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Keith (Humbie)
In the time of Malcolm IV, the
church of Keith and some lands were granted to Kelso
Abbey. The church is now a ruin and is sited near Keith
Marischal in what is now Humbie parish. Several charters
relate to this grant and two are given below as they
contain most of the placenames defining the lands.
Charter 85
"..with all that
land and all woodland from the southern part of the river
which runs next to the church, i.e. by the said river
to the Kyrckeburn, and from there to the road which
goes to Haddington, and from there to Kyrnestrother
and then to Reavedene, and from Reavedene as far as the
aforesaid river running next to the church; and that land
from the east side of the road next to the church as far
as the summits of the hills and the oak tree which stands
above the river."
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| The road to Haddington |
"Cum tota illa terra,
et toto nemore ab australi parte rivuli qui currit juxta
ecclesiam; scilicet, per predictum rivulum usque ad Kyrckeburn
; et inde usque ad viam quae vadit ad Hadyngton;
et inde usque ad Kyrnestrother, et de Kyrnestroder usque
in Reavedene, et de R. usque ad praefatum rivulum qui
currit juxta ecclesiam; et illam terram ex orientali parte
viae juxta ecclesiam usque ad supercilium montis,
usque ad quercum quae est super rivulum."
Monastic
Annals of Teviotdale, page
139
L. de Calchou charter
85, page 63
Charter 87
"...with
all that land and all woodland from the southern part
of the river which runs next to the church, i.e. by the
said river next to the church to the Kyrcheburne and from
the Kyrcheburne ascending to the road from Haddington
which is beside the dwelling of Roberti Coth from the
northern part, and by that road as a furrow has
been drawn and crosses placed as far as Crosforde, and
so by the ditch of Crosforde ascending by a furrow made
as far as two great stones then more or less transversely
across waste land to the east side of a large camp and
from that as a furrow has been drawn to another camp,
then transversely to stanilawes and from there by a furrow
to a small stone bridge, and from that by a ditch
down to chirnestrother and by the great ditch of chirnestrother
descending northwards to Revedene, and by Revedene as
far as the aforesaid stream that runs beside the church.."
"Cum tota illa terra, et tote nemore
ab australi parte rivuli qui currit iuxta predictam ecclesiam;
scilicet, per predictum rivulum iuxta ecclesiam usque
in Kyrcheburne et a Kyrcheburne ascendo usque ad viam
de Hadington que est iuxta domus Roberti Coth ab aquilonari
parte et per eandem viam de Hadington sicut sulcus
trahitur et cruces posite sunt usque in Crosforde et sic
per sicam de Crosforde ascendo sicut sulcum trahitur usque
ad duos magnos lapides et ab illis duobus lapidibus in
transversum cujudam vacelli usque ad orientale latus unius
magne chestre et ab illa sicut sulcum trahitur usque ad
aliam chestram et in transversum usque stanilawes et a
stanilawes sicut sulcum trahitur usque ad parvulum
pontem lapideum et sic per sicam descendentem ab illo
ponte usque in chirnestrother et per magnam sicam
de Chirnestrother versus aquilonem descendentem usque
in Revedene et per Revedene usque ad predictam rivulum
qui currit iuxta ecclesiam prenominatam.."
L. de Calchou charter
87, page 65
Interpretation
 Older
maps show a stream south of the church running up to the
Humbie Water which on this interpretation would be the
Kyrckeburn. Following this river north, one reaches the
point where the present day road (heading directly for
Haddington) crosses the river at Milton Bridge. As the
Harestanes were nearby this may well have been the Crossforde
of the charters and this road, or its precursor, that
of the charters.
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| Dodridge Law |
From here it is interesting to see
the parish boundary follows this road south-eastwards
for about two miles and at one point runs very near the
fort at Dodridge Law. The charter then refers to another
fort which is not identifiable unless there was a fort
on Mar Law, or Whitburgh refers to an early camp other
than that at Dodridge Law.
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| Salters Bridge with ford |
From the second camp the boundary
ran to "stanelawes" and then to a small stone
bridge. The Salters' Bridge, or a precursor, could be
a candidate for this. The boundary then goes to Kyrnestrother
then northwards by a ditch to Reavdene from where the
stream running to the church is reached.
While this interpretation
is not absolutely certain, it does tie in to a camp
(Dodridge Law), the Harestanes, and a nearby river crossing
with an early road (shown by its following the parish
boundary) heading directly towards Haddington.
It is not clear what the purpose
of the road beside the church was.
LAMMERMUIRS
Innerwick
parish
A charter
of 1190 details the rent of forest and pasture lands
to Kelso adjacent to lands they already held in Innerwick.
The boundary was: "As the stream of Edwardescloth
falls into the Bothkil next to Elziehaleth, and so as
the Bothkil descends to the Wood of Fulhope, running
obliquely by the marches of Ellum to Mammet, and by
Mammet as far as the northern part of Witslede, and
from Witslede obliquely as far as Edwardescloth where
it falls into the Bothkil."
" Sicut rivulus
de Edwardescloth cadit in Bothkil juxta Elzieshaleth
; et ita sicut Bothkil descendit ad Buccam de Fulhope,
in transversum per divisas de Ellum usque ad Mammet
; et per M. usque ad acquilonarem partem de Witslede
; et ab W. in transversum usque in Edwardescloth ubi
cadit in Bothkil."
Monastic Annals of Teviotdale, page
140
L. de Calchou charter
248, page 205
Another grant by Walter, the king's
steward granted them lands that he held in Innerwick,
namely:
"...to Bothkil, ascending by the stream which falls
into Scoulande, as far as Scoulandesheved where a furrow
has been drawn out, and by that furrow as far as the
road which leads from Risilbrig towards Innerwic,
and so by that road eastwards to a certain fosse,
then descending to Meldrescloes-heved, and so by the
stream from Meldrescloes-hevid all the way downhill
as far as Mammet and so to the Wood of Estfulhope; and
so ascending westwards next to the boundaries of Ellum
and Risilbrig to Westfulhope, Withedre and Bothkil as
far as the aforesaid river which falls from Scouland."
"a Bothkil, ascendendo
per rivulum qui cadit a Scoulande, usque ad Scoulandesheved,
ubi sulcus trahitur ; et per illum sulcum usque ad viam
quae tendit de Risilbrig versus Innerwic ; et sic
ab ilia via versus orientem, usque ad quandam
fossam ; et sic descendendo usque ad Meldrescloes-heved
; et sic per rivulum de Meldrescloes-heved, semper descendendo,
usque in Mammet; et sic usque ad Buccam de Estfulhope
; et sic ascendendo versus occidentem juxta divisas
de Ellum et de Risilbrig, usque in Westfulhope, et in
Withedre, et in Bothkil, et usque in pradictum rivulum
qui cadit de Scouland."
Monastic Annals
of Teviotdale, page
140
L. de Calchou charter
247, page 203
Interpretation
Click on map for larger image
- based on 1926 1"
map for Dunbar & Lammermuir,
with thanks to Ordnance Survey
 Blaeu's
map of the Merse
shows a Rysybrigs close to Cranshaws church and just
downstream from the confluence of the Whiteadder and
the Bothwell water. The old 6"map (Berwickshire,
sheet IX) shows a Rise Lea just south of Harehead
farm nearby which is probably the Risilbrig of the charter.
This means the road must have ran from here up to Innerwick.
That this is likely is shown by
it being in the area covered by the charters. Although
a number of the placenames have been lost, the old 6"map
(Haddingtonshire,
sheet 16) shows two streams running east to join
the Bothwell: Hazelly Cleugh (NT6566) and Elsiecleugh
(NT 6466). One or other must be the Elziehaleth of the
charter. The mention of Ellum and the Whiteadder shows
that the lands were in the south part of Innerwick parish
which is bounded on its west side by the Bothwell. The
Mammet of the charters is probably Monynut.
Although the charters do not contain
enough detail to determine the exact course of the road,
its general course is clear. It may have followed the
route shown on the Military Survey that ran up by the
Bothwell Water to the west side of Bransly Hill then
north-east to Innerwick. Alternatively, a route is shown
on other maps about one mile east of this that kept
to the high ground between the Bothwell and Monynut
Waters
Spott
parish
Bothkil
This item
has been moved from Berwickshire.
Earl Gospatric in
the reign of Malcolm IV (1153-1165) gifted the church
of Fogo as well as land and pasture at Bothkilscheles
to Kelso Abbey. The charter says "By those bounds
viz. from the source of the Kaldwell, all the way to
the uninhabited land where this stream descends, and
from there as that river falls into Bothkil; and thence
as Bothkil falls into the Whitheddre; and then from
the Witheddre to the great road which goes beyond Spertildoun,
and by that road all the way to the source of the Kaldwelle;
and to have common pasture between them and the shielings
of my men of Pinkerdun."
In
case my translation is faulty, the original text is
given here - however, the references to the roads are
clear enough. "Per istas divisas, viz. de sursa
fontis de Kaldwelle, usque in vacellum in quo rivulus
praedicti fontis descendit, et ab illo vacello sicut
rivulus ille cadit in Bothkil; et inde sicut Bothkil
cadit in Whitheddre, et post de Witheddre usque ad viam
magnam quae vadit ultra Spertildoun, et per eandem
viam usque in praedictum fontem de Kaldwelle;
et communem pasturam inter eos et scalingas hominum
meorum de Pinkerdun."
Monastic
Annals of Teviotdale, page 128,
L. de Calchou charter
72, page 54; Angus
Graham, More
Old Roads in the Lammermuirs, PSAS,Vol
93 (1959-60), pps 217-235
Identification
 Although
the Monastic Annals, following the listing of charters
in the Liber Kelso, deals with the grant of Bothkilscheles
under Fogo, it is actually in Spott parish in East Lothian.
The Bothkil is Bothwell Water, Witheddre is the Whiteadder,
Spertildoun is Spartleton and Pinkerdun is Pinkerton,
a couple of miles NW of Innerwick and about 6 miles
north of the Bothwell Water (the shielings would presumably
have been closer to Spartleton on high ground). The
difficulty is the Caldwell which does not appear on
early maps, although there is a suggestive Caldercleugh
running into the Bothwell Water.
There is however a strong likelihood that the boundaries
of the grant are shown on early maps as a detached portion
of the parish of Spott (see Forrest
1799 - NLS site). This shows the boundary of the
detached portion of Spott running from a road down Calder
Cleugh to the Bothwell, then following this as far as
the Whiteadder. It follows the Whiteadder up a little
way and heads up over a hill where it joins a road running
up from Bothwell past Spartleton Hill as far as Caldwell
Cleugh.
Although Forrest does not show
a road from St Agnes to his other road, he does have
a short length running from the Whiteadder to Hainshawside
on the parish boundary. Ainslie's
map of 1821 shows a road on this boundary running
up to the other road. On both maps the road from this
point onwards runs up to Calder Cleugh and beyond, following
parish boundaries for several miles.
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| Bothwell Hill near Spartleton |
The
best fit with the wording of the mediaeval charter is
to assume that the Spartleton road did run from the
Whiteadder near St Agnes and followed the above parish
boundary, not only up to Calder Cleugh, but for another
three miles, to the vicinity of the suggestively named
Stoneypath (Angus Graham refers to a charter of 1458
confirming an earlier charter of 1359 that mentions
Stoneypath). For a road to follow a parish boundary
is a sign of great age and it is quite noticeable that
it has the characteristics of a ridgeway, i.e. follows
Spartleton Edge.
It is not clear what the purpose of the road was. The
complicated history of the various tracks in this area
as detailed by Angus Graham in his paper "More
Old Roads in the Lammermuirs" suggests that at
certain periods it could have been used to reach Haddington
or Dunbar to the north and Duns to the south. It certainly
has a very strong north-westerly alignment suggesting
a route up the valley of the Whiteadder through Ellemford
that would allow access to Haddington and elsewhere
in East Lothian.
Not
is it clear when the route might have developed. It
is well aligned with Trapain Law and with early Anglian
settlements like Whittinghame but these are too speculative
to be considered in the light of the existing evidence.
Stenton
Parish
A charter by Waldeve, Count of Dunbar, dating from the
reign of William I (1165-1214) gave Melrose some land
in the Lammermuirs. The boundaries ran: "from Baldred's
Stane by the highway to Eslingcloh and thence downwards
as Heslingcloh falls into Bothyil and thence as far
as the marches of Inerwic." (Fraser)
"scilicet, de Baldredestan per altam
uiam usque ad Eslingcloh et inde deorsum sicut Heslingcloh
cadit in Bothkyl, et inde usque in diuisas de Inerwic..."
Liber Melros, Charter
76, page 67; Frasers of Philorth, Alexander Fraser,
1879, page
12
Interpretation
 There
is a strong likelihood that this territory lay just
north of the Bothkil grant immediately above. There
is a Hazliecleugh running down from the road that runs
along Spartleton Edge and a standing stone at Ling Rig
(NMRS
record) that may be the Baldred's Stane of the charter.
The boundaries would have run from the stone along the
road to the headwaters of the Hazliecleugh, followed
this down to Bothwell Water and then upstream, presumably
to the vicinity of Yadlee or Beltondod and so back to
the standing stone. The only difficulty with this interpretation
is the mention of the bounds of Innerwick as the Bothwell
Water itself forms the boundary, although the wording
may be relevant to the situation at that time.
In general terms, the charter
confirms the continuation of the road along Spartleton
Edge.
Whittinghame
Parish
Ricardisrode
There is an interesting reference to a named road in
the parish of Whittinghame that also forms the parish
boundary for some length. The road is Ricardisrode and
is mentioned in a charter dating from around 1230 in
which Melrose were given land on the east part of Fastenei
that ran: "from the ford of Fastenei by the road
which is called Ricardisrode as far as the head of Kelnemade,
and from there by the stream which runs into Kelnemade
as far as Witedre..."
"Totam scilicet terram illam
que est in orientali parte de Fastenei infra has divisas,
a vado scilicet de Fastenei per viam que dicitur Ricardisrode
usque ad caput de Kelnemade, et inde per rivulum qui
currit in Kelnemade usque in Witedre..."
Liber Sancte Marie
de Melros, Charter
215, page 193; Angus
Graham, More
Old Roads in the Lammermuirs, PSAS,Vol
93 (1959-60), pps 217-235
Interpretation
The charter describes a grant of land about four miles
north-west of Longformacus on what is now a route leading
to Haddington. Fastenei is Faseny, Kelnemade is the
Killmade Burn and Whitedre is the Whiteadder. Following
Graham, the ford was over the Faseny Water at NT 637615
from which point the parish and county boundary to the
east no doubt shows the course of Ricardisrode for about
one and a half miles where the headwaters of the Killmade
Burn are reached. The Killmade Burn then runs NNE to
reach the Whiteadder just east of the reservoir.
Although the county boundary turns
NNE at the head of the Killmade Burn, the boundary between
Longformacus and Cranston parishes continues along the
line of the present road (shown on the Military Survey
map and others) for about another mile and there seems
no reason to doubt this is showing the line of Ricardisrode.
It is not clear if it was a road
between Haddington and Duns, though as Graham points
out Duns was appointed in 1612 as the place where tolls
were to be collected on cattle passing through the eastern
Borders so that this route may have been used by early
drovers. There must in any case have been extensive
movement of livestock from the monastic holdings in
the Lammermuirs from an early date.
Hardie suggests the Ricard could
have been Richard de Morville but no definite proof
has been adduced for this. As to its status as beaten
track or made road, Graham's description of multiple
tracks and holloways along the length of the road suggests
it was more of a beaten track formed out of constant
use.
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