EILDON HILLS

eildon hills, a group of three conical hills, of volcanic origin, in roxburghshire, scotland, 1 m. s. by e. of melrose, about equidistant from melrose and st boswells stations on the north british railway. they were once known as eldune--the _eldunum_ of simeon of durham (fl. 1130)--probably derived from the gaelic _aill_, "rock," and _dun_, "hill"; but the name is also said to be a corruption of the cymric _moeldun_, "bald hill." the northern peak is 1327 ft. high, the central 1385 ft. and the southern 1216 ft. whether or not the roman station of _trimontium_ was situated here is matter of controversy. according to general william roy (1726-1790) trimontium--so called, according to this theory, from the triple eildon heights--was old melrose; other authorities incline to place the station on the northern shore of the solway firth. the eildons have been the subject of much legendary lore. michael scot (1175-1234), acting as a confederate of the evil one (so the fable runs) cleft eildon hill, then a single cone, into the three existing peaks. another legend states that arthur and his knights sleep in a vault beneath the eildons. a third legend centres in thomas of erceldoune. the eildon tree stone, a large moss-covered boulder, lying on the high road as it bends towards the west within 2 m. of melrose, marks the spot where the fairy queen led him into her realms in the heart of the hills. other places associated with this legend may still be identified. huntly banks, where "true thomas" lay and watched the queen's approach, is half a mile west of the eildon tree stone, and on the west side of the hills is bogle burn, a streamlet that feeds the tweed and probably derives its name from his ghostly visitor. here, too, is rhymer's glen, although the name was invented by sir walter scott, who added the dell to his abbotsford estate. bowden, to the south of the hills, was the birthplace of the poets thomas aird (1802-1876) and james thomson, and its parish church contains the burial-place of the dukes of roxburghe. eildon hall is a seat of the duke of buccleuch.