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History of Lanark, and Guide to the Scenery
History of Lanark and Guide to the Scenery Author:W. Davidson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER X. "Twas a dream of those days of darkness and blood, When the Christian crossed the ocean and flood : When in Judah's bright mountains, the standard ... more »of Sion, All bloody and torn, 'mong the vineyards was lying,' THIS beautifully situated mansion, is about two miles and a half distant from Lanark, and a little more than one mile, from our present situation. The road passes Mouss Mill, the property of tfie burgh, and leads up a gentle acclivity, bounded on both sides by well stocked orchards, belonging to M. Linning, Esq., where there is a neat little villa; and at the top of this acclivity, is the entrance to Sunnyside Lodge. Our route now, is along a plain level road, by the foot of the 'brae of Nemplilar, from which we are led to the right, across a spacious meadow, which, at one time, has been a lake. Exactly at the bend of the road, is a neat cottage, with garden ground behind. which is known by the name of the ' Chapel', or 'Auld man's Apple tree". Upon this spot, once stood a Chapel of Ease, for the accommodation of Nemphlar, and the circumjacent country; which, very probably, was served by the minister of Lanark, upon stated days, as is commonly done in many parishes in the Highlands of Scotland; and neither tradition, nor the Presbytery records, make any mention, of it's being a separate cure. The appellation of 'Auld man's apple tree', is an improper transposition of 'All men's' or 'A' men's apple tree'; from the circumstance of a celebrated tree bearing fruit of this description, which grew in the garden, and overhung the road, and from which 'all men' plucked, as they passed. No burying ground seems ever to have been attached to the chapel, which supports the conjecture, that it was dependent upon, and supplied by the minister of Lanark; but at wh...« less