In this extract we see Derestreet running northwards as in the last charter and meeting more or less at right angles the Royal Road which, coming from Roxburgh, must have followed the line of the Tweed.
We find it next in the neighbourhood of Lessudden (St. Boswells), where it is mentioned as a boundary in a charter of the same period by Robert de Londoniis, confirming to the Monastery of Melrose a gift of 'a half ploughgate of land, viz. as I have added and applied to that half ploughgate of land the rest of the land which lies contiguous as far as Derestredt and thence as the road descends in a slanting direction on the east down to the stream.'[*] The stream is probably the burn which must have crossed the line of the road at the west end of the village.
A charter of Hugo de Morville to the Church of St. Mary at Dryburgh (circa 1150) conveys 'a half ploughgate of land in the territory of Newtoun, viz. that which my steward William held from the west side of Derestrete in length and width as far as the Marches of Thirlestan.'[†] Sir Archibald Lawrie[1] identifies Newtoun with Newton Don near Kelso, but it seems probable that in this he is mistaken, as the road must have lain far to the west of the latter. This is evident from the terms of another charter granted by John de Normanville of lands of Grenrig in the territory of Makiston, in which he gives as one of the boundaries, the road leading from 'Neutun' to Roxburgh,[‡] probably identical with the Royal
setescloch usque ad fossatum de grenrig et sic per idem fossaturn usque ad lillesetheburne et sic ascendendo per eandem burnam usque ad fossatum de grenerig et per fossatum versus occidentem usque ad derstret et sic versus austrum per derstret usque ad regiam viam qua itur de valle anant versus Rokesburg et sic per eandem viam versus orientem usque ad divisas inter faringdune et terram eorundem monachorum de Melros. Liber de Melros, vol. i. p. 219, No. 244.
* Carta Robertus de Londoniis super carrucata terre de Lessedwine.
dimidiam Carrucatam terre scilicet ego ipsi dimidie carrucate apposui et adjeci reliquum terre quod adiacet usque ad derestredt et sicut via descendit in oblico apud orientem usque in torrentem. Liber de Melros, vol. i. p. 76, No. 88.
† dimidiam carucatam terrae in territono de Newtoun scilicet quam Willelmus senescallus meus tenuit ab occidentali parte de Derestrete in longum et latum juxta metas et divisas de Thirlestan. Liber de Dryburgh, p. 145, No. 201.
‡ viam quae itur de Neutun usque ad rokisburg. Liber de Melros, vol. i. p. 224.
1 Early Scottish Charters, p. 422.
12