berts; on the south, by Colinton, Currie, and Ratho; and on the west, by Ratho and Kirkliston.

Topographical Appearances.-The greater part of the parish consists of a tract of low-lying meadow land, which extends from near Coltbridge to Redheughs. The village is situated in the centre of this tract, and is slightly elevated above the level of the meadows on both sides. Towards the north-east, lies Corstorphine hill, an eminence covered with wood, which rises 474 feet above the level of the sea, and commands most delightful prospects in every direction. To the west of Corstorphine hill, is a ridge of rocky ground called East and West Craigs, which overlooks the western meadow. The ground in the western division of the parish is more diversified and undulated, rising on both sides of the Gogar-burn, and gently sloping towards the water.

Hydrography. The only streams in the parish are the rivulets of Leith and Gogar; the former running through the southeastern division of the parish, and the latter through the lands of Gogar, and falling into the river Almond, in the adjoining parish of Kirkliston. In former times, there were two lochs in the meadows, which are represented in Blaew's Atlas, in the Map of Lothian, which was prepared about 1640, as situated, one on each side of Corstorphine Castle, and as supplying with water a ditch which surrounded the grounds belonging to the Castle.

is

There is a mineral spring near the village of Corstorphine, which very similar in taste to the water of St Bernard's Well, Edinburgh. Dr Monro, in his book on Mineral Waters, Vol. i. page 209, says, that "it is a weak, sulphureous water, from which Dr Short got by evaporation eleven grains of sediment from a gallon, four grains of which were clay, and seven grains, a saline matter composed of sea salt and a calcareous glauber. This water has been used for the cure of scrofulous complaints." For many years previous to the end of the last century, and at the commencement of the present, this well was in great repute, and for the sake of it Corstorphine was much resorted to as a watering-place,* so much so, that in the month of May 1749,+ a stage-chaise was set up, which travelled between Corstorphine and Edinburgh eight or nine times every week-day, and four times on Sunday. It is said that one of the ladies of the family of Dick of Prestonfield and Corstor

* Webster's Topographical Dictionary, word Corstorphine. † Scots Magazine, Vol. xi. p. 253.

phine experienced so much benefit from using the water, that she took up her residence in the village, and erected a building over the well, placing a pump on it so as to make it more convenient and accessible to the inhabitants. This erection was allowed to fall into disrepair, when the well lost its popularity, and the last vestige of it was removed about fourteen years ago, and a deep ditch was made on the north side of it, which completely destroyed the spring. As this well was so much connected with the prosperity of the village in former times, many of the old inhabitants are anxious to have it restored, and there is now some prospect of its being again fitted up for use as a public well, with the concurrence of the adjoining proprietors. The lease of the farm on which it was situated, still contains an exception of a space of ground round the mineral well, and a footpath to it, from the village, of at least four feet wide.

Climate. The village has always been considered as very healthy, although, from want of proper drainage, the soil is very wet and the atmosphere damp. The cause of its salubrity has been said to be its exposure to a rapid and complete circulation of air. When the cholera was prevalent in this country there were no cases in the village of Corstorphine, and only a few of a fatal character at the outskirts of the parish.

Botany. From its vicinity to Edinburgh, the natural history of this parish has been so fully investigated that it is unnecessary to enter upon it here. We shall merely notice one or two of the rarer plants that have been found in it. Phellandrium aquaticum grows in the ditches of the meadows; and Pyrola rotundifolia, Anthyllis vulneraria, Tanacetum vulgare, Listera ovata, and Erythrea centaurea are found at Gogar, and Parietaria officinalis on the ruins of Corstorphine Castle. Among the trees which formerly decorated the park of the Castle there is a very fine sycamore tree, near the old pigeon-house, which has a most beautiful golden colour in the sunshine, when the leaves first come out in spring.

Quarries.-There were at one time extensive freestone quarries in Corstorphine Hill, upon the lands of Ravelston, from which the stone was taken for the Parliament House, Heriot's Hospital, and other public buildings.erected in Edinburgh, between the years 1632 and 1650. These quarries have not been in operation for the last twenty years, but one of them has been lately cleared of water, and the proprietor has advertised for a tenant to work it.

There are also two trap or blue whinstone quarries in the parish, one at West Craigs, which is used occasionally for building farm-steadings, but principally for road metal, and the other at Clermiston. II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Historical Events.-During the residence of the family of Forrester of Corstorphine this parish was not unfrequently the scene of war and devastation. In 1446, the lands of Corstorphine were overrun by the Chancellor Crichton and his military vassals, and the house levelled with the ground, in retaliation for a similar outrage committed by Sir John Forrester and William, Earl of Douglas, on the estate and castle of Brankstoun, which then belonged to the Chancellor. In 1572, the house and college of Corstorphine were garrisoned by the Earl of Mar, then Regent of the kingdom, along with all the other strengths round Edinburgh, to prevent supplies from reaching the castle, which was then in possession of William Kirkcaldy of Grange. In 1650, there was a more serious and long-continued occupation of the parish, first by General Leslie and his army, and afterwards by Oliver Cromwell and his soldiers. Leslie's army was posted in the meadow on the east of Corstorphine, when Cromwell, who was encamped on the Pentland Hills, marched northwards with the object of interposing his army between Leslie and Linlithgow, and thus forcing an engagement. Leslie, however, so manoeuvred as to defeat this object, for he marched westward about two miles, and then entrenched himself in an impregnable position on Gogar-field, from whence Cromwell attempted to dislodge him, but the ground was so boggy between the armies that he was obliged to desist, and to content himself with a brisk fire of artillery, which was returned with spirit by Leslie, who brought into play, for the first time, upon that occasion, several kinds of field-pieces invented by Colonel Wemyss, his General of Artillery.* The field on which this fight took place (on which the villas of Gogar-burn and Hanley now stand) is still known among the old inhabitants by the name of "The Flashes ;" a name which it is said to have received from fire-arms being used in the fight of greater power and variety than was usual at that time. This skirmish continued from the afternoon till late in the evening of Tuesday the 27th August 1650, and operated as such a check on Cromwell's designs, that he immediately retreated to his camp at Musselburgh, and afterwards towards England: Leslie following in his rear and harassing his march, till he reached Dunbar, where, owing to the impetuosity and want of discipline of the Scottish • Thomson's Acts, Vol. vii. page 46, and page 17 of Appendix.

army, Cromwell at last succeeded in bringing on the unfortunate battle of Dunbar, which enabled him to retrace his steps, and return to Edinburgh as a victor.*

Shortly after this victory, part of the English army occupied Corstorphine and its vicinity, where they continued till the month of August in the following year. During this period, both the clergymen and the principal landed proprietors absented themselves from the parish, and Lord Forrester was actively engaged in attempting to raise the country against the English. In retaliation for this hostility, the English soldiers defaced the stone figures of the Forresters in the chancel, damaged the whole interior of the church, pulled down the place of public repentance, and laid waste the estate of Corstorphine. †

Estates and Proprietors.-The two principal properties in this parish, in former times, were the estates of Corstorphine and Gogar, which, for a long series of years, were occupied by influential families. The first noticed proprietors of Corstorphine are, David le Mareschall, in the reign of Alexander II., and Thomas le Mareschall and William de la Roche, whose names occur in Ragman's Roll of 1296. The family of the two former continued in possession of that estate till the reign of David II, when it was forfeited by David le Mareschall, and given by the King to Malcolm Ramsay. It was next held by William More of Abercorne, who disponed it to his brother, Gilchrist More, by whom it was sold, in August 1376, to Adam Forrester, Burgess of Edinburgh, in whose family it remained down to the year 1698. This family is so interwoven with the history of the parish, and conferred on it so many benefits, that we cannot pass them over without some farther detail. The founder, Adam Forrester, was a successful merchant in Edinburgh, and probably acquired the greater part of his fortune in the reign of David II. by trading with England. In the Rotuli Scotiae, we find a license granted to him to bring grain into Scotland without payment of duty. In the same reign, he acquired the lands of Whitburn and Niddreff, and in the following several additional estates. In 1373, he was Provost of Edinburgh, and in 1382, Sheriff of Lothian. He was frequently employed in embassies to England, and seems to have been held in much esteem by King Robert III., who made him Keeper of the Great Seal in 1390.§ In 1402, he was present at the Battle of

See Memoirs of Captain Slingsby, &c, † Parish Register and Nicoll's Diary.
See Rotuli Scotia, Vol. ii.
S Reg. Mag. Sigil. p. 184.

EDINBURGH.

Homildon Hill, and having been taken prisoner, was, along with several of the most illustrious prisoners, presented to King Henry IV. in full Parliament, where he acted as spokesman for the others. During the last year of his life, he was DeputeChamberlain of the southern division of the kingdom, under the Earl of Buchan. His first wife was Agnes, daughter of John Dundas of Fingask; and he was afterwards married to a lady whose Christian name was Margaret, who survived him about twenty years. He died in 1404, and was buried in the chapel of St John the Baptist at Corstorphine. The stone which originally covered his remains is built into the west wall of the session-house, and has on it an inscription, now almost defaced, commencing "Hic jacet Adam Forstar."

Sir John Forrester, his eldest son, was brought up at Court, and succeeded his father in the situation of Depute-Chamberlain of the southern division of the kingdom. He obtained a charter to the estate of Corstorphine from William More of Abercorne, then the superior, on 22d March 1392, which was probably on the occasion of his marriage. After 1408, he acted as Depute-Chamberlain of the whole kingdom, under the Earl of Buchan, who seems to have devolved upon him all the duties of the office of High Chamberlain. In this situation he continued down to the year 1425, but in that interval he held also several other appointments. In 1416, he was named one of the Commissioners to treat with England for the King's liberty, and in 1421, he was made Lord Privy Seal. His crown charter to the estates of Corstorphine, Drylaw, Nether Liberton, Meadowfield, and Clerkington, erecting them into the Barony of Corstorphine, is dated 10th July 1424; and in the same year he was one of the hostages given for the King's ransom. As a remuneration for his numerous services, on the King's return to Scotland, a new office was created for him under the name of Magister Hospitii, Master of the Horse, and in the following year he was made Lord High Chamberlain. It was at this period of his life, that he founded and endowed the Collegiate Church of Corstorphine.

Sir John Forrester was three times married. The surname of his first wife, Margaret, is unknown, but the second was Lady Jean St Clair, daughter of the first Earl of Orkney, and his third was Marian Stewart, daughter of Sir Walter Stewart of Garlies, and

Parliamentary History, Vol. ii. p. 71.

† See Chamberlain's Account, Vol. ii.

Ibid. Vol. ii, and iii.