Burghead,R " from Part I

Home , Burghead, Duffus, Kinloss, Lhanbryde

Continuatio Macdonald'r M f no s Pape "n o Burghead,r " from Part I. Vol. IV. of the Proceedings. ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 343

The Fortifications.—In their latest form e fortificationth , Burgheaf o s d constructeo seemes e b o dt surrouno t s da unequao defend tw d an e dth l terraces at the extremity of the promontory. With this view, each of these areas was enclosed within a rampart of stones, the portion of it that n betweera n them being f courseo , , commo botho nt , though belonging really to the upper or more elevated ; and three, or more properly four, nearly parallel fosses or ditches with intervening earthworks, separated the me headland th froe resf mth o t n consequencI . f beineo g thus entirely accommodated to the nature of the ground, the outline of the defences, especially of those of the lower area or fort, was somewhat Generar irregularfo t bu l d Eoy'an ; s PlaSectionsd an n whicf o , h Plate VIII a reduce s i . d copy t i woul, d havbeew no en almost impossible, even with the aid of Shaw and other writers who saw them when com- paratively entire, to re-connect the few isolated mounds that are still to be seen. With him, however guidea s ,course a ramparte th , th f eo d san earthworks, as well as their various measurements, may be accurately determined; while existing remains and appearances, taken along with descriptione th f theso locay mb l antiquarie lase th t f centure so th d yan beginnin presente th f go , instruc pretts u t y definitel manyn i y other particulars. southere Th upper no r terrace shapn i , unlikt e no lette e eth reversed D r , was washesideso soute tw e seawestth ,d n dth o han ,y abov,b e whice hth rock rose perpendicularl thifeetn 5 y4 O s . there reste fee2 df 4 grave o t l and sand, covered ovethina y rb , black, peat-like deposit, givin sure gth - face of the area an elevation of 87 feet in all. Obviously, little was needed in a rude age to strengthen this already inaccessible spot; but, notwithstanding, what seeme dpila f stoneo e 0 fee1 s to fro t hig m7 h and 15 feet broad at the base was reared along its precipitous edge. The eas r lano t d e nortside th wels a s h, a l which rose abruptly above eth lower terrace protectes wa , -y ad b continuatio e samth f neo stony barrier, with a height, however, of 18 feet, and by a sudden depression of the ground, partly natural and partly artificial, 40 feet deep on the east and e openingsnortho th n Tw o . 5 4 , each about eight feet wide, broke this encirclin e extrem th wese n th o tg en e i bulwarkrighth e f on o t e th ; terrace, and almost at the very point of the headland ; the other in the east but towards the centre. According to tradition, a flight of steps, VOL. IV. PART II. Z 4 34 PBOCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SO YO e solith df o rock t ou , t onc cu frod e formeele m th r dow high-wateo nt r mark; opposite the latter, the hollow in front of the east side of the area giveo t mean y openinge was b a ,th so f s filleso , ,dup easy accese th o st interior portioA . f thio n s area s e showshadin a ,Pla e th th y nb n go ane differencth d Sectionse f leveth eo a fee n y raises i w lb tfe wa , da covering of stones. Measured inside its defences, the greatest length of uppee breadtth s it rfeed 0 terracan 38 th s 225ewa . The northern or lower terrace, with a height above the sea of 45 feet of sandstone, pebbles lighd an , t mould depresseds wa , t happenedi s a , o ,t same th e depth beneat evidentld surfac e uppere hth ha th d f eo an , y been wavee s sidetima th it scoope t y n a ,sei b t whe drelativou e nth e levef o l sea and land was different from what it now is. Of an oblong shape, but becoming narrower towards either end, it extended further inland than the other, if indeed it might not he said to have occupied all the rest of the promontory e uppeth , r terrace bein cornea fact n gi bu tr which, owing superioe th o t r hardnes underlyine th f o s g sandstone somr fo r e o , other reason withstood ,ha influencee dth whico st whole hth e headlan oncd dha e been exposedlowee th r r fortFo . , however conveniena , t though irregular boundar founs ridgea y wa n f drocki o , cappe deposia y db f sano d t an d a thin stratum of a peat-like substance, which branched off from the north-east uppee anglth f ero area—a narrow prolongation t werei s a f , o , the terrace itself—an continues dwa same th en d i direction til t nearlli y reache seae dth . This natural barrier fee0 12 t0 , 5 broabases it d t dan ,a elevation tope whicd a fee 5 th an d 4 ,t a thha o t f froabov no 0 me 4 th e lower terrace n s raiseadditionaa wa ,o t d l heighfee2 y wha1 b tf o tt seemed a mass of stones. At its abrupt and somewhat rounded termination, an opening was left 10 feet wide, whence, down almost to high water-mark thed an ,n alon promontorye e poine shorth th g th f o o tet , piles wherwa d t e steeei clos th uppee po et th sid f ro e - terracean n ra , other rampart, apparently of loose stones, 30 feet in height and from 40 to 50 feet in breadth at its base. The space thus enclosed as the lower fort, had a length of nearly 780 feet and an average breadth of feet0 15 . A furthesa r defenc easte onle th th ,n yeo quarter from whic forte hth s were easily assailable, the trenches and earthworks already mentioned were drawn acros e headlanth s do seat froa . mse Thes e were neither ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 345 unifor sizemn i , nor n consequenci , e e chieflirregulath f o y r landward boundar lowee th f yro fort, quite paralle anothere on e trenche o t lTh . s had an average width at the bottom of 20 feet and a depth of about 10 belo surface e wgroundth th f eo , which here sloped gently downwards from the upper terrace as well as from that prolongation of it already described as stretching north-east and partly enclosing the lower; and between them were spaces abou fee0 4 breadthtn i t n whico , e santh h d f anthe o y heapedt mn mound la i graveou p g u d du ls that a ros o t e height of from 10 to 12 feet, or of 20 above the bottom of the adjoin- trenchg t thesin Bu e. dimensions varie t differenda t points. Neae th r middle earthworke th , s were broke openingy nb fees8 t wide, opposito t e which the soil had either been left untouched or the fosses afterwards rilled up. Such was the appearance which the extremity of the promontory would presen ordinarn a o t y observer sixty years e supago t b I mus t -. no t posed, however, tha ramparte th t s were even then reallye entireth n O . contrary s wil a e afterward, b l s shown e area th d ,bee ha s n once surrounded with wall whicf so heape hth f stoneso s described above wern ei part the remains; while other structures may have been included in the original plan, every vestige of which had been long removed. By the natives of Burghead its fortifications were invariably designated TJie Broch Baileys, r simplo Baileys,e yTh e trencheth d earthworksan s being sometime f distinctiono sy calledwa e Brigs, y Th b , Detached portions of them alone remain to tell of their former strength. Streets now cross each other at right angles on the site of The Brigs, a soli- tary fragment of the first line of earthworks being all of them that bees ha n spared terracee Th . s themselves Nature's a , s handiwork, have more successfully resisted aggression; but their defences have suffered greatly from a foe they were never meant to repel. Of the rampart whic rounn hra easte dth , south d nortan , he uppe sideth f sro areat no , a trace is to be seen, except a small mound to the left of the opening e extremitth t e headlanda th f yo ; while, thoug a hpil f stoneo e s still crown steee edge th sth pf e o slop e which bound northe th e are n sth o a, its proportions are sadly reduced from what they once were. So much of the barrier that enclosed the lower area on the east as was natural, still remains, though greatly altered; the rest, however, has been z2 6 34 PROCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SO YO

swept away, as well as a large portion at either end of its seaward line of defence. s certaiwa t nI improvement e harbouth -villaged n o san r , begun i n 180 r somd carriefo 8an en o dyears , chiefly unde e directioth r f o n the late William Young, Esq., afterwards sole proprietor of the place, that unfortunately necessitated r seemeo , o necessitatet d e destructh , - tion of these fortifications. The space occupied by The Brigs was too valuable to he lost; the trenches were accordingly filled up by the levelling of the earthworks, and the superabundant materials carted down to the south shore, where a large piece of ground was thus reclaimed from the sea. To. the same spot were driven thousands of loads of rubbish from the ramparts of the areas, the many well-shaped slabs of freestone which they were foun o contait d n being laid asid d afteran e - wards used for building purposes. All accounts hitherto. given of the manner in which the defences of e area d beeth ha sn originally constructe e vagu ar dperplexingd an e . Shaw referencn i , uppee th o rt e terrace, says "s ,surrounde thawa t i t d with a strong rampart of oaken logs, laid deep in the earth, of which some burne th d t digget remainan ye , pieces a dup e sar s appeaearth."e th n ri 1 Cordiner inform tha s areae u s th t s were fortifie immensn "y a b d e mound of earth and stones," adding, however, that " the top had been defended by logs of oak piled on one another," of which " many pieces are to be seen half burnt."2 On the other hand, we are told by Grant, in the " Surve f Moray,o y " thae samth t e area " appear havo t s e been surrounded wit hrampara t about twenty feet high, buil stonf o tlime d ean , with som plankk eoa s intermixe elsewherd d"; 3an remarkse eh , " There have been considerable buildings in this place, as the neighbouring people were long in the practice of carrying away immense quantities of cut freestone, employe n themi d d froe holloan m;th w sound withie th n fortifications, it is probable there are vaults yet unopened."4 One of Chalmers's correspondents who had examined them at his request, also reported to him that the higher area " appears to have been surrounded 1 Histor Province th f yo Morayf eo 210. pp , , 211. 2 Antiquitie Scenerd Nortsan e th f f Scotlandyho o . 58 . p , 3 Survey of the Province of Moray, p. 63. 4 Archaeologia Scotica, vol. ii. p. 34. ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 347 with a strong rampart 20 feet high, which had been built with old [oak ?] planks, cased with ston lowerlimee d th ean d ;, "an " wit verha y strong rampar stonef o t ,demolished." whicw no s hi 1 Professor Stuar Aberf o t - deen, who visited Burghead in person in 1809, wrote to Pinkerton, that " all around the top of the rock are seen the remains of a rampart, con- sistin piecef go freestonf so l sizesal f o e, intermixed with lim fragd ean - ment woodf so , havin e appearancgth f beineo g burned somn O .e pieces e freestonoth f e seear e n remain f mouldingo s d carvean s d figures, particularl a bull f o y, very well executed." a communicatio n I 2 o t n the Society of Antiquaries, Stuart made a similar assertion : " The author foun vera d y large rampar e mostth f o tvariou s materials, sur- rounding the whole interior of the fort,—viz., masses of stone with lime cement, pieces of pottery, baked bricks and tiles, half-burned beams of wood, broken cornice d mouldingan s f well-cuso t freestone, along with outlinee th figuree th f variouf so o s s animals, tolerably well represented on many of them." In his opinion all this indicated " the ruin not of an ordinary Eoman considerabla station f o t bu , e town."3 Recent Excavations.—As nothing satisfactory coul e gathereb d d from such indefinite statements Elgie th , n Literar Scientifid yan c Association recently voted a small sum of money out of their funds, which was afterwards supplemente e liberalitgentlemew th fe y e towa b dth f yno n i n and neighbourhood, for the purpose of endeavouring to ascertain the true state of matters by excavations in the still existing mounds; and the proprietor having cheerfully give consents nhi systematia , c examination of them, as far as practicable, was accordingly made. norte Th h rampar e uppeth f ro t are s first throughacu wa t littla , e ease tf wheroth o t s crosselini e s t th ei e e Plan wa y CD th b dt I n .4i found to consist of a mass of stones, so many of them rolled and water- wor nfanco t tha mera whole t t yth ap a t e s eglanc ridgwa e a poreon - tion of an old sea-beach. Among them, however, were others of a different shap d characteran e d towardan , e bottoth s smaly mla l flagf o s freestone thef o mw fe apparentla , y hammer-dressed. Some thin pieces

1 Caledonia, vol. i. p. 130, note. 2 Enquiry into the Hist, of Scot., 2d ed., advt., pp. vii. viii. 3 Archjeologia Sootica, vol. ii. p. 289 et seq. * See Plate VIII. VOL.JV PLATE Vffl.

on the MORAY FIRTH

FROM Roys Mililaiy Antiquities 34:8 PROCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SO YO

wer k t with onumerouoa d efme an , s hit charcoalf so logs o n n I t . hu , hope th bettef eo r fortune partiaa , l sectio mads nwa e neae pointh r f o t the promontory with like results. The action of fire was, however, very eviden e stoneth n o ts here d largan , e piece f charcoao s l were abundant. The absence of the logs of wood and the slabs of freestone so confidently spoken of by former observers, was afterwards explained. The whole, it seems beed ha ,n turned over many year bo ysag orderproprietore th f so , and almost every stone of any value removed. Betwee thire n th innermosr do earthworke th e f onlo tth yd openan s - ing that led into the lower fort,, there was, a hundred years ago, a level space, which, along aree wit hale th ahf th adjoining o f beed ha ,n covered artificially with a foot or two of mould and so brought under cultivation, as may be Been by a reference to the Plan. Among the improvements of 180 d subsequen9an f te thifillin o th yearso t sp s u s gspaca wa , o s e bring it nearly on a level with the more elevated ground to the north ; and, accordingly e houseth , thin i s s quartevillage th f eo r stana n do mas f stoneo s f varyino s g depth. Here breakinn o ,e surfaceth p gu , block considerablf so e severan sizi p eu werg l placesdu e . Thouga f ho somewhat rectangular shape, it was impossible to say whether they had been cut by the hand of man from the parent bed, or whether, as happens from tim timeo et portioa , rocke th f nyo headland itself, underminey db the sea and dashed into pieces by its fall, might not have supplied materials that were afterwards broken into smaller fragment roughld an s y squared. When several of these lay near one another, there were gene- rally large vacant spaces between them; and to this circumstance, no doubt, is to be traced, at least in part, the belief still prevalent in Burg- e day th f G-rant o sn head i s a , , that ther e "vaultsear werd an r e o " underground passages withi fortificationse th n particulae on n I .r spot, immediately housesf behino w workmee ro th ,da n struc somn ko e stones laid with great regularity at about 6 feet below the present surface, and, as was evident from the thin layer of mould which was cut through on approaching them, one or two feet below what was the surface when Hoy surveyed the place. On going deeper they turned out to be the top of a wall about 5 feet in height. It had only one face, and that landward ; the other side being supported by a mass of small stones. For the most breadt e stone th on d ef par hha o only t i tt the bu , y were large cared an , - ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 349 fully laid, so that the joinings of one row were removed as far as possible from e nextthosth f .eo Man f theyo m were covered with what looked like a very thin coating of mortar; others with a viscous substance havin resemblancga o somt e e kin f cementa closeo d n O r examina. - tion calcareoue lattee th th , e rb turneo t s t crust-likdou e stat f Coral-o e Una, officinalis othed an r lithophytes, half decomposed e stoneTh . s thus covere evidentld dha y lain some time between tide mark n somo sf ; eo them were cluster f acoro s n shells, leaving o doubn t whatevee th n o r pointthie nTh .coating observe othersn o d , which appeared lik finea e powder dusted lightly over the stone, could not be referred to any such origin ; but it was, in all probability, due to the quantity of lime which here enters into the composition of the rock. When exposed to damp, either beneat grounconfinee a hth n i r do d situation calcareoue th , s par- ticles seem to have a tendency to separate from their matrix and become a deposit on the surface. Not a single grain of sand could be detected, a glass f eveno thao s ,d tai whethewit e th h e presencth r f lims o e ewa owing to the cause suggested or to some other unknown, the idea that the stones had been imbedded in mortar cannot be entertained. It should be remarked that the same appearances presented themselves in many of elsewherp e stoneu th g moundse du th s n ei , due doubto same n , th eo t , causes. Owing to its proximity to the houses, and the expense of exca- vating at such a depth, the wall was only followed for a short distance; thoughs wa t buti ts a ,desirabl t extendedi r knofa o et w attempwn ho a , t was afterwards mad determino et e thi makiny sb g another opening close to the former, but farther to the west, and in the direction in which the structure seeme runo dt . Her olden ea same rt wit th surfac t me eh a s ewa depth as before; below, however, instead of a wall, were stones similar in size and appearance to what lay above; and at a further depth of 6 feet, fro 2 opresene 1 r mth t surface, these were succeede inche8 1 y mordr b s o e bonee oth f variouf so s specie f domestiso c animals, embedde darka n i d , clammy, greasy earth. Beneat hdeposia this s wa pebblesf to originae th , l surface of the ground and at least the third which this spot had owned t differena t period histore th n si f Burgheady o . The North or seaward barrier, which guarded the most exposed side of lowee th r larga area d ean , portio whicf no stils hi l pretty entire alss o,wa examined. Eecent quarrying operations carried on at its present west- 350 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF

ern extremity, had revealed the existence within it of some sort of wall; orden i d discoveo t r an trus it r e nature t throug whole cu a th s , t ewa a h point about 50 yards to the west of where it is crossed by the line CD on Eoy's plan. The chief results are shown in Plate IX. To the right moder w sees i lo na n wall, raise preveno t d materiale th t f whico s e th h rampart consists from encroaching upo t surface a areae nth d th f an ;eo the distance of 12 feet from it another wall rises up in the mound, which time on e t servea d same ha dth e purpose lattee Th buils .ri unhewf o t n stones, some of them of a considerable size, carefully laid, but without mortar. It has only one face; but to strengthen it, beams of solid oak, still measuring from 6 to 12 feet in length, take here and there the place of stones; and similar beams, inserted endways, pass into the mass be- hind. The pieces of oak lying at intervals higher up, show that the wall had once stood at the same elevation as the top of the mound. Be- wallo successive tweetw sar e e baseth nth f so e layer a black f so , peat- like earth, shells of edible mollusks, and light mould, laid down at a time when this space was part of the now adjoining area. Evidently the destruction of the older wall has been caused by the long-continued practic f turnineo g ovemounde th r searcn i s f buildino h g stonese Th . upper half being broken dow n thii n s way portioa , mase th f sn o whic h t i supported woul f courso d e fall dow n froni n f wha lefto s t wa t; and thus, from beine mound th e sid gth f e o t wouli , d e enclosecomb o t e d withi. nit Having been less systematically disturbenorte th hn o e d on tha e nth uppee sidth f eo r terrace, this rampar founs wa tcontaio dt n many pieces of unhewn freestone of all sizes. In the deposit of black earth at the e retaininbasth f eo g wall, which looke t unlikdno e refuse from human habitations, were many bits of charcoal, and a few bones; at one place larga e flattened mas f agglutinateso d bone sand san s d surface it la n yo , at another a small piece of iron scoria. Here 'and there, in interstices, ofte t somna e distance fro e topmth , were bit f irono s , modern-looking buttons, small stones with mortar adhering d sundran , y nondescript articles, some of which had evidently found their way into the interior of the mound in the course of some of the probings it had undergone. No weapons or domestic utensils were met with ; but the portion examined was of small extent. VOL IV PLATE IX.

SECTION-NORTH RAM PART or BURG HEAD. 1861. ANTIQUABIE1 35 SCOTLANDF SO .

From these appearances several inferences see follow:mo t — First, Tha ramparte th te area heed th f ha sn o s facede t leason a , n o t side, and in some parts, by a wall built of unhewn freestone, without mortar ingeniousld an , y strengthene k lai oa dlogy b f dtransverselo s y as well as lengthways. Second, Tha singla s ta e retaining wall roun t sufficienareae dno th s si t accouno t immense th r fo t e quantit f debrisyo , some similarly-built struc- tur structurer eo likeld sha y once occupie botr o he terracesparda on f to ; a supposition which is strengthened by the fact that a considerable portion of the surface of the upper area is still covered by several feet of stones. And, Third, That the "lime cement" of Professor Stuart—an epithet, withal, most expressiv e appearancth f eo Corallma—e th f eo was nothing else than patches of half-decomposed lithophytes in their young or encrusting state tha d e " liman th t, e " mortar, (i.e. f otheo ) r observers, when not modern, was for the most part either the same, or calcareous particle sandstonee th f so . examplew fe e f partially-dresseTh o s d stones d thosan , e wite th h figures of "various animals," will be noticed afterwards. The Baileys Well.—The termination of the ridge already referred to formins a par n i landware g th t d boundar e loweth f yro terrace sees i , n Eoy'n i s markee Plab deea o n t y dpb circular hollow, round whice th h ridge itself appears to turn in a crescent-like bend. Previous to 1809 this spot was a green hollow which tradition had long pointed out as the site of a well; and owing to the much-felt scarcity of water, it was resolved in that year of bustle on the headland to test the truth of the popular belief. Accordingly, after a mass of rubbish of the same nature e content moundth e s th a d beef o sha sn cleared away chambea , t cu r e solith ou df o t rocs discoverewa k e deptdth f frot "o ha m twento yt thirty feet from the surface."1 The ground-pla d sectioan n Platn i n . sho X efor e dimen d wth m an - sions of this singular reservoir. The floor, reached by a flight of twenty steps (D) foo,1 inche2 t foo1 incheo 5 t st inche 5 breadtho n t si s3 d an , in height, is mostly occupied by a cistern (W), jnto which a spring of wate froy r findmwa s belowit s f sandstono ledga , ) e(A e abou fee2 t 6 t inches broad being left betwee perpendiculae th n rchambee sideth f so r i Carruthers' Highland Note-Book, p. 221. Edin.: A. & 0. Black, 1843. 2 35 PROCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SYO O

and this basin. The dimensions of the latter are as follow:—Greatest breadt foue th rf ho sides fee0 1 ,inches 8 t feet1 1 , fee 0 inches0 1 , 1 t d an , 10 feet 7 inches respectively; depth 4 feet 4 inches. Its bottom, which was originally quite smooth brokes gooa wa , p ndu mann a y n yeari o sag attempt to deepen it with the view of increasing the supply of water. f thio nw ro fla A t stones, each abou fooa t morr o t e broad placeo s , s a d projeco t incn a t h ove e edgeth r s saii , havo t d e been found lail al d roun ledge dth e whe welre-openede s nth wa l t thebu , y have been long removed. The sides of the chamber measure 16 feet 3 inches, 16 feet 7 inches, 16 feet 9 inches, and 17 feet; and its height from the ledge upward fee1 1 inches 9 ts s i anglee basiTh d welf bote .an o s nar t hi l roundedcorner—the on n I . e innermos lefe th t hano t t enteringn do — portioa roce bees th forsemicirculaha e ka nf th f o nmlef o n i t r pedes- l (E)ta fee2 , inche9 t foo1 inche0 1 y ts b breadt n fooi 1 s 2 td an h inche heightn i s ; whil than ei t diagonally opposite ther circulaa s ei r ' hole (F) 5 inches in diameter and 1 foot 4 inches in depth. A step (Gr) leads down to the well, of irregular shape and very rude workmanship. e chambesidee th Th f so e fissurear r rend shows sectioe an da t th n ni n havo t s ea somewhao s , C) e appearanct th (a t f beino e g buil f largo t e stones. Portions of the rock have given way from time to time, and been replaced (as at B), by modern masonry. A doorwae entrance viesidee th th th f wele w f o d s o th als s yi lan o et o e givearch Th Platn ni , . whicX e h strangers often concludf o e b o t e equal antiquity with the reservoir, was built shortly after the discovery, when the chamber, formerly quite open at the top, was likewise roofed over and a pump inserted through an opening left for the purpose; a wooden doo r e samentrancee beinth th t en a go tim lintee t th , epu f o l t unlikelno whic s i seene stilys b t hi I thao e .lwholet th t , including the steps, may have been originally covered over, as tradition bore that hiddee th n welapproaches wa l subterraneaa y db n passage. This, however, if founded on fact, must have had reference to a time long previous thao t re-openedwhict s ta wa ht i . Fro fishine mth g populatio generallt ni y receive e Baileyname th sth f eo s Well consequencn i , beins it f eo g situated within the "Baileys;" but among others it is sometimes known, for an obvious reason, as the Eoman Well. Both designations date, of course, from 1809. VOt, IV PI,/ITH X

ft II' PLAN ,W, #

''•'"

B SECTIOA- T A N DOORWAY WITH MODERN ARCH ANTIQUARIE3 35 SCOTLANDF SO .

The earliest notice of this well is to be found in Chalmers' preface to his " Caledonia " (1810), wher remarkse eh : " Since Caledonia sents o t wa the press, a discovery of some importance has been made. A very slight doubt remained whether the Burghead of Moray had been a Eoman station, as no Eoman remains had been there found. But this doubt has been completely solvede recenth y b ,t excavation withi s limitit na f so Eoman bath."1 Shortly afterwards, we find Professor Stuart describing it to Pinkerton as a " reservoir which seemed a perfect square in form," and whose sides " were very neatly coated with smooth lime plaster; "2 adding, in his communication to the Society of Antiquaries, that there were "e angles nicheth n i s, likely intende r statues."s fo d wa t I 3 doubtless these random words that led the author of Caledonia Romana to record the " discovery at Burghead of a Eoman bath, and also of a deep well built in the same manner, and with as much regularity as those which have been brough ligho t t t withi Eomae nth n statione th f so south."4 Another authority, in describing the well, remarks: " This chambe coates i r d with plaster, which, though faded now whes ,wa n first deea opene d colour."f po re p du 5 With regar theso dt e statementst ,i may be remarked that the " niches " of Professor Stuart had no existence whatever, unless, which is probable enough, the term was meant to describ e pedestal-liketh e piece cornere f rocon o r d thatn fa ki an ;o s , as can be judged from the present appearance of the sides of the chamber, or learned froe testimonmth f somyo e persont si stilw lsa alivo wh e when re-opened, whe speake nh f " so coatina f limgo e plaster,s ha e "h likewise been, somehow or other, betrayed into an error. Indeed, apart frowele l b evidenc m al y le point questioneth ma n t eo i , d whethes i t ri possible that mortar could have remaine r centuriedfo s adherine th o gt walla damp f o s , underground chamber. Ther s abundanci e n o t i f eo the mnecessite th now frequens t it ,bu r yfo t renewa presumptivs i l e proof against the presence of any when the well was reopened. At certain seasons patches of something " of a deep red colour," at first sight by no

1 Caledonia, preface, p. viii. 2 Pinkorton'a Enquiry, adv secon.to d edition viiip. , . 3 Archseologia Scotica, vol. ii. p. 289 et seq. 4 Stuart's Caledonia Romana, second edition . 214p , . 5 Andersen's Guide to the Highlands, p. 113. Edinburgh : A. & C. Black. 1842. 4 35 PROCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SO YO

means unlike observeplastere b y ma ,d growin doore sidee th th f -so n go way ; but this, on examination, will be found to be a very minute alga (CalUthamnion Bothii), not uncommonly met with on rocks near the sea. The Chapel-yard.—A quadrangular enclosure is laid down on Boy's plan, within the first line of earthworks, to the left of the entrance, and shortenin course secone gth th f eo d line. e "Thi Chapel-yard,th s i s " still burying-grounda use s a d , though with somewhat altered bound- aries. Of the writers quoted above, Cordiner is the only one who alludes to it.1 " One fort, e plac saysth e "h n e i , marke"s i burying-grounda s da , by many moss-grown gravestones; if there has ever been any sculpture on them mostls i t i , y worn there away crosa on s ei n so ; underfacedd an , in good relief; on others there seem to be some vestiges of figures and animals theit bu ; r suspiciou truto to hs i representation." y admio st an f to 2

notice s descriptioi e t 1th I n di "f no Paris Duffusf ho Elginshiren i , , 1725,n "i Macfarlane's Geographical Collections 293. , vol pp Advn ,i . i 294.. . Lib.—;MS e "Th next country villag called towna ol Outlats se e i f e nexda o , NarniaTh s i t. w no , Seaburgh ,name whicth t e hgo fro Danese m th the o invaded nha ,wh d Scotland, and buil a stront g fort, whic vers hi y likel havo yt e bee ngarrisona appears e a ,th y b s ditches castee , joyninsout it th e north-west e north-easf o th hno t th o gt o t d tan , with the sea. There is among the rubish to be found as yet a great deall of the tyne wooe likea considerabl th f oakf do o ,d ,an e lenth, e whicth f o h e lookb o t s wood, or of the jests. On the south side there is a burial-place betwixt it and the town, with some cornland. There is a good brood of rabbits in it. It is commonly calle Burge dth h Baillies. Ther greaa s ei t many public ktowne innth n ,si witx hsi good fish boat their sfo r great lines, wit lesseha f distancf otheo o rx s i sizesi r t I e. from the Outlat £ of a mile—north from the kirk, three miles and £ north-west." 2 Antiquitie Scenerd Norte san th f f slaScotlandyh A o o f freestone bo . 59 . p , , ornamented with incised lines after a pattern to be seen on some of the older tomb- stoneChapel-yarde th n si whicd an , buils hi t int gable fisherman'a o th f eo s cottage, near the Baileys "Well, belongs evidently to this class of'monuments. It was found fifteen years ago in digging the foundation of the cottage, and owes its present position to the praiseworthy zeal of a local functionary, under whose directions there was words—e th t i n o the" t REMAINncu ROMAF SO N ANTIQUITY. groune Th " d hers ei that referred to at p. 348, as having been made up in 1809, at which time a part of e burying-grounth fro r spote streefa w m th t includene ,s no t a line d wa f th o e n di and the slab had been among the stones used for this purpose. A mutilated sepulchral effigy lately discovered at Burghead, and now in the Elgin Museum, had also, doubtless, at one time stood in the Chapel-yard. ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 355

Yet so late as the beginning of the present century, the foundations of a building seee werb no e t withi s precinctnit traditiod an s; n bore thaa t mill which stoo dOutlete bure fiftth th f yno n rivulea ,o year o sag t falling into the sea about a mile to the south of the promontory, was partly built of stones taken from the ruins of the " Chapel." In the account of the parish of Duffus, contributed to the " Survey of Moray" by the Eev. William Leslie, of St Andrews Lhanbryde, it is stated that there was a chapel "there (i.e., at Burghead), where public worship was long ago performed by the minister of the parish."1 Sculptured Stones.—Amongst the debris on the promontory, sculptured stones have been found at various times, representations of almost all of whic knoww h no existha o nt givee e XIId ar tar tPlate n an no . sXI Fig , Plat1 . e XI. s reducei , d fro engravinn ma n volgi e . th xvi f o . Archceologia, to which the following note is there appended :—" May 11, 1809.—Mr Carlisle exhibite e Societth o dt f Antiquarie yo f Londoo s n impression a bulla f no , taken with moistened paper, fro mstona e found at Burghead, in Scotland, where there are many others of the same description." 2 This stone is in the British Museum. Fig. 2 was taken from the original, now in the possession of T. Miln, Esq., Elgin, which had been presented to his father by the late William Young, Esq., of Burghead. Fig. 3 is copied from plate xxxviii. of the " Sculptured Stones of Scotland " (Spalding Club)originale Th . , whic bees somr hha nfo e time in the garden of George Anderson, Esq., Inverness, was, it is believed, a gift from Mr Young, through Sir Thomas Dick' Lauder, Bart., to the Museu e Northerth f mo n Associatio e Promotioth r nfo f Sciencno d an e Literature e otheth n rthisn i I examples s . a , animae figure th th , f eo l is incised on a slab of freestone.3

1 Surve Morayf yo . 125p , . 2 Arcbseologia, vol. xvi. plate Ixxi. 3 Just as this sheet is passing through the press, a fourth bull, of the same style of sculpture as the others, and of proportions similar to fig. 2, Plate XI., has been discovered at Burghead by workmen engaged in laying rails along the quay. As the packin soute th f hgo beinpies wa r g removed disturbes wa pick-axe t th i , y a d b f o e " navvy," which, after smashin e head abougs th breawa o ,t t whole kth piecesn ei , whe e blos fortunatelth nw wa y arreste a bystander y d evidentlb d ha t I . y been carried ther Baileysd eol fro friene A mth . d write thae stone sm th t e seeme b o t s VOL rv PJ.dTK X!

SCULPTURED BULLS-BUR&HEAD.

of _AntiQno.arLe s of Sc 356 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OP

These r suco , theses a h , were doubtles sculpturee th s s referrey b o t d Professor Stuart alreads a , y quoted e statemenTh Archceologia,e . th n i t that many such founwere b t Burgheado et da , taken along wit fole hth - lowing worths i , attentiof yo n :— digginn "erectioI e time th th f eo t g a n of the harbour, the worthy proprietor informed us his men found about thirty small figure ston n bullf i so t e; sandcu , beinlittla t egno puzzled guessing at the signification of the sculptures, he sent one of them to the Scottish Societ f Antiquariesyo . This learned body decreed thae th t bulls were trophies Eomanscawee th strike y dw b s ea , medal comn i s - memoration of any signal victory."' Fig , Plat.1 e XII., seem represeno st huntinta g sceneoriginae Th . s li built into the present wall of the ".Chapel-yard." It was found about twenty years ago feew , nea tfe spote beneata th rt a , surfacee s hth i d an , crossdeea e figure probabl f th exes o Th i rf eo . m -ar yportio a e th f no cuted with remarkable fidelity and spirit. Fig i2 drawina . sa fragmen side f on eo a crossf go f o t , fount a d Burghead, but which is now at the residence of the proprietor, Fleurs Cottage, near Elgin. The characteristic interlacing knot-work is skil- fully cut in bold relief. e otheth Figs samee ri th sid.3 f .eo Her figuree th eincisede ar s , bod e mana th f yo d , an apparently horsebackn armeo d dan s plainli , y visible. The art is much ruder and perhaps earlier than that displayed in the cutting of the knot-work. Examples of this kind are interesting meano n y b s d commonan . Ther ones ei , however e oppositth n o , e side Morae oth f y Firth t Grolspie.a , 8 Fig represent.4 Elgie a fragmensth n i crossa Museum w f o no t, , found a few years ago in digging near the point of the headland. It is water-worn, picked up, perhaps, on the shore—a remark which also holds good of fig. 2—and tha figuranimae e th th t f eo l has been mad suio esize t ford th tf e man o the stone. None of these bulls appear to have formed part of any larger piece of sculpture havo t r eo , been ever built int owalla . Carruthers' Highland Note-Book, pp. 220, 221. It has been said by more than 1 one writer, that the bulls, at least one of them, were got in clearing out the well. But thi contradictes si above th y edb testimonextracte th y b wels a ,s f livina yo l g wit- nesses, one of whom points to the north-east corner of the upper terrace as the place where the. y up wer g edu 2 Sculptured Stones of Scotland, plate xxxiv. VOL. n. PLAT K r

SCALE TO FIG. 2,314

wsA K J

SC UUB RI.PT- GS HK U R E A U. ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 357 sculptured on one side only—a kind of diamond-shaped work not un- commo n thii n s typ f stono e e monuments. Like e stonemanth f yo s and fragments of wood in this part of the fortifications, it appears to hav timee beeon e t subjectena greao dt t heat. Besides the above, there is at present in a garden in Elgin a fragment of a cross, much worn and defaced, which there are good grounds for believin thergy founwa e s frodit m Burghead. t Mhan'sS Well.—About village a quarte ease th mila f th o tf eo t eo r a spring comes naturall surfacee th o yt , called t Ethaa'"S s "Well.e Th " water is exceedingly pure and wholesome; and the supply, though small, is unfailing even in the driest summer. Nothing whatever is known regardin nameorigie e g th th t therf no bu , reasos ei believo nt e thae th t wel borns lha t froei mremota e period. Metal Jug.—The woodcut represents a jug, now in possession of

N. Macleod, Esq f Dalvey.o d sai o havan t d, e beene founth n i d " Roman "fulls i well t yI .5% inche n heighti s composed an , f thao d t mixtur f known coppeeo ti d s bell-metalna an r workmanshie Th . d pan design appear to be both mediaeval. 358 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF

Silver-mounting Horn.—a r fo An antique from Burghea figures dwa d and described by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, in the " Archasologia Scotica,"' a silvesa r bracelet referres i sucs d a Wilson.y an ,hb o dt pres 2 -wa "t I sented to me," says Sir Thomas," by Mr Young, the proprietor of Burg- head whosy b , e workme founs wa dt ni during their excavations, prepara- tor formino yt e towth gf tha no t name. competenA " t authorityr M , Franks of the British Museum, is of opinion that the relic is not a bracelet e mountinth t bu a born, f go f eithe o , r Scandinavia r Saxoo n n manufacture, and of. an age not prior to the tenth century. Other Relics.—During e operationth f 180o sd followin9an g years, quantitie f humao s n bonenead e fortificationsan rth s n i wer t ego n A . intelligent old man who had charge, for a time of the workmen employed in their demolition, speaks of having seen entire skeletons, as well as piece f rustso y armours statemenhi d an ; confirmes i t facte th ,y thadb t a few years ago, on the removal of a portion of the north rampart of the lower terrace, a number of bones were disinterred from its outer side, among them a skull with a round hole in its upper part, their position being such as if a row of bodies had been laid down on the original surface, and this part of the mound subsequently raised over them. e samTh e observer also testifiee frequenth o t s t occurrenc f "eo bit f so bone-like buttons" which, from their size and appearance, he and his fellow-workmen were of opinion had been used as money; and of other pieces of the same substance that went among them by the name of " arrows."3 Many storie stile sar l curren hoardf o t treasurf so e that were thosn i t e go days t the e probablbu , yar y much exaggerated. silveA 4 r penn f Kinyo g Alfred, however, undoubtedly from Burgheadn i w no s i , 1 Archaeologia Scotica, vol. iii. plat. ev t liaI s lately been presente Museue th o dt Lady mb y Dick Lauder wooda d an -, 2 t 'wili founf e o lb subsequena t n di cu t pag thif eo s volume. " Another scra workmen—e Romaf pth o y b np u antiquit g a du smal s ywa l brass 3 coin, which an eminent antiquary said was one of the tokens in common use among e Romath n soldiers noto t , e their allowanc f wine."—o e Carruthers' Highland Note- Book, p. 221. 4 " In clearing out the well, .a number of Spanish coins were found among the rubbish."—Rhind's " Sketches of the Antiquities of Moray," p. 67. If these coins have been correctly designated f thei d y an wer, e considerabl y founan t da e depth their presenc s difficulei accouno t t t for. ANTIQUARIE9 35 SCOTLANDF SO .

the Museum of Antiquities. About four years ago a brooch of antique t witdesigme h s amonnwa sandhille gth svillagee closth t o epasset I . d timecuriosita the as ,at valueyof , int hand othe a gentlema sof nnow deceased, and cannot be recovered. The late Mr Young was wont to tell that in 1809 a pit of considerable depth, and containing a quantity of barley discoveres wa , d nea poine th r f tho t e promontory s sideIt . s were lined with wood, and, when opened e t graii seemeth , n i n d charred. Among the few legen'ds preserved by the natives of Burghead, is one to effece th t thas burnedfore th wa tt , whil Danese e th hela kin y y b db ,g of Scotland revengn i , r somefo e insult offere daughtea s o wa t d o wh r married to a, Danish prince.1 Burning f tlieo Clavie,—No accoune antiquitieth f o t f Burgheao s d woul e completdb t contaieno tha d na e noticdi burnint th e f th o ef go Clavie. On the evening of the last day of December (o. s.), the youth of the village assemble about dusk and make the necessary preparations for this grand annual ceremony. Proceedin somo gt e shop, they demand a strong empty barrel, which is usually gifted at once, but, if refused, is take y forceb n . Anothe a quantit r breakind fo r an f tar, o ye gup , ar likewise procured at the same time. Thus furnished, they repair to a particular spot sea-shore closth o et commencd ean e operations holeA . , about four inches in diameter, is first made in the bottom of the stronger barrel a stou, f into t o d pole whicen ,e fivhth e fee n lengthi t s firmli , y fixed strengtheo T . n their hold numbea , f supportro nailee sar d round the outside of the former and also closely round the latter. The tar is e remaininth fired n o thean beine ;t t int e gnon barrese pu o gth d an l broken up, stave after stave is thrown in until it is quite full. The

1 fabulou"A s story prevails amon e countrth g y people, tha daughtea t e th f o r kin f Scotlango marries dwa Danis a o dt h prince use o r illhe d,wh , upon whice hth Scots king threatened revenge for the affront; and, therefore, immediately after the Danes came over, brough a numbet f pigeono r othed an s r birds, besmeared their feathers with tar and oil, set them on fire, and let them loose to fly through the diiferent parts of the garrison; and how soon the Danes saw the flames, they fled with what valuables they could transport with them." (Notice of Burghead in Sin- clair's " Statistical Account of Scotland," vol. xxi. p. 210.) The popular version of the destruction of Silchester, in Berkshire, is strikingly similar.—See Lord Carnarvon's Archceology of Berkshire, . London17 , p , 1859. VOL. IV. PART II. 2 A 360 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF

clavie, already burning fiercely, is now shouldered by some strong young man, and borne away at a rapid pace. As soon as the bearer gives signs of exhaustion, another willingly take s placehi f s d o shoul an y ; an d those who are honoured to carry the blazing load meet with an accident, as sometimes happens, the misfortune excites no pity even among his near relatives n makinI . villagee e circuigth th f o t, the e saiyo ar t d confine d boundariesthemselveol s it o t s. Formerly e processioth , n e fishing-boatsvisiteth l al d t this beebu ,ha sn discontinue r somfo d e time. Having gone over the appointed ground, the clavie is carried to Doorie,e th smala l eminence nea e extremitrth headlande th f yo , onca e portioe naturath f no l landward boundar e loweth f ro y terrace, which, however onls ha ,y bee Doorie nth e since 1809. Osummis nit circulaa t r hea stonef po s hastile useb holloe o dt th y n pilewi , centrdup whicf o e h clavie placeds th ewa , still burning nows i t I , .however ,ston a lai n do e column recentl purpose y proprietore th buil r th fo y te b , wit cavitha n yi centre th admittinr polee efo th f .o free d Aftegth en e r burnine th n go Doorie for about twenty minutes, the clavie is most unceremoniously hurled smokine th d froan g t m i ember s scattered amon assemblee gth d crowdy b , whom, in less enlightened times, they were eagerly caught up, and fragment f theo s m carried hom carefulld an e y preserve charms a d s against witchcraft. At a period not very remote, superstition had invested the whole proceedings with all the solemnity of a religious rite ; the whole populatio acn na t joinin s necessara t i welfare gn i th prosperitd yo t ean y communite oth f y durin yeae gth r abou commenceo t t f lateo e t th , bu ; burinclavie th s degenerate f ha ego d int oa mer e pastime wild an ,l probably soon be numbered among the things that were. What these records appea intimateo t r , regardin e pasgth t historf yo Broche th , remain considerede b o st . Antiquities, t Roman—no Fragmentary s thea y unfortunately ares ,it antiquities at least show that no portion of the fort, as it existed in Eoy's dayhavn ca , e been raise Boy db handsm n e a content e Th ramth . f -so e uppepartth f o rs areas demonstrate that these defencee s th wer t no e work of Lollius Urbicus ; while the position of the chapel-yard, inter- ruptin t doei secone s ga sth d lin earthworksf eo ,olde e proveb o rt that si n these mounds moss i t i tr improbablfo ; e that, wit e choicth h f otheeo r more eligible sites buildere e chapeth , th f so l had,,after clearing away ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 361

a mass of earth, erected it between two deep ditches I As no mention is made of it in the Chartulary of Moray, the chapel must have ceased to be regularly occupied as a place of worship before the year 1200, and it cannot have been built earlier than 700, probably not till much later; e safelb y hency ma assumed t i e thin o , s ground alone, thae fosseth t s are of a date somewhere between the beginning of the eighth and the close of the twelfth century. The ramparts may be, and probably are, older; but there is not a single fact to lend countenance to the supposition, thaformey an t r defence e ruinth f whicn so o s h thehavy yema been constructed, were Romantraca t anythinf eo No . g indubitabl wore yth k of that people can be shown to have been found on the promontory, and the remains described above all point unequivocally in other directions. The Baileys Well is perhaps unique of its class ; yet this does not prove that .such a rude, unsymmetrical reservoir is Bonian any more than that it is Phoenician. Henceforth, it is to be feared, the Eoman theory must be set illusione th f o e thosf sasido on s eea bygon e day archaeologyf so whicn ,i h the Monkbarns School was in the ascendant. An Ecclesiastical Site.—The existence of the Chapel-yard is sufficient proof that Burghead is an old ecclesiastical site; while the sculptured crosses testify to its antiquity, as well as give approximately its age. It is more than probable that St Ethan's Well hands down the name of either the saint to whom the building was dedicated, or of some primitive apostle whose labours in the district had been abundant. As there is little doubt that Christianit firss ywa t preache thin di s par f Scotlano t d Columby s disciplesb hi d an acorruptioa ,e b Etha y f ma n.ZEdano r no Aidan mona afterwards,s f wa lona ko o wels i wh ,s la , known e firsth , t bishop of Lindisfarne, and died A.D, 681. In an old Norman-French chronicle, printe Petriy db Sharpd e an namee th , , exactl pronounces ya d by the natives of Burghead, is applied to Eata or JEta, one of ZBdan's successors in the same see.1 But this is a point which there is not sufficient dat determine.o at 2 The existenc e " th Chapel, f eo " though hithertt overlookedbu l al o ,

1 Monumenta Historica Britannica, p. 663. 2 No fair is known to have been ever held at Burghead, and all trace of the one hel olden di n Kirkyartimee th n si Duffuf do scoincidenca appears i lost e t b I .o st e 364 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF fosse of a horse-shoe shape, the end or heel terminating at the shore on e burg. easwese d th th f an to t1 (5.) The Position of the Well.—Excavated chambers, which Mr Petrie, Kirkvvall, consider havo st e been either well e concealr placeso th r fo s - ment of treasure, have been met with in some of the northern brochs in a position simila e Bailey th thao t rf o t s Wel t Burgheada ls hi n I . account of the burg referred to above, Mr Petrie says,—"On digging away the rubbish on the outside of the south side of the wall, a stone was accidentally lifted, and a covered way or passage discovered under- neath, leading dowfligha y f nseverab o t l step wela r somethin o s(o t l g very like it), excavated' out of the rock and clay. .... The well is between the earthen rampart and the burg, and is about ten feet high from the roof.2 e Testimony(6.Th ) f Boece.—o This, thoug e strongesth h d mosan t t direct of all, is put last for two reasons : first, because there are probably many who will attach no importance to it whatever; and, second, because it was not until the preceding facts had impressed the writer with the conviction that Burghea d bee a northere sit ha df th n eo n broch that Boece's remarkable statement came under his observation. Fortunately meano n y b s s i necessar t i r presenou r yfo t purpos enquiro et e inte oth accuracy of the details into which he enters; but the remark may be hazarded, that the scope and object of Boece's History have been by not partlw fe ya misunderstood l tha e Al appearh t. havo t s e proposeo t d himself, followin thin gi s respec example th t weav o Livyf t eo s e,wa into continuoua s "narrativ e material th ed someho ha e h s w collected, never pausing to inquire into their historical value, and holding chronology and even probabilit f secondaro s ya y importance. Tha wora t k compilen do such principles is seldom alluded to by the lynx-eyed critics of our day, excep n termi t s borderin n contemptgo , need hardl e wondereyb d at; yet it is surely possible to carry this feeling too far. Whatever may be thoughs referencehi e unknowf th o t o t s n Veremundus t i seem, s unfair to set him down as having fabricated all the assertions which he makes thae otherwisar t e unvoucbe e casdth e for n I befor. , us e Olave and Enetus may be mythical personages ; it may have been

1 Proceedings, vol. ii. p. 57. Cf. Ibid. p. 5 2 Ibid. vol. ii. p. 57. ANTIQUAKIES OF SCOTLAND.

some other king than Malcolm II. that was worsted at Kinloss by the - ad Danese b t stili d e substanc t truean e th l; b Le store y .th yf ma e o mitted, then, that traditio e day th f Boec o sn i n e represented Burghead when assaile d capture de Norsemean th y b d s "furnishedna with towers and a wall of great height;" and the assertion, as explained by appearances, now for the first time brought to light, almost if not altogether establishe e pointh s n questioni t e perioTh whico .t d h these brochs e racebelongth ,d whethean , r nativ r intrusiveo e whoy b , m they were built mattere ar , s which canno discussee b t d here. Occupied by the Norsemen.—Boece's statement, that the Norsemen ex- tende strengthened dan e fortificationth d Burg,e Th s confirmei f o s y b d several particulars which it is unnecessary to recapitulate. Owing, how- changee everth o t ,e mound th s s have undergone accurato n , e iden aca no formee wnature b e alterations th th f f do e sameo th d e difficultan ; y presents itself in other brochs which had been appropriated by these marauder o theiusen t s ow r. e advanceb Littl n ca en thi o d s point beyon e surmisdth e that they probably destroye e Chapeldth wels a ,s a l dug the two outermost fosses. Proof is even wanting that changes more lesr o s importan havt no ey beema t nfortificatione fore madth th f mo n eo s afte place abandones th r e wa Northmen.mentione e e b th y y db ma t I d 1 that Plate VIII remindes .ha d some archaeologist sketce forth a f f sto ho called Dunbeg, near Fahan, in the county of Donegal, Ireland, given in "e Archaeologicath l Journal Marcr fo " hfollowine 1858th d an ; g sen- tences from the description which accompanies it, will show that the resemblanc n somi s i ee respects pretty close, although ther e othear e r points in which no likeness can be traced:—" The Cahen or fort of Dunbeg .... has been formed by separating the extreme point of an

1 Something unexplained lurks unde name th r e Baileys beeBailies.s r o ha n t I suggested tha origi Baileyits t Old similanLondonis in the tha to r of t, desig"so - nated from its position, in relation to the ancient wall of the city, and the church of Baileyt e PeteS th Oxfordf n ri o calleo s , d fro s havinmit g been originally situated in the outer Gallium of the castle" (Edward I. in the'North of Scotland, p. 115; Elgin, priv. printed, 1858.) According to this view baileys is an Anglicised corruption of battia, the courts within a fortified castle; but the term could only be applicable to Burghead in this sense, on the supposition that it had been temporarily occupied as a feudal stronghold. 8 36 PKOCEEDING SOCIETE TH F F SYO O

what obscure for a time; but there exists a charter by James III. in favour of James Douglas of Pittendrich,' of the third part of Du'ffus, which, o'f course, comprehended the third part of Burghead, dated at Edinburgh, the 14th August 1472. The Douglasses see o havmt e kept possession until 1603, when Archibald Douglas granted a charter of alienation to Alexander Keith, -Rector of Duffus; -from whose descendant t p'assesi d shortly after 1638-int e handoth f Siro s . Robert Gordonn so , of Alexander, Earl of Sutherland, and who had previously purchased the lands of Plewlan Ogstond dan , in'Drainie, fro Marquie mth f Huntlye yeaso th rn I 1672. , Sir Ludovick Gordon, the son of Sir Eobert above mentioned; with consent of Robert Gordon, Ms eldest son, sold and dispdned to Robert Sutherland, in Burg-sea, the lands of Easter Inchkeil, called the King's third of Inchkeil, the -lands' of Wester Inchkeil, id n likan ' e manner landse th , , house, larochs -yardsd an , , biggeo t d an d be bigged, and the harbour and sea-port pertaining to them, of -the town and sea- por f Burgseao t , commonly called'the King's thir Burgsea,f d o . -Si&c r. Rober&c ' t Gordon, the grandson of Sir Ludovick, endeavoured to recover the above, and other lands, from the successors of Robert Sutherland; • but he failed in this; and after a long process, the King's third of-Burghead and other lands 'Were confirmed to Lewis Kay, his-great-grandson, descended through a'female, by decree of the Court of Session, dated-4t Augush h7t Jul d ytan 1767. Abou yeae tth r 1705 othee th , r two- thirds'of Burghead and other lands were purchased by'Archibald Dunbar, of Thun- dertown, from Lord Duffus,- from whom it descende his-great-grandsono dt e th , late Sir Archibald Dunbar of Northfield, Baronet. Sir Archibald also acquired the King's third of Burghead from Lewis Kay, the successor of Robert Sutherland, by disposition, dated 12th November Archibal r 1795Si . d Dunbar thus became sole proprietor of Burghead, and-on 5th July 1799, obtaine dCrown-Chartea r over the whole. yeare th 'n " 1808I , Sir Archibald made ove properte rth Burgheaf yo Duke th o det of Gordon; Colonel'Francis William Gran f Granto t , John Brande f Pitgaven-yo r , himself, Joseph King of Newmill; George Forteath-' of Newton, William Young of Inverugie, and 'Thomas Sellar of Westfield; .-by whom, jointly, a harbour was erected at Burgheadi Iti the-year 1819, Mr Young purchased the shares of the other pro- prietors, and carried-out extensive improvements on the property and the harbour, encouraging particularn i , e settlementh , f fishermeno t . -About 1835 extendee h , d the north quay-head,'so as to make it a suitable berth for steamers. Mr' Young died in 1842, and-was succeeded by his nephew, the present proprietor." This, pa,per :was illustrate y varioub d s water-colour sketchese .oth f sculptured stones and other,, antiquities, some of which, executed by Lady Dunba Duffusf o r , were previousl Societye yth presenteo t r ; he y db e kinth dy b permissio d e an Dowageth f o n r Lady Dick Laudere th , curious' silver ring, alread e coi yth f Alfred,-wero n referre d an , to d e exhibited. ' ANTIQUAHIES OF SCOTLAND. 369

Professor COSMO INNES, from his local knowledge, was able to illus- strate and confirm the statements in the paper. r JOHM N STUABT n advertini , value interesd th r Maco an egt M f -o t donald's paper, stated that he thought the writer had been very fortunate destructioe th n theore i th f no y which attribute remaine dth Romao st n hands tha d excavatione an ,th t s describe beed addinn dgreaf ha i n o e tus g to the materials for forming an opinion as to their real authors. It ap- tha peareupturnine m th hi t o dt remova d originae gan th f o l l materials had been so great that it was almost impossible now to speak with confi- dence as to their original disposition. He pointed out the occurrence of sculptured fragment t Dinnacaira s n isolatea w no d, rock near Stone- haven t probablbu , n earlyi y time e poina peninsulsth f o t a like Burg- d beeheadha ns a r ,Thomsoshow M y nb f Banchoryo n referred an , o t d this and other similar places on the coast as sites chosen by the early Christian missionaries whic d y havan , ma he been selected from their being fortified, or secure by nature. Mr JOSEPH ROBEKTSON anticipated great good from such papers as Mr Macdonald's, whic e hopeh de printed se soo o d fro t nfacte an m;th s thu f sgoo o accumulated d ai groun e th d an plans, t i migh, t -beye t possible to fix the date and the builders of many of our early forts. r JOHD N ALBX. SMITH remarkede thath e dee f th to r e shewon n no sketches of the fragments of sculptured stones, if correctly drawn, appeared to be that of the Red Deer. The whole subject of the identi- ficatioe variouth f o ns specie f animalo s s represente e Scottisth n o d h Sculptured Stones, in their relation to our extirpated as well as living animals, would, he. considered, form a curious and interesting field of inquiry.

After the usual votes of thanks to the Vice-Presidents and other office-bearers during the past Session, the Society adjourned to the com- mencement of next Winter Session.