Horsely Stream

NT82SW 24 from 81385 23961 to 81370 23833

(NT 8136 2390) Cove Farm (NR) (remains of)

OS 6" map, (1962).

Amorphous Remains, Horsely Stream: An amorphous group of earth-walled enclosures, scooped hollows, and field boundaries, which covers an area of nearly 2 acres on the right bank of the Bowmont Water at the foot of Cove Hill, may be the remains of the medieval farm of Cove which was destroyed by the English in 1545. (D Laing 1855). In the 18th century the farmhouse of this name stood a short distance to the N (M Stobie 1770), but it was pulled down before the OS mapped the district in 1859. The remains overlie a series of cultivation terraces and are bounded on three sides by a contemporary or later rig system.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1947.

These remains are generally as described and planned

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 14 June 1968.

No change

Visited by OS (TRG) 12 August 1976.

On the moderate W-facing slopes of the terrace overlooking the haughland on the right bank of the Bowmont Water lie the remains of the medieval farm of Cove, destroyed by the English, under the Earl of Hertford, in 1545. In the 18th century a farmhouse of this name stood a short distance to the N (M Stobie 1770), but it was pulled down before the OS mapped the district in 1859.

There appear to be, at least two buildings present, both towards the base of the scarp at the rear of the terrace. The lower building lies in a slight hollow and measures about 13m from N to S by 6m overall. There appears to be a single partition wall. About 10m uphill to the E at the base of a break in slope, there is a second building which measures at least 10m from N to S by 5m overall and again there seems to be a partition wall and there is a suggestion that the building could measure 24m in length. Above the building there is a large D-shaped enclosure measuring 21m from N to S by 14m (to the crest of the break in slope) within banks spread up to 2m in width. A second enclosure, of similar dimensions is conjoined on the N, and there is also a third, smaller enclosure below the break in slope again to the N.

On the S side of Cove Farm, there are two circular enclosures, each measuring about 18m within turf-banks spread up to 2m in width. Given the sheltered location, and the presence of a stone-built sheepfold between 70m and 130m to the S, at NT 8138 2377, both these enclosures are probably sheepfolds.

REFERENCES: Laing, D 1855, 'A contemporary account of the Earl of Hertford's second expedition to Scotland, and of the ravages committed by the English forces in September 1545. From a manuscript in Trinity College Library, Dublin', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 1, 1851-4, 278

RCAHMS vol.2 1956, 371, No.783

Stobie, M 1770, Map of Roxburghshire or Teviotdale,

Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 24 March 1987

RCAHMS MS 2598, No. 6/046