Telegram-herald., 1890-08-31
AT CRETNA GREEN
A Spot OF Much Great and Scan
dalous Renown.
IGNORANCE, MYSTERY AsD DELuSI9y.
urAditloa Makes tire SPOT Fanaous as
tEhs scene ot the tefmatien OF An
sieat Alliance Lssiwe~n fneiand
aud e.c siaad.

lCopyrlsEiee SO
GRErxA GREEN. scotland, July 2S.-
To my own mind there had never been
il the whole OF Gssa. Britain, spot n
reality 50 obscure. OF 50 great and
scandalous renowc, and Yet about
which. wheu ona really desired 70 bc
informed concerning 1t, there had al
WAYS seemed 10 exist such ignorance,
mystery and deius.on, as the little
border hamlet OF Gretna Green. de-
termiaed therefore that while afoOt IN
Scotland would, AZ the exercise of my
personal Inconvenience. know tie place;
delve until there could be T. clear
understanding OF the causes behind its
o.den notOrlety; and, If possible, bring
T. hight, in some plain and reliable fash
ION, a true, K brief, account of It's extra
ordinary relations 10 British society, in
IT. world famous yet ever dim and nn-
satisfactorily accoanted-for "Gretna
marriages"
The parish OF 0retna, or Graitney,
comprises . tiny reach OF land IL the
southwestern portion Of DumfIies shire,
in the form OF an irregular parslello-
gram, extending N northeast and
southeast direction, about seven miles
long, and from two 10 three miles III
width. In rs whole length il IS border
land; about one-half of IT'S southwest
ern exposure lies along the head of the
solway Firth; aud the remainder is
bounded by the lis.le. though rapid and
tdmultuous, river Sark. The river
empties into the Solway from the north
east, few miles north of where the
Esk. IN the English county of Cumber-
land, coming down from the Scottish
ROxnurgh hills, also cuts through the
Solway Moss into the whitened sands of
the Firth. The strip OF land between
the two rivers, though Incontestably
English soil, as the Sark IS the real
boundary between the two countries,
has always been debatable ground;
until the Union il was the haunt of
smugglers and petty villains Of extra
ordinary varieties; and in the olden
times was a scene OF Incessaut feuds
between the adhcrentsof Scottish chief
taIns and English border lords.
geographically the parish Of Gretua
Is without special interest. It's neither
of Annaudale nor Eskdale. and forms
a wide hollow OF swail, principally of
mOss-lsud. with a gradual depression
toward the Solway. Old Gretna, on the
east bank of the krtle water. IN It's old
AngIo-Saxon name OF Gretan-hol, is
noted only for giving the name TO the
parish and describing its topography.
Grstan-hol or Gretan.now. meaning
"the great hollow" Here and there
traces exist Of ancient square towers
and keeps, necessary for defence
sgsinst, and for gathering places for.
foray, in ancient times; and on the
farm Of Gretna- Mans, the remains OF
an oval Druidic temple are found. one
stone Of which measures lis cubic feet.
Tradition makes this spot famous as
the scene Of the formation Of ancient
alliances betwceu England and scot.
land The parish itself - utterly de-
void OF SCENE interest. although from
SolwaY SIDE, but ffteeu minutes walk
from old Gretna. especially toward
nightfali, magnificent panora0a Of
the Cumberland mountains of the Eng-
lfsh 'Laks District : presented 10
view. The heights and lower-lvmg
spurs OF Scswfeli. Skiddav and He'll
veilyn he under the golden tLnge Of the
setting sun N hundreds of individual
masses, glorious IN gorgeous depths ard
surface coIoriuxs. whfle. nearer. IN the
foree round. Just beyond the crested
chargers Of the Soinav's incoming tide.
may BE bad a glimpse Of modest RnrEh-
..f.H
marking the SPOT where death arrested
the impetuous career of the first mighty
Edward "a he vas marching WITH
giant strides across this very Border 70
conquer Scotland.
There are altogether bnt four villages
fn the parish These arc OH Gretea.
Rigg Of Gretns. BreNhouses. = nsouldv
ard sleepy hsif-score ~ houses on Soi-
vav-side. and gretns Green or Spr. .nc-
field ft is the isttsr two. WI On ere
practically one vills9s. wbich for i3s
years-or fron f754 until iseo. for. az
shall show. the practice 3 'n vogue a.
dsv-'~cotc1 borfcr msrrisgeT hsve
made famous or nfsmcus TIE tw8
villages COMPRISE ore IonE. sffaau InE
street. the Gretns Green cr norris west
sru end having rernars score Of ar
cent dwellings. AZ olu krs ki~k-vsrd
and r'arse, ard So Springfield or
southwestern exteTSnn fully f0o
housgs Of the nrost so'efnl and FOR
character after terminate T.
rurfiy On she brow C A sernv brr 81
rans t+ssN Wh}tn wtuas the 'narrtd-
ons sark It sa.s if p bofre in n ssa
that Tire corter af tass sireant. waeh 8
nct ~ reds froua the ahrupssnsi cisn. r