Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

186
JOURNAL OF JOHN LAUDER
Lanerk. Lanark is 8 from Hamilton. Went and saw the yards:1
great abondance of as good wines,2 peaches, apricoats, figs,
walnuts, chaistins,3 philberts, etc., in it as in any part of France;
excellent bon Crestien pears, brave palissades of firs, sundry
fisch ponds. The wals are built of brick, which conduces much
to the ripening of the fruits : their be 20 ackers of land within
the yeardes. Their’s a fair bouling graine before the Palace
gate. Then went to the wood, which is of a wast bounds;
much wood of it is felled: their be many great oakes in it
yet: rode thorough the lenth of it, it is thought to be 5 miles
about. Saw great droves of heart and hinde with the young
roes and faunes in companies of 100 and 60 togither.
Nixt day on for Edenburgh, 24 miles from Hamilton. Rode
crost the Clyde at a furd about 5 miles from Hamilton, came
in to the muire way for Glasco : wery ill way. Came to the
Kirk of the Shots; then to Neidle eye wheir ye go of to
Bathcat; then to Swynish Abbey4; then to Blaickburne
belonging to the Laird of Binny, 12 miles from Eden¬
burgh. Baited their, then came to Long Levinstone a mile
furder; then to the pile of Levinstone Murray: the house
[Toures] 5 was destroyed by the English. Saw on our right
hand Calder, my Lord Torphichens residence; then entered
unto that moor, Drumshorling Moore; then came to Amont
Water : rode within a bow shot of Clifton hall and within
halfe a mile of Eleiston; then to Gogar stone and Gogar
toune; then to Corstorphin, and so home, being the 15 of
August 1668 6
One day in a promenade with Mr. James Pilans past by
Wright houses, Greenhill, Mr. (Doctor) Levinstons, then a litle
house belonging to Doctor Stevinsone; then Merchiston;
then to the Barrowmoore wheir Begs famous house is; then
to the Brig-house which belonged to Braid,7 was given of
by the Farlys in an assithment, liferented even now by the
Ladie Braid, payes her 200 merks a year; then up towards
Greenbank to the Buckstone, wheir is the merches of Braid
with Mortinhall and Comistone; saw its merches with the new
1 Yards, enclosed gardens, orchards.
2 Vines. 3 Chestnuts. Fr., Chdtains. 4 Now Swineabbey.
8 Interlined. 8 Nearly half a page blank. 7 Dick of Braid.