sentences:  Grose states "mote hills, or places for administration of public justice, for considerable districts; and courts hills, whereon the ancient lairds held their baronial courts, before the demolition of the feudal system.These mote and court hills serve to explain the use of these high mounts still remaining near our ancient castles".He goes on to say –
  
  Grose records that the last instance of a Baron Baillie sentencing and carrying out a death sentence in Nithsdale was at Barnside Hill in around 1697.