Foulis: 300 years ago...
September - October
Sir John Foulis of Woodhall liked to hunt in September. It gave him a good excuse to get together with his noble cronies from Ratho and Colinton and set his greyhounds on the hares on the harvested fields and surrounding muirs. They do not seem to have used guns.
There are still hares on Woodhall's parks just as there are still pigeons which Sir John enjoyed in pigeon "pys". These with herring, bread and ale were his favourite post-hunt meals with oysters for breakfast when they were available.
The straw and hay from the harvest were carted ( probably on sleds) to Woodhall to store for the horses' winter keep, while oatmeal and "flower" were bought from William Denham's mill for human use. That mill stood below Woodhall House where the new Woodhall Mill housing is being built.
But September 1705 stands out in his account books, for in that year Sir John made his fourth marriage, sealing the knot with Agnes Scot at nine o'clock at night in the house of the minister. It was a costly month and first Sir John called in all his Lammas rents from his farms as well as from the paper, waulk and corn mill. Then the pages are full of his expenses: for pipers, drums and oboes, for two dozen pairs of gloves to be disbursed to the wedding party and the minister too, for new nightcaps, new stockings "for my camel-coloured clothes" and for the services of a barber to shave him and dress his costly new periwig, replacing the one "ye ratts did eat."
October saw the prudent Sir John Foulis of Woodhall preparing for Winter. This meant sending to Dalkeith or Calder Fair for a "fat ox" to buy, butcher and flay. The beast cost 26 pounds and its hide was sold for 3 pounds 6 shillings and 8 pence. Then he laid out for aniseed, cumin, catharins (a form of saffron), brimstone and fenugreek for livening up the meat at Winter feasts, and two great candles to light them. Nuts, honey and sugar were all laid in. No month is complete without Sir John's hair appointment. In October 1700 Sir John had a Spanish bob made for himself for 3 shillings noting that it had ten ounces of hair in it. It may have made him self-conscious for at the same time he felt the need to buy a new hat.
Estate improvement went on with James Zets and John King paid 3 days apiece for "delving and fetting trees in the avenews and allars (garden walks)" in Woodhall park. Perhaps some of the ancient beeches and oaks in Woodhall grounds and along the path to Blinkbonny were "delved" at this time.
In October 1705 John Johnston was taken on for 18 pounds per annum plus a new coat, a justicoat (a sort of waistcoat), breeks, two pairs of stockings and three pairs of shoes. It is the misdemeanours of this man with Margaret Hamilton that bring the first mention of Juniper Green in Colinton Kirk records in November 1707. This would be after Sir John's death.