Eildon's Mac Fujiama (Mid hill photo taken by by Shelagh Chalmers)
Eldun history This place is situated to the south of Newstead on the eastern skirt of the hill. It was granted by David I, along with Melros and Dernwic (Darnick) to the Monastery bounded on the west by the barony of Bolden (Bowden), on the south by the lands of Lessuden (St Boswells), on the east by the river Tweed, and by the lands of Newstead to the north. The convent long retained this estate in their own hands, as one of their granges, and managed it by a bailiff, to whom they paid a fee yearly. In the middle of the sixteenth century a family of Stewart possessed the lands and town of Eldun. In 1573 the convent confirmed a charter granted by John Stewart, of a life rent in favour of Christina Wardlaw, his spouse, of the town and lands of Eldun, from which it appears that the annual return to the convent was the sum of £26 of the usual money of the kingdom, payable at two terms in the year, viz., at the feasts of Pentecost and St Martin in winter, by equal portions; together with sixty kain fowls, and sixty carriages (carts?) according to use and wont; also to attend the head courts of the monastery, and to grind their corn at the mills of Melrose or other mills of the monastery. In 1598 Michael Stewart was in possession of the lands as heir to his father John Stewart. In the end of the sixteenth century, six acres of land in Eildon Cot was the property of David Mein in Newstead. In 1640 it was in the hands of the Earl of Haddington. In the end of the last century (eighteenth) and the beginning of this (nineteenth), Eildon Hall belonged to Thomas Mein, who formed the plantations which are now so great an ornament to the place. From Mein it passed into the family of Henderson. It is now the property of his Grace of Buccleuch. The situation of the hall is fine with extensive views to south and east. In the present year (1864) considerable additions have been made to the house with stones quarried out of the ridge between the eastern and middle hills; but it is trusted the noble owner, while allowing stones to be quarried here , will take care to preserve the beautiful outline of these remarkable hills. (History of the Antiquities of Roxburghshire – 1864) Snippits Willie Lindsay’s dad made mention of the field in front of Eildon Bank having being used as a playing field. Willie’s family farmed at Eildon Mains for five generations. “When we were milking in the dairy at Eildon, none of the villagers got water. Willie persuaded the old Water Board to power water up to Eildon, and later they were linked up to the main supply”. His father and grandfather ran the local butcher’s shop which formed part of the old Co-op at Newtown. Beatrice Henderson’s talks of an old man called John Dickinson who’d been a cattle drover in his young days. When he was at work in his huge garden his niece Miss Hardie would rattle two ‘chuckie stones’ to call him in at meal-times. He lived until he was 92 – a real old worthy. He would buy a gallon of whisky in a stoneware jar for 12/6d. Mr Swinton had Eildon Mains Farm – a dairy farm. He kept a horse and milkcart and delivered milk each morning in Newtown. His daughter, Margaret would go round Eildon in the evenings with a big can of milk and a measuring can. I remember mother having her ladle ready to get her supply. October 1945 Eildon Engineer Gains Belgian Medallion For Meritorious Service In recognition of meritorious service in connection with the rehabilitation of Belgian waterways, the Director of Ports and Inland Waterways has notified W O I Lindsay, R.B. (Port Construction and Repair Co), that he has been presented with the Belgian Medallion by the Belgian Ministry of Public Works. W O Lindsay, son of Mr & Mrs Lindsay, Eildon Bank, Eildon, enlisted with the RE in 1940. He was attached to a bomb disposal squad early in his service and had considerable experience in the South of England and Clydeside at the height of the blitz. The Medallion is inscribed – “1944-45. Grateful Belgium to Liberating Armies – to W O I Lindsay, R.E." Fifth daughter of Dr Thomas Mein, R.N. of Eildon Hall
|
Eildon really is fairyland
Photos taken by Shelagh Chalmers |