garden, the garden on the east side of the old Royal Bowling Green (back of the mill).   It appears this garden belonged to the Bailie of the monastery.

7.  THE QUEST-END YARDS “were yairds lyand at the lower back of the Collieraw, near the Tolbooth.”  Some writers have translated quest end into Ostend?  As these yards belonged to Mr. Philian of the olden time, were situate at the extreme west end, or termination of the Burgh, there can be no doubt that quest, an old name or pronunciation of west, simply meant the west end yards!

8.  MAISON DIEU LANDS(now known as Mason Lands) lie about 100 yards east from the site of Castle Blair (the Peel-Muir).  There are a great many maison dieus and lands in Scotland, and are all of ecclesiastical origin and no doubt, the Dunfermline maison dieu lands were, in the olden time, in connection with some religious house. 

9.  PILMUIR—There are a great many Pilmuirs or Peelmuirs, in Scotland.  They appear to have derived their names from some early, now unknown, Peel or Peil—i.e. a keep or castle.  Perhaps the site called Castle Blair, the foundations of which were visible about the middle of last century, may have been the “Peil” and the swamp and muir, lying to the east of it and belonging to it, may have given the name of “Pilmuir” in its contracted form.

10.  BERRY-LAW—This height (Berrylaw Top) about one and a quarter miles west north west from the Cross of Dunfermline, is a conspicuous height crowned with trees.  A great many places in Scotland have the name of Law from British blaw--a hill.  “Berry” is probably a corruption for “Burgh” so that “Berry-law” means Burgh Hill.  (See An. Dunf. date 1860.)

11.  HALY-BLUID ACRES—These acres are in the immediate vicinity of Dunfermline, being less than half a mile east of the Cross.  “The annuals” arising from these acres belonged to the Abbey and were disposed of to the monk who officiated at the Haly-bluid Altar, in the Haly-bluid Aisle of Dunfermline Abbey. A misconception of the designation applied to the row of houses built on their site is evident by being designated Marty’s Place!--presuming that holy or “haly bluid” must have been shed on the spot!  The place has had its name changed lately to Holyrood Place—a more appropriate name.  The Acorn Ward lies a little to the south east of these acres.

12.  THE ALMONRY LANDS—This piece of ground lies at the foot of the New Row, at the back of the house forming the south west angle of Woodmill Street, or Road, the annuals for which went to the poor as alms, or doles, under the supervision of Abbey officials.

13.  GALLOWRIGG HILL—It is distant about a mile and half south south west from the Cross.  This farm has been noticed in some writings, as having derived its name from some gallows that may have been in “walking order” here in early times.  We rather think not.  It is probable that the name is rather a corruption of Galrig, mentioned in an Abbey charter of date 1290.  (See “Stone and Coal Charter,” An. Dunf. date 1290, p. 103.)

14.  GALLOWS BANK was sometimes called Garlic Hill.  There are some traces of evidence left which go to show that it was in this locality that the private gallows of the Laird of Baldridge was erected and hence the name is a genuine one.  (See An. Dunf. dates 1583 and 1587.)  This site is about two miles north of Dunfermline.

15.  BOOFIE’S BRAE—The origin of this name has not yet been clearly elucidated.  It may, perhaps, be derived from Buffie, which signifies rough and shaggy—i.e. the rough, shaggy brae.  It has been said that Boofie is the old vernacular for rabbit—Rabbit’s brae or hare, Harie Brae.  Again, Buffet’s Brae signifies the Boxing Brae.

16.  GOLFDRUM lies in the north west district of Dunfermline.  It is said, but without substantial evidence, to have been the drum or ridge on which King James and his followers amused themselves at the game or pastime of Golf.  Such at least is the traditional account.

17.  WALLACE SPA—This well is situated about 200 yards south from the Ruins of Malcolm Canmore’s Tower, on Tower Hill.  Until the middle of last century it was a public well, and was held in high esteem for its cooling effects and other properties.  As a mineral well, it would be called Well-of-Spa in Scotch Wall-o’-Spa, which easily passes into Wallace Spa.

MEMORIAL STONES, OR TABLETS, TO INDICATE THE SITES OF THE OLD BURGH PORTS.

 

THE WEST PORT

of

1327

Stood Across the Street Here

 

REMOVED IN 1780.

 

 

 

THE EAST PORT

of

1488

Stood Across the Street Here

 

REMOVED IN 1752.

 

 

THE COLLIER ROW

Or

MILL PORT

Stood Across the Street Here

 

REMOVED IN 1754.

 

 

 

THE

CROSS WYND PORT

 

Stood Across the Street Here

 

REMOVED IN 1752.

 

 

THE

ROTTEN ROW PORT

 

Stood Across the Street Here.

 

REMOVED (circa) 1754.

 

 

 

THE

TOLBOOTH PORT

 

Stood Across the Street Here.

 

REMOVED IN 1769.

 

P.S. Very likely there would be a Port or “Yett” at the extreme east end of Maygate.

INSCRIPTIONS FOR TABLETS FOR ST. MARGARET’S STONE AND ORATORY.

 

ST. MARGARET’S STONE

 

St. Margaret, Consort of Malcolm III according to tradition, often rested on this Stone between the years 1069 and 1093.

 

 

ST. MARGARET’S ORATORY

 

Queen Margaret, Consort of Malcolm III according to tradition, used this Cave as an Oratory between the years 1070 and 1093.

P.S. There are two houses or sites which should be indicated by memorial stones or plates, viz., the house situated at the north corner of the Cross Wynd, stating that on the site stood a house in which Elizabeth Halket, authoress of the celebrated warlike poem Hardiknute, for sometime lived and that here she died, in 1727.  In the first open space down that close in High Street, that leads down to the east end of the Maygate, there is n old house with the date 1607 on it’s “lintel stane.”  A plate or stone should be placed above this date, certifying that the Rev. Ralph Erskine for some time lived in this house, that here he died on 6th November, 1752 and that it was in this house that the Associate Synod met to confer with the Rev. George Whitefield in order that he should become a member of their body.  Many of the sites of the places of sepulture, and of the sites of some of the old altars, can yet be seen; such interesting sites are surely worthy of a memorial stone or plate. 

RELICS OF “DUNFERMLINE IN THE OLDEN TIME.”

  The following Relics of “Dunfermline in the Olden Time” are this year (1878) in the possession of E. Henderson, LL.D.:

1.  THE BRASS MATRIX COCQUET (DOUBLE) SEAL of the Regality of Dunfermline.  (Vide An. Dunf. date 1302, p. 120.)

2.  A GLAZED CASE, containing eight fragments of Stained Glass from the Choir of the Abbey (found 1818); a double impression in lead of the Burgh Matrix Seal, supposed to have been attached to some old charter or deed; fragment of the Oak Coffin of King Robert the Bruce, found in his Stone Coffin, 1819; fragment of Glazed Brick from the pavement of the Choir (1818) ; fragment of carved Blue Stone, and one of Marble, from the Tomb on King Robert the Bruce (1818); a small bit of Oak from the rafters of the Nave of the Abbey; a Penny of King Robert the Bruce; a bit of Pewter lead, being part of an ornamental ball from weather cock stalk.

3.  A LARGE PIECE OF THE OAK TABERNACLE WORK OF THE CHOIR, found in the Choir area, 1818.  (Vide Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. ii. plate iii. p. 3.)

4.  THE BURGH OF DUNFERMLINE ARMS (in iron), from the last Town House.

5.  A LARGE COLLECTION of old Prints, Drawings, Sketches, Plans, Maps, &c of Dunfermline and vicinity (about 150); also, copies of numerous works printed in Dunfermline, between the years 1780 and 1878 and works printed elsewhere by natives of Dunfermline.

6.  A PENNY OF EDWARD II. OF ENGLAND, found in the walls of an old house in the Collier Row in 1807.  (Vide An. Dunf. date 1807)

7.  A SMALL CIRCULAR BOX containing a fragment of a finger bone of King Robert the Bruce, and bit o9f decayed Oak from his Stone Coffin, and Coffin Nail (1818)

8.  A CLOCK FROM “QUEEN ANN OF DENMARK’S” HOUSE, Dunfermline, adjacent to the Palace.  (The wheels of this clock are of iron.)

9.  A CARVED OAK PANNEL from the King’s Gallery in the Nave of Dunfermline Abbey (circa 1580-1600)

10.  AN OAK CHAIR FROM Dunfermline Palace ornamented with five Scottish Crowns, the Chair of King James V. (1513-1542.)

11.  THE WEAVERS’ FLAG OF SILK, having various devices woven on it.  (See An. Dunf., date 1734.)

12.  SEAMLESS SHIRT, woven by a Dunfermline weaver in the year 1702.  (An. Dunf. date 1702.)

The Exterior and Interior Views of the north fragment of the Ruins of the Old Abbey Choir, in water colours, by Andrew Mercer, Dunfermline, 1818.  (An. Dunf. date 1819.

TOWN HOUSE STEEPLE (1860)

AT page 680 we notice “the cone-less” state of the Town House Steeple.  The following lines were at the time composed on behalf of the Steeple by our respected friend Me. A. Stewart, of Her Majesty’s Customs, Liverpool (May 21st, 1866).  These lines were understood to be the means of leading the Authorities to recap the Steeple with a cone similar to the old one.  (See Town House View, page 533.)

HUMBLE PETITION OF THE TOWN HOUSE STEEPLE, DUNFERMLINE

 

A hunder years hae o’er me passed                      Oh! Wae is me, we ha’e a host

Since first I faced the winter’s blast,                        O’ stranger men wha rule the roast,

Seen far and near—baith east and wast--              O’ magistrates wi’ scarce a ghost

            My weather-cock;                                                      O’ public speerit,

A headless thing I am at last,                                   This weel I ken, unto my cost,

            A laughin’ stock.                                                        An’ try to bear it.

 

The strangers and the passers by,                        ‘Tis not that ready cash is scanty,

Look to the lift wi wonderin’ eye.                            O’ this they’re often flush and vaunty;

And, “Bless my heart,” I hear them cry,                   Does mither’s son want for his aunty

            “Was that a steeple?”                                               A testimonial?

A public standin’ joke am I                                      He’ll no wait lang for cash they’ll grant ye                “Mong decent people.                                                                  An ceremonial.

 

Through sun and shower and tempest keen          Ye wha’s sma’ souls nae higher rise

A usefu’ ornament I’ve been,                                   Than chimney cans that cleave the skies,

The pride o’ mony glowrineen,                              Wha’s very name and memory dies

            But noo a stump;                                                       When life ye sever,

Shorn o’ my head and shoulder clean,                   Know, on Time’s page Dunfermline lies

            A’ but the rump.                                                         Engraved for ever!

 

An’ has it come to this at last,                                  Then ye wha rule this ancient toon,

Will no ane doon the gauntlet cast,                       Frae you I crave a precious boon;

Or nail his colours to the mast,                                Bestow on me a decent croon,

            For his auld toon,                                                      As, ance of yore,

An’ keep the landmarks o’ the past                        A noble, generous hearted loon

            Frae tumblindoon?                                                  Bestowed before.

If that my prayer ye do not grant,

I swear my ghost your path shall haunt,

An’ by your death beds mock and taunt,

An’ laugh and snigger,

An’ in your glazineen shall flaunt

My rumpit figure.

THE DEVON WATER SCHEME

  MR. GEORGE LAUDER, to whom the community of Dunfermline is so much indebted for their water supply, has sent us the following letter, giving us the details of his exertions in the case of the Devon Water Supply: “Sir, In the month of October, 1870 the Council of Dunfermline applied to Parliament for a bill to bring water from Loch Glow.  An agitation was got up against it, and was continued for months.  A plebiscite was taken, which resulted in above

1000 of a majority against the bill.  The bill was withdrawn in 1871, the expense of which being above £700.  At that time I launched the Glendevon Water Scheme, which was to bring 2,000,000 gallons of water per day to Craigluscar Ponds for the supply of the West of Fife, by means of clay pipes, more than half way with a fall of three feet to the mile, and 10,000 yards of iron pipes, with a compensation pond there for the supply of the river, the estimated cost of which was £30,000.  The agitation was kept up by me for nearly six years by letters to the Press newspaper and otherwise.  Lithographed plans were printed in 1876 showing Glensherup, the Boreland Burn, &c., as issue streams for a town supply.  The Council took this scheme up, and carried it into effect

by means of above 2000 yards of clay pipes, the remainder of iron pipes, with a large pond on Glensherup Burn, as a compensation pond, for the city supply, thereby setting aside Craigluscar Ponds altogether.  The pipe tract was finished, and the water let on in Dunfermline in August, 1878.  We are now supplied with water four times more in quantity than the city needs……..The Store and Compensation Ponds are at present progressing (October, 1878), and will be completed in about two years.  Cost of the scheme above £60,000.  I am still engaged in trying to get Crossford, Charleston, Limekilns, Inverkeithing, and Aberdour supplied from our abundance of water.  I may here mention, that the daily supply from the Glensherup Scheme is about 1,600,000 gallons which in about 100 a day to each head of the inhabitants of the city.  The Loch

Glow Scheme would have cost about £ 10,000; and its distance from Dunfermline about 6 miles north.  Glensherup Pond is about 17 miles north west of the city, and about 900 feet above its level.”  (See also Annals Of Dunfermline, dates 1870, 1875, 1876, 1878.)

NOTANDA RECEIVED BY THE PRINTER TOO LATE FOR
INSERTION IN THEIR PROPER PLACES

1798—LITERATURE—“Sketch of the Times: a Dialogue between a Weaver and a Smith, contrasting the New Light with the Days of Old.  By Robert Flockhart.  Edinburgh:

Printed for the author J. Simpson, 1798.”  (This octavo, of 31 pp. long out of print, should have been noticed at page 538.  A reference is made to 1798 at p. 635, instead of to this page of the Addenda.)

1827—LITERATURE—“The Elements of Arithmetic, in Two Parts, for the Use of Schools,” publishes in 1827 by A Haxton, Rector of the Grammar School, Dunfermline.  This is a  12 mo. work of 194 pp. with an appendix of 32 pp. and contains several curious questions relative to Dunfermline.

1851—1854—BOUNDARY OF THE QUOAD SACRA PARISHES OF ST. ANDREWS AND NORTH CHURCH—In the deeds of erection of these parishes, the boundary between them is declared to be the Water of Line!!!  There never was a Water of Line in such a locality and those interested in this matter should at once get this “vitiating mistake” rectified.

1851—NORTH CHURCH—Ordination—The Rev. Alexander Mitchell, M.A. was ordained Minister of this Church, on 17th April 1861.

1852—THE DUNFERMLINE BOWLING CLUB was established this year and leased a piece of ground at the north end of Woodhead Street, where they constructed a Bowling Green.  There were 36 members.

1855—THE ABBEY PARK BOWLING GREEN CLUB was laid out by its members this year, on a piece of ground leased from the Bank of Scotland. 

1857—THE BANKRUPTCY OF THE WESTERN BANK OF SCOTLAND—The head bank in Glasgow failed on Nov. 9th; according to another account, on Feb. 4th.  The former appears to be the correct one.  The branch of this bank in Dunfermline consequently ceased to exist on November 9th of this year.  A few days after it was closed, the National Bank of Scotland opened a branch of their bank in Dunfermline (November 1857) under the agency of William Beveridge, Esq., who still holds that position.

1859—THE “Dunfermline: and the “Abbey Park” Bowling Green Clubs united and enlarged the Green leased by the Dunfermline Club.  In 1860 under the Presidency of Provost Whitelaw, their “Club Rules and Laws of Game” were adopted and published by A. Romanes, Press Office.  These clubs, although united in the matter of their enlarged Green, retain their original designations.

1864—THE PUBLIC PARK AND SIR JOSEPH PAXTON—On the 17th of August 1864, Sir Joseph Paxton arrived in Dunfermline, for the special purpose of inspecting the Public Park.  He made a survey of the park, and drew up a plan for laying it out, &c.

1876—LITERATURE—“Local Musing.  By Henry Syme.  Printed by A. Romanes, Dunfermline.”  This handsomely got up 12 mo. vol. of 252 pp., containing 109 musings (in poetry), are very interesting, instructive, and amusing.

THE END


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