EDDLESTONE, a parish, in the county of Peebles;
containing 742 inhabitants, of whom 139 are in the village,
4 miles (N.) from Peebles. This parish is undistinguished
by any events of historical importance. It
is about ten miles in length from north to south, and
seven miles in breadth, and comprises 21,250 acres, of
which 4370 are arable, 1050 woodland and plantations,
and 15,830 permanent pasture and meadow. The surface
is diversified by hills covered with verdure to their
summits. Dundroich, or Druid's hill, the highest eminence,
has an elevation of 2100 feet above the level of
the sea, and commands an extensive and finely-varied
prospect, embracing the Cheviot hills, part of the pleasing
vales of Teviot, Annan, and Clyde, with portions of
the counties of Perth and Fife, the river Forth, and the
city of Edinburgh. The chief river is the South Esk,
which issues from a lake about two miles in circumference,
at the base of Dundroich, and flows into the sea
at Musselburgh; the lake abounds with pike, eels, and
perch, and forms an interesting feature in the sceuery,
which is also enriched with extensive plantations of modern
growth. The soil is various, and on some of the
farms might be rendered much more fertile than it is,
by the adoption of a more extensive system of draining:
the crops are oats, barley, wheat, peas, ^potatoes, and
turnips. The system of agriculture is in an improved
state, and the farm buildings are generally substantial
and commodious; the lands in many parts are well inclosed,
and the fences mostly kept in good order. About
5500 sheep are fed on the hills, nearly one-half of them
being of the Cheviot, and the rest of the black-faced
breed; on the dairy-farms about 280 milch-cows are
pastured, chiefly of the Ayrshire and Teeswater breeds,
and there are 500 head of young cattle in the parish.
The woods and plantations are well managed, and for the
most part in a thriving condition. The annual value of
real property in the parish, as returned for the Income
tax, is £6694. The village is pleasantly situated, neatly
built, and well inhabited; a post-office has been established,
and has a daily delivery from Edinburgh and
Peebles, with which and other places there is facility of
communication. A fair used to be held in the village
on the 25th of September; it was formerly a considerable
mart for cattle, and the hiring of farm servants, but
of late has fallen into desuetude.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Peebles, synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the
patronage of Lord Elibank; the minister's stipend is
about £'^50, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £24
per annum. Eddlestone church, rebuilt in 18'39, is a
neat and substantial edifice adapted for a congregation
of 420 persons. The parochial school affords education
to about 120 children: the master's salary is £34, with
£42 fees, a good house, and an allowance of two bolls of
meal in lieu of a garden; he has also the privilege of
taking boarders. There are remains of three circular
camps, evidently Danish: one of these, on the lands of
Norshield, has been preserved nearly in its original state
of perfection, and surrounded with a plantation; the
others are almost obliterated. On the lands of Kingside,
a vessel has been dug up containing a large number
of gold and silver coins, the former in good preservation,
but the latter much defaced: upon some was legible the
inscription Jacubus S. ScotoTiim Rex: Near the northern
extremity of this farm was a tumulus, inclosed with
three circular walls, and which, being opened by the
tenant, was found to contain a rudely-formed stone
coffin, in which were human bones in a partly calcined
state, and close to it a variety of brazen weapons, in form
resembling a.xes: two of the weapons were sent to the
museum of the Antiquarian Society of Edinburgh.
Ringside farm was a hunting-seat belonging to James
VL The Rev. Patrick Robertson, the present incumbent,
is the great-grandson of the Rev. James Robertson, who
was ordained to the parish in 1697, and, after a ministration
of fifty years, was succeeded by his son Alexander,
who in 1772 was followed by his son Dr. Patrick
Robertson, who held the living for fifty years, and died
in 1822.