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THE HISTORY OF SHILBOTTLE PARISH
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Map of the entire Parish, containing the townships of
Shilbottle, Shilbottle Wood House,
Whittle, Hazon and Hartlaw, and Newton on the Moor |
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| The parish of Shilbottle is separated
from Alnwick on the north by the Cawledge burn, it has Lesbury on the
north-east, Warkworth parish on the east, Brainshaugh and Felton on the
south, and Felton and Alnwick on the west. The ground slopes upward from
the banks of the Cawledge burn, which are 212 feet above the sea-level,
southward to the ridge which divides the valley of the Aln from that of
the Coquet, and has its culminating point at the Beacon hill, 589 feet
above the sea-level. A large part of the parish has, therefore, a cold,
northern exposure, and even to the southward of the ridge the ground has
generally a high elevation. The parish has an area of 6,501 acres,
comprised in the five poor law townships of Shilbottle, Shilbottle
Woodhouse, Hazon and Hartlaw, Whittle, and Newton-on-the-Moor. |
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TOWNSHIP OF SHILBOTTLE
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The village of Shilbottle is
situated on high ground from 410 to 489 feet above sea-level. It
commands an extensive view of the coast-line, the light at the Souter
point lighthouse near Whitburn being seen at night, and on a very clear
day, it is said, Gateshead Fell may be distinguished. It is a long,
straggling village consisting of about seventy cottages, now chiefly
occupied by pitmen, a couple of ale houses,
N a homestead, a school-house,
N the parish house, and a vicarage house, in which are
embedded the remains of an ancient tower. The township comprises about
3,000 acres, and in 1891 had a population of 454.
N
Of the prehistoric inhabitants of the township few traces
have been discovered, though about half a mile to the south-west of the
village, on ground allotted on the division of the common in 1759, to
the earl and countess of Northumberland, is a camp.
N It appears to have been nearly circular, or perhaps oval,
in form, with a greatest diameter of about 70 paces. The agger has been
made of rough stone, but most of it has long ago been carried away to
repair buildings and dykes. So late as 1758 a causeway, 13 yards wide,
and called ` the old camp road,' could be traced near the camp, but this
is merged in the modern highway. The situation is well suited for a
look-
out, and a beacon formerly kept there was only discontinued in 1809.
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On the farm of Shilbottle
Dene Moor, in a field known as Long-ridge, a skillfully-made axe-hammer,
formed of fine-grained greenstone, was found some years ago, about 3½
feet below the surface. It is 6 inches in length, and 2½ inches in
breadth, the perforation for the shaft being circular.
N
The Saxon owners of the place have impressed the memory of
their occupation on its name, for ` bottle,' as in Harbottle, Lorbottle,
Bothal, and other similar place-names in the counties of Northumberland
and Durham, means an 'abode',
N but Schiplinge-botel seems to be the only instance of the
prefix of a patronymic to ` bottle.'
N In a survey of the earl of Northumberland's estates made in
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it is stated :
The manner of Shilbottell is parcel of the said
barronye [of Alnwick] . . . and was sometyme parcell of the possessions
of William, Barone Hilton, in the right of Bona, daughter and heyre of
Jermavne Tyson, the lord of the same, together with the churche of
Guysance, alias Braineshaughe, Haysand, Neuton, Renyngton, Fallowdon,
and Broxfeld, as by guyft of Gisbrightus Tyson, sometime lorde of
Alnewicke made to Richard, his sonne . . . . And afterward reduced to
the barony againe by his lordship's ancestors for the mannors of Bolton
Percye, Wharran Percye, Carnabye, and others, and so have contynued tyll
this present.
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SHILBOTTLE AXE-HAMMER. |
| Descended from the lords of Le Cinglais in Calvados,
Gisbright or Gilbert Tison occupied the distinguished office of
standard-bearer in the host which followed the Conqueror and he shared
in the lands wrested from their Saxonowners. Besides extensive estates
in Yorkshire and elsewhere, he is said to have obtained the barony of
Alnwick, out of which he made a provision for his younger son, Richard
Tison,
L by giving him the lordship of Shilbottle, comprising the
vills of Guyzance, Newton, and Hazon, with Rennington and Broxfield in
the parish of Embleton. Richard Tison was succeeded by his son William,
and he by his son German, who had an only daughter and heiress, Benéta
or Bona, who carried Shilbottle by marriage to William Hilton of Hilton,
a baron of the bishopric of Durham. |
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TISON OF SHILBOTTLE.
ARMS : Vert, three lions rampant, crowned or.
Flower's Visitation of Yorkshire. |
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| (a) Charters of Alnwick abbey, ' Eustace
filius Johannis, etc.' Tate, Alnwick, ii. app. p. viii. |
(g) Pipe Roll, 13 and 15 John. |
| (b) Liber Niger Scaccarii de Northumberland.
Hodgson, Northumberland, pt. iii. vol. iii. p. 306. |
(h) Cf. Longstaffe, 'The Church of Guyzance.' Arch.
Ael. iii. new series, p. 133. |
| (c) See p. 346 supra. |
(i) Liber Vitae, Stephenson, p. 52. Surtees. Soc.
No. 13. |
| (d) Brinkburn Chartulary, p. 141. |
(j) Pipe Rolls, 15 John. |
| (e) Newminster Chartulary, p. 243. |
(k) Pipe Rolls, II, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23
Hen. II. |
| (f) Patent Roll, 1209. |
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Sir Alexander de Hilton, son of
William de Hilton and Benéta Tison, was a minor at his father's death in
1208.
N
At the assizes held in Newcastle in 1235 there was an
agreement made by which German de Eworthe granted to Thomas de
Schippelingbotle 30 acres of land in Schippelingbotle, viz., 24 acres
which Alexander, son of Milisand, formerly held, 1 acre lying near the
lands of Alexander de Hilton, 1 acre near the Westemestemede, 2 acres in
the field called Schovelbred, abutting on the highway leading from
Alnwick, 1 acre in Beneflat, abutting on the land of William de Vescy, 1
acre in Shonflat, abutting on the lands of Alexander de Hilton, for the
yearly rent of 3s. 1½d.
N He is entered in the Pipe Rolls for
Northumberland for 1236 as owing £79 1s. to the Crown for the debt of
Hugh de Verly of Swine in Yorkshire, a sum gradually reduced by yearly
payments until it was finally wiped off eight years later.
N Sir Alexander de Hilton in 1240 made an agreement with the
abbot and convent of Newminster respecting the boundaries between his
lands at Shilbottle and Guyzance and their manor of Sturton Grange.
N He proceeded to the Holy Land in 1241,
N and his name with that of Agnes, his wife, is written in the
Liber Vitae which once lay on the high altar at Durham.
N He was dead before 1243,
N leaving a son, Robert de Hilton, whose name occurs in the
Testa de Nevill as holding Shilbottle, Newton-on-the-Moor, Hazon,
Guyzance, and Rennington of the barony of Vesci by two knight's fees of
ancient feoffinent.
N
In an extent of the lands, formerly Robert de Hilton's, made
at Shilbottle on the Saturday after the l0th of August, 1267, it is
stated that there were in demesne in Syplingbotill, 286 acres of
cultivated land, worth at 6d. an acre, £7 3s. ; 27 acres of
meadow, worth at 20d. an acre, £2 5s.; and certain pieces of pasture
ground called Blakelesche, Caldenelburne, etc., worth 19s.10d. There
were twenty-one bond tenants, each of whom held 24 acres and paid 10s. a
year in money and 3s. 3d. in works ; four cottage tenants held 6 acres
apiece and paid 4s. each a year. Sir Ralph, the vicar, farmed 12 acres
of land and paid 17s. ; Adam Batun, 15 acres and paid 6s. 3d. ;
Alexander Gardener, 12 acres and paid 3s. ; Peter Forester, 6 acres and
paid 11d. ; and Robert Carter, 6 acres and paid 2s. £3 6s. 8d. was
received from the mill, and 13s. 4d. from the brewing rent ; 12d. was
received for the ` curtilagium dominicum,' and a wood of 80 acres was
worth 20s. a year. There were also six freeholders, namely, a certain
Stelle, who held 6 acres, John Trenchand 12 acres, Hyppegainyn's wife 5½
acres, Henry de Ewrth 80 acres, Roger at the well (ad fontem) 12 acres,
and the abbot of Alnwick 1½ acres, and they paid free rents amounting in
the aggregate to 17s. 10d.
N
At the Northumberland assizes, in 1269, Henry de
Hewrthe (Ewart) brought an action against Robert de Hilton concerning
common of pasture in Shilbottle,
N and seven years later there was a suit about lands in
Shipenboten, between Robert Hilton and the abbot of Alnwick and brother
Thomas de Kyrkely.
N Before the year 1279 Robert de Hilton obtained from John de
Vesci of Alnwick certain lands in the forest of Swinleys (Shield-dykes)
worth 5 marks a year,
N and the wood of Remelde (Rimside), held of the manor of
Mitford.
N In 1288 he granted certain privileges in Hazon to the prior
and convent of Brinkburn,
N and was alive on the 7th of May, 1289, when he is recorded
as holding Schipilbodille and its members by the service of two knight's
fees and the yearly payment of 26s. 8d.
N
In 1293 Robert de Hilton, on being summoned to appear before
the king's justices to prove his right to free warren, produced a
charter given by Henry III. in 1256,
N which granted to him and his heirs free warren in all his
demesne lands at Shepelingbothe, Renington, and Hilton, so long as these
lands were not within the bounds of the royal forest ;
N his name heads the Subsidy Roll of 1296. |
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SCHIPLINGBOTILL SUBSIDY ROLL, 1296. |
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£. s.
d. |
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s. d. |
| Summa bonorum |
Roberti de Hilton |
7 17 10 |
unde regi |
14 4¼ |
| " |
Willelmi filii Alani |
0 19 2 |
" |
1 9 |
| " |
Willelini Kellocke |
1 1 9 |
" |
1 11 |
| " |
Roberti carpentarii |
1 4 10 |
" |
2 3¼ |
| " |
Alani praepositi |
1 0 0 |
" |
1 10 |
| " |
Stephani praepositi |
1 19 4 |
" |
3 7 |
| " |
Walteri Dey |
1 0 0 |
" |
1 10 |
| " |
Roberti de Gisinis |
1 16 0 |
" |
3 3¼ |
| " |
Thomae de Haukil |
0 14 0 |
" |
1 3¼ |
| " |
Thomae vicarii |
2 8 0 |
" |
4 4½ |
| Summa hujus villae, £21
6s. 10d. Unde domino regi, 38s.
9d. |
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About the year 1309 there was an action concerning
tenements at Shilbottle, brought by Robert de Cady and Alice his
wife, against Robert de Hilton,
N who, in 1314-1315, was still in possession of the
estates.
L
When Alexander de Hilton in 1334 had licence to give an estate in
Broxfield to the abbot and convent of Alnwick, it was stated that he
retained Shilbottle and other lands in his own possession.
L |
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| SHILBOTILL SUBSIDY ROLL, 1336. |
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| Alexander de Hilton, 6s. 8d.
; Johannes de Eworth, 2s. 8d. ; Johannes de Wetslad, 4s. ;
Johannes Yrenman, 1s.; Johannes bercarius', 1s. 3d.; Robertus Hirnynge, 9d. Summa, 16s. 4d. |
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Alexander de Hilton was living on the 21st
of March, 1351/2,
L and was dead before 1368, when Robert de Hilton was in
possession of Shilbottle and its sub-manors.
N
Soon after this time Shilbottle was acquired by Henry Percy, the
first earl of Northumberland, from Robert de Hilton, to whom he gave
in exchange the manors of Bolton Percy, Carnaby, and Wharam Percy in
Yorkshire.
N In the year 1403 the earl surrendered to the king his
castles and estates in Northumberland under circumstances already
related.
On the 27th of June, 1405,
L King Henry IV. granted Shilbottle, with the castle and
barony of Alnwick, and many other estates forfeited by the earl of
Northumberland, to the king's son John, whom he shortly afterwards
created duke of Bedford. His name appears in the list of fortalices
drawn up in 1415 as owner of the tower of Shilbottle.
N In consequence of its not being entailed Shilbottle did
not revert with the main body of the estates to the second earl of
Northumberland on his restoration in 1416. At the death of the duke
of Bedford in 1435,
N it was inherited by his nephew, Henry VI., and it
remained Crown property until the 28th of January, 1461/2, when it
was granted by Edward IV., together with the towns of Rennington,
Guyzance, and Middleton, and a rent of £8 out of the town of Beanly,
to Robert, Lord Ogle.
N By some private arrangement, the details of which are
unknown, Shilbottle was reacquired by the Percies
N before the year 1472, when the grieve of Shilbottle
accounts with the earl of Northumberland's receiver for the issues
of his office for the year ending at Michaelmas.
The particulars of the account rendered by the grieve in 1472
are as follows : `Arrears of last year, 13s. 1d.; rents and ferms,
£21; the ferm of a tenement by Swynlees called Baronhowse, 10s.;
pleas and perquisites of 3 courts, 41s. ; profit of the court held
at Rymessid, 4s.; total, £24 8s. I d. ; out of which sum there was
paid to the king, by the hands of the sheriff, for the ferm of the
manor, 3s. 4d.,' etc. The lord also held certain demesne meadows
called Dowkerhalgh, Waterlees, Tenacres, and Tiallez, which were let
for 27s. a year.
N
In a survey made about 1498, it is stated that the free
tenants in Shilbottle at that time were : Robert Hewgh, who held 8
acres of land by fealty and suit of court every third week, and the
yearly rent of 1s. ; Gilbert Browne, who held three acres of land
and paid nothing ; the churchwardens held a messuage and 2 acres of
land and paid a free rent of 2d. ; the abbot of Alnwick held 2
husbandlands, and the prior of the order of St. John of Jerusalem a
messuage and 4 acres of land in perpetual alms and rendered neither
rent nor services. Of the customary tenants who are described as
tenants at will, sixteen held husbandlands of equal value,
six others had holdings varying in size from 11 acres to 22 acres,
under rents varying from 6s. 11d. to 13s. 10d. ; and there were four
cottage tenants, who paid a rent of 4s. 2d. |
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| SHILBOTTLE CUSTOMARY TENANTS, 1498
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Matthew Clark and Robert Atkynson, Thomas
Watson and Thomas Dodisworth, William Chambre, John Palyser,
William Beksewe, Elizabeth and Agnes Dand, John Swan,
William Palyser, John Crawcester, senior, John Stamp, Thomas
Stamp, Henry Wellysine, John Hugh, Charles Cressop, Thomas
Trollop, Richard Chamber, who held 16 husbandlands and paid
14s. 8d. a year each. Edward Johnson and Robert Emyldon each
held 22 acres in the Westfield and paid 13s. 10d. a year ;
John Harryson and Ralph Dand each held 15 acres in the
Westfield and paid 10s. 4½d. a year ; William Stamp held 11
acres in the Westfield and paid 6s.11d. a year; John Brown
held a tenement called `Baron hows apud Sheldyk,' and paid
10s. a year. Beside their tenements, four of the above-named
tenants held cottages and paid 4s. 2d. a year, and another
held a cottage for which he paid 1s. a year. The sum total
was £16 2s. 8d. |
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| As a specimen of the sixteenth-century method of keeping estate
accounts, the following translation of the `Account of William
Paliser, the grieve of Shilbottle,
N from Michaelmas, 1525, to Michaelmas, 1526,' is given : |
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£. s.
d. |
£. s.
d. |
| Arrears of last year's
accounts |
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5 4 4 |
| Rents and farms as in
previous years, payable at Martinmas and Whitsuntide ...
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21 19 4 |
| New rents: from Charles
Watson for a tower (12d.); Walter Mylne, chaplain (12d.)
; Thomas Awlde, smith (12d.); and Richard Watson (12d.)
for three cottages built by them as in the rental and
assessed, 9 Hen. VIII. by the lord's commissioners |
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0 4 0 |
| Pleas and perquisites of
one court held this year |
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0 18 8 |
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| Sum of receipts with
arrears |
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28 6 4 |
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Of which : |
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| In rent paid to the king
by the sheriff of Northumberland issuing from the
lordship as in previous years |
0 3 4 |
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| In decay of farm of one
cottage by the cemetery style, in the lord's hands by
default of tenant, to no profit, as in previous years |
0 1 0 |
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| In decay of farm of one
tower lately held by Charles Watson above charged at
12d., in the lord's hands by default of tenant |
0 1 0 |
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Paid by the grieve for
repair and maintenance of the hedge and
ditch round the lord's wood, as in previous years
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0 10 0 |
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| Paid for expenses of
clerk of the court, bailiff, and other ministers of the
said court |
0 3 0 |
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| Sum of allowances |
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0 18 4 |
| Owing |
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27 8 0 |
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Of which |
| Delivered to John
Horsley, the receiver, at various times at the account
before the auditors |
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22 3 8 |
| Owing |
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5 4
4 |
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Of which charged: |
| On Umphrey Lysle, knight,
23s., and Nicholas Redlee, sheriff, 23s., for moneys
received by them from Thomas Doddisworthe, bailiff; 22
Hen. VII. of the issues of the lordship and above among
arrears |
2 6 0 |
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| On the executors of
Thomas Doddysworthe, late bailiff, owed by him for
gersuma on taking his tenement, 24 Hen. VII. above among
the arrears |
2 18 4 |
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5 4 4
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| In 1532 the tower at Shilbottle, for which
Charles Watson had formerly paid a rent of 12d. a year was still in
the lord's hands unlet ; the tenants of the vill who had in November
and December sold and carried to Warkworth nineteen waggon loads of
hay for the lord's horses were allowed £2 10s. 8d. in payment for
the same. In the following year the tenants carried twenty-eight
waggon loads of underwood (11s. 8d.), fourteen waggon loads of
turves (9s. 4d.), and thirty-six horse loads of coals from Bilton
pits to Alnwick and Warkworth, at 2d. per load.
N |
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| SCHELBOTELL MUSTER ROLL, 1538.
N |
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| Thomas Clark, Thomas
Swinborne, Robt. Rede, Thomas Gybson, John Pallser, Wyllme
Steyvenson, Charles Dand, Thomas Stampe, John Person, Robt.
Anderson, Thomas Emellton, Vmfray Dobson, Vmfray Stampe,
Crystr. Stampe, Thomas Johnson, Ryd. Sway, Willme Pallfare,
Willme Pallfere (sic), Charles Herryson, Willme
Craster, John Davide,
N John Brouster, John Howse, Robt. Pallfare, able
men wantyng bothe horse and harnes. |
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Under the order of the watches made in 1552 the
night watch was to be kept from Hitchcroft in Shilbottle parish to
Rugley in the parish of Alnwick, by ten men of the inhabitants of
the townships of Shilbottle, Whittle, Sturton Grange, Birling, High
Buston, Low Ruston, Wooden, and Bilton.
N
The manor of Shilbottle, ` formerly parcel of the possessions
of Henry, late earl of Northumberland,' was granted by Edward VI. to
John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, by Letters patent on the 21st
of November, 1552.
N It was, with other estates of the house, restored to the
seventh earl of Northumberland in 1557.
In the survey of the Percy estates made about 1567, which has
been so often quoted in the account of townships dealt with in this
volume, Shilbottle is described in the following words : |
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In the towne of Shilbottell
ys neither any demayne lands nor demayne meadowes, but
all together in cottage and husbandland as herafter
shall appeare any (sic) tennant having his land
lyeing on the feild rigge by rigge to his nighbour
accordyng to the old devysion of lands in this countrye,
the fower tenements in the west end onely excepted, for
they have ther arable land medowe lyeng together with a
certaine parcell of pasture ground enclosed with hedges
within themselves wich is more comodyous to them then yf
yt lay as th'other doith. And yt ys to be noted that
where there ys one tenement in the east end of the
Neither Sheild-dyke parcell of this towne of Shilbottell
as herafter enseweth the same was given by the lord of
Mytfourd to the lord of Shilbottell, and thereby yt was
called the Barrons-house,
N as yt is at this daye, for the lord of
Shilbottell . . * . . all hys cattell that pastured in
Rymside brought to the said tenement for yt was then his
hind's house during the tyme of cattell pasturing in the
said Rymsyde, and now the same ys letten to no tennant
and ys occupyed in tyllage. There ys one paryshe churche there which was of laite
apperteignyng to the late dissolved monastery of Alnewyk
with the parsonage apperteignyng to the same, and is now
in the prync's hande with all things apperteigning to
the said parsonage and vycaridge, and nothinge therof
purchased but letten by lease. We fynde the bounder of Shilbottell to be thus, viz., from
the yate at the south end of the Rugley lonyng to the
paile of Cawledge parke and alonge the same paile to
Bylton borne, and up the same burne to Carter deane
medowe, and as the same burne there goeth to Graindge
borne, and from thence to a cross of stone standyng nye
the sayd burne, and then up the burne to a reade fourde,
and from the saide fourde by certayne marche stones to
ye come to the marche stone nye the Possetts leche, and
then downe the letche to Espett fourde, and from thence
along Whyttell ground and dyke on the east syde of
Whyttell towne to the south-east nooke of Hydge-croft
and downe the same dyke to the bourne, and so upp the
borne to Hampeth fourde, from thence south-west alonge
the waye that goeth to ye Sheildyke there is one
tenement, with certayne arrable grounde and medowe lyeng
there together, parcell of Shilbotell, and from thence
to the dyke of the Swynlee and alonge the same dyke to a
cawsee of stone, and from thence alonge the Black-close
dyke and Rugley east dyke to ye streite yate where we
did begyn. Noat that there was in the said town one towre. The towne of Shilbottell is a very poore towne, although they
have much arable land, medowe ground indifferent, ther
rent considered, and also a very great comon pasture ;
the cause ys the arable land ys a waisted leane lande
for that they are not able to donge yt as the same wold
be. Yt ys a baire clay grounde and will take moche soile
or donge before yt be brought to any good perfeccon or
fertylytye. Ther comon pasture is marvelouse sture (sic) grounde, and over laid and eaten with the
cattell of townes adjoynynge upon ye same. - The said tennants have comon and pasture upon Rymsyde Moore
within these bounders. If this towne were devided and sett in two severall places,
the land equally parted, and also ther comon ground and
suche porcon as shall falle to ether of ye sayde partyes
of the towne so devided as the scyte of them wolde
requyer, and yt upon every man to enclose such arrable
lande and medowe as should fall to ther porcon, the
comon grounde to be enclosed by the said tenants as the
devycon of itselfe wolde then requyer, without doubt yt
wold not only he good for my lord, cause the tennants to
be welthye, but also a marvalous strength to the said
tenants and townes lyeng in the east of that place
toward the sea. If this towne were devyded and enclosed as above, the tenants
comaunded to go to Rymsyde Moore with they cattell,
there contynew from the first day of May unto the last
of June, onles there oxen for servying of there fallow
as servyce of my lord be brought home for that tyme, and
that done, to be had to the said Rimsaye Moore agayne,
in which tyme of ther absence they grounds so enclosed
at home and ther comon pasture wold be comed to the full
grewthe and become as a fence, which wold be a great
comodytye to the tenants. The same tenants digge not only ther comon grounde for turves
and pull hather for ther owne use, but also sell to
others that are not of the same towne, and suffer
strangers to do the same, to then great hindraunce, so
that the hether which shold serve for their necessaryes,
and in wynter whan the storms are, be buyld and foode
for ther cattell, ys yn a manner all waisted ; the
ground also, by reason of castyng so great numbre of
turves, so tyrred and maide baire, that of a greate
parte therof groweth no grasse to feade or pasture any
cattell, so that the tenants, by ther owne folly and
dysorder, empoverishe themselves, contrary ther, old
auncyent orders in court, under greate penalty, but now
nothinge regarded. If yt wer orderyd, and so mayntayned, that the same tenants
had ther turves and hether from Rymesay Moore as well as
they have comon of pasture they and ther cattell, then
shuld ye comon pasture grounde aforesayd be neather so
evill tyrred and, for want of bather, be in dysorder, as
before ys menconed, but rather yf yt be orderly used
according to the meanyng aforesayd yt shall become a
goode pasture grounde, and where now yt ys a barron
heath and a sture pasture w eh my lord may
well graunt to the sayd tennants as well as the said
Tyson, lorde of Shilbottell, had the foresayd comon and
pasture of Rymsyde Moore by the grant of Bartram, then
lorde of Mytforde and lorde of the said moore, even so
hys lordship, now lorde of Mytforde, may graunte to his
sayd tenants of Shilbottell licence to have more leave
and cast turves or to pull hather suffycyent for ther
yerely and necessarye provysyon. The sayd tenants of Shilbottell with their balyfs have yerely
been accustomed, and of right oughte, to ryde the same
bounders of Rymsyde Moore upon St. . .* . . day, and yf
they fynde any cattell goynge and pasturing in the said
grounde of any th' inhabitants ther abouts or others
than the cattell of th' inhabitors of Shilbottell, to
dryve them forth of the same grounde or pinde them in
one stone folde there called at this daye the 'Barron's
folde', now in decaye, which ys yerely to be repared and
maynteyned by the said tenants of Shilbottell under a
good penaltye in courte. And in lykewyse if the sayd
balyf and tenants or any of them in ridinge the bounders
of the said Rymsyde Moore do finde any defalte as slopes
or such lyke decaye in Framlington dyke or yett in the
dyke of New-more-house or at any other tyme that they
ought to be kept up, then the tenants of Framlington in
New-more-house aforesayd which ought to make the same
dyke or upon the presentment of the sayd balyff or
tennants in ye court of Shilbottell to be grevously
amerced, their cattell founde goyng within the same
bounder to be estreaned for the same. In the divysyon of any towne yt is to foresee that those
tenements that are to be taken and removed be sett in ye
most dryest place of the lande alloted unto them so it
be nighe the water and that the cattell may every
morning and evenyng go through and by the sayd water to
and from the pasturage. And yf they may leade ther donge
or soyle to ther arrable lande with a movyng downwarde
yt shall be mooche profitable, and after the scyte of
the tenements be sett forthe with ther gardynge and
stakegarthes then wer yt for dyvers consideracons good
that every tenement accordynge to the quantyte of ther
rent to have sett forthe one crofte to be enclosed and
adjoyninge to the backe fronte or garthes of everye one
of the tenements ; there arrable to lye on thre parts
aboute them, and the pasture grounde upon ye fourthe
parte yf yt be possible, and yt every tennant also might
have all his severall and pasture grounde lyenge by
itself or ells by rygge and rygge as the goodnes and
fartelytye of the land requyreth, for yt ys moche
nedeful that every thinge that shal be to there
comoditye be throughlie consydered before the tenements
be planted and sett. There ys within these feilds of Shilbottell one coole myne
which ys moch profitable for the tenants there and to th'
inhabitants of the townes therabouts ; yt ys wrought by
William Gray of Anwick by vertew of one lease, etc. It were nedefull the tenants of Shilbottell wer suffred to
kepe gots by reason ther pasture, as before ys menconed,
ys a large hethe and moryshe grounde and a very sture
ground, wherfore seyng yey are profitable for ye tenants
so that they wer kept upon ye said large pasture and dyd
not come nyghe my lord's woods, nor distroye the quick
wood dyke of the same towne, yf any were builded (as ys
requisite they were) yt wer not hurt to my lord, and a
great comoditye to the tennants to have gots, if they
orderlye be kept and loked to as above is rehersed. Ther ys one parcell of grounde called Hedge-croft, lyeng upon
the south parte of ye said common pasture nyghe and
adjoyninge to Whyttell dyke and Hampeth burne which ys
envyroned with one old dyke and ys no parte of the same
comon pasture of Shilbottell, for yt was in auncyent
tyme full of wood and was in the hands of the bailyfe of
Shilbottell and kept enclosed from the tenants to such
tyme the woode was waisted, then was it laid open and
ever since laye as in comon pasture. It is farre from
Shilbottell and very nighe the hamlett or towne of
Whittell, so that the tenants there by reason they joine
upon it have the profitt therof more than any my lord's
tenants of Shilbottell. It were therefore good the
premises considered, that the same were letter to rent,
a house theron builded, the dyke repared, yt shuld be
rather a strengthe to the tenants of Shilbottell than
hurtfull. It conteyneth . . xx. . acres of
grounde and wolde be rentyd at fyve shillings per annum,
the tennant to have comon and pasture in Rymside as
other the tennants of Shilbottell have. * Illegible. xx. Blank
|
|
| The free tenants were : Thomas
Swinborne, who held a tenement and lands for which he paid to the
lord a free rent of 12d. a year ; the churchwardens of Shilbottle
held a messuage for which they paid 2d. ; John Brown held a toft and
3 acres of arable land for which he rendered a rose, he also held a
tenement and lands from the king, late parcel of the possessions of
the commendator of St. John of Jerusalem,
N and the tenements and 2 husband-lands late belonging to
Alnwick abbey,
N then apparently in the king's hands ; for none of which
did he pay anything to the lord. There were twenty customary
tenants, each of whom held a messuage ; sixteen are stated to hold
23 acres of land at the yearly rent of 14s. 8d. ; and four, each of
whom paid 14s. 10d. for 18 acres. There were also four cottage
tenants, each of whom held with his cottage 6 acres of land and paid
a rent of 4s. 2d. to the lord ; a fifth tenant held no land and paid
1s. for his cottage. |
| |
|
SURVEY OF SHILBOTTLE (circa)
1567. |
| Tenants at Will. |
Previous Tenants |
Area of
Messuage and Croft |
Land |
Rent |
Fine |
| |
A. R. P. |
Acres |
£ s. d. |
£ s. d. |
| Thomas Clarke |
Matthew Clarke |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
- |
| Edward Horne |
Thomas Horne |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| Thomas Gibson |
Edward Richardson |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| John Emylton |
John Emylton |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| John Lyssheman |
John Watson |
0 3 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| Thomas Stampe, jun |
John Swane |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Charles Dande |
Richard Dande |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Humphrey Dobson |
Humphrey Dobson |
0 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| Robert Anderson |
Edward Johnson |
- |
18 |
0 14 10 |
- |
| Widow Brown |
Widow Dande |
- |
18 |
0 14 10 |
- |
| Thomas Twede |
Thomas Swinborne |
- |
18 |
0 14 10 |
- |
| Robert Johnson |
John Brewster |
- |
18 |
0 14 10 |
- |
| George Stampe |
Thomas Stampe |
0 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Christopher Stamp |
David Stampe |
0 2 0 |
23(?) |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Edward Johnson |
Thomas Johnson |
0 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| Thomas Hewghe |
John Swane |
0 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| John Palaser |
William Palaser |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| The widow of John Stampe |
William Palaser |
1 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Charles Ersden |
Robert Ersden |
1 2 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 4 0 |
| Oswald Chamber |
Walter Mylne |
1 0 0 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
2 18 8 |
| |
|
| |
|
SHILBOTTLE 1585 |
| Tenants at Will, each
holding a Messuage and one Husbandland |
Previous Tenants |
Crofts etc. |
Husband-lands |
Rent |
Fine Paid 1584/5 |
| |
Acres |
Acres |
£ s. d. |
£ s. d. |
| John Wardale
N |
Thomas Clark |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Edward Home |
Thos. Horne, his father |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| George Gibson |
Thos, Gibson, his father |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Embleton |
John Embleton, his.father |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Christopher Lishman |
John Lyshman |
¾ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Thos. Stampe, jun |
Thomas Stampe, his father |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Hugh Palliser |
Chas. Dande
N |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Dobsonne |
Humphrey Dobsonne, his father |
½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Lishman |
Robt. Anderson |
- |
18 |
0 13 10 |
3 15 0 |
| John Browne |
His mother |
- |
18 |
0 13 10 |
3 10 0 |
| William Twedye |
Thomas Twedye, his father |
- |
18 |
0 13 10 |
3 10 0 |
| John Brewster |
John Brewster, his father |
- |
23 |
0 13 10 |
3 10 0 |
| Charles Stampe |
Geo. Stamp, his father |
½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Nicholas Stamp |
Chris. Stamp, his father |
½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Johnson |
Edw. Johnson, his father |
½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Humphrey Browne |
Thomas Hewghe |
½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Harbottle |
John Pallyser |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Thomas Stampe |
John Stampe, his father |
1½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| John Ersden |
Chas. Ersden, his father |
1½ |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| Oswald Chamber |
Walter Milne |
1 |
23 |
0 14 8 |
3 10 0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Janet Embleton held a
cottage without land |
- |
- |
0 1 0 |
` Nil, quia
pauper.' |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Hugh Palliser,
N John Lishman, William Hall, and George Brown
each held a cottage and croft and about 6 acres of land,
and paid 4s. 2d. a year |
- |
- |
0 16 8 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Summa of the tenaunts at
will |
|
|
£15 7 8 |
|
| |
| |
|
| |
The lists of tenants, both free and customary,
presented in the survey made about 1585, correspond very closely
with those made nearly twenty years before.
The freeholders were Thomas Swinborne, who held a tenement
with a garden or croft of 1 rood and 7 acres of land, formerly
belonging to Robert Hewghe, for which he paid a free rent of 1s. and
did suit of court ; the churchwardens held a messuage, for which
they paid a free rent of 2d. ; the queen held a tenement and 4
acres, formerly belonging to the commendator of the order of St.
John of Jerusalem ; John Browne held a toft and 3 acres of land,
formerly belonging to Gilbert Browne, for which he rendered a rose
on St. John Baptist's day ; Hugh Gallon held a tenement with a
garden or croft of 2 acres and 2 husbandlands, formerly belonging to
the monastery of St. Mary of Alnwick ; and Thomas Personne held a
tenement with a garden or croft of 2 acres and 1 husbandland which
also had belonged to Alnwick monastery.
At the muster taken on the Moot-law on the 26th of March,
1580, Shilbottle presented twenty men, of whom nineteen were not
properly furnished, and excused themselves by saying that they could
`not keep horse and geire, their ground is so bare and small.'
N In 1587 six men from East Teviotdale, tenants of
Cessford, in a raid upon Shilbottle in daylight on the 11th of June,
stole eight horses.
N On the 12th of March, 1589/90, at the Warden court held
at Staweford, William Gray of Alnwick filed a bill of complaint upon
Jock Heslop of 'Mowe ' and Jock Douglas of 'Capupp' for four
stots and queys stolen from Shilbottle wood on the 13th of February,
1587.
N Three years later, the earl of Northumberland, on behalf
of his tenants, prosecuted a claim for £86, the value of 32 oxen and
kine, 19 horses and mares, 16 sheep, besides ` insight goods '
stolen by the Scots from John Leashman, George Gibson, Thomas Davye,
John Brown, Christopher Leashman, John Earsdon, Charles Stampe,
Thomas Stampe, and Nicholas Stampe.
N At the muster taken on Aberwick-edge on the 24th of
November, 1595, Shilbottle provided eleven footmen: |
| |
| SHILBOTTLE MUSTER ROLL, 1595.
N |
| |
| Jo. Wardell, Edm. Horne,
Christofer Leachman, Jo. Cirspe, Charles Stampe, Tho. Stampe,
all with spears and furnished ; Jo. Gibson, Tho. Lysle, Jo.
Johnson, with petronells and furnished ; Jo. Embleton and
William Moydy, unfurnished. |
| |
|
| |
| About the year 1616 a survey of the Percy estates was
made, which contains more details than any of those which preceded
it. The freehold lands were then held by Ellen Gallant, who
possessed 104 acres ; John Harte, 14
acres ; Christopher Browne, 4 acres ; Thomas Huntley, the lands
formerly belonging to the order of St. John of Jerusalem, 7 acres ;
and William Humble held 5 acres ` belonging to the church for
repairing of it.' |
| |
|
SURVEY OF SHILBOTTLE, 1616. |
| Tenants at
Will. |
Number of Farms |
Area of
Messuage Garth, etc |
Meadow and Pasture |
Arable |
Total
N |
| |
|
A. R. P. |
A. R. P. |
A. R. P. |
A. R. P. |
| Arthur Strother |
2 |
1 2 19½ |
24 1 12 |
87 0 10 |
113 0 2 |
| John Johnson |
1 |
0 2 28 |
12 3 1 |
42 3 11 |
56 1 1 |
| Richard Garrett
N |
1 |
0 3 20 |
11 2 38 |
47 1 16 |
60 0 15 |
| John Garrett |
1 |
0 2 27 |
12 2 37 |
44 3 39 |
58 1 24 |
| Thomas Stampe |
1 |
2 0 8 |
13 0 22 |
44 3 22 |
60 0 13 |
| Thomas Stampe, jun. |
1 |
0 1 28 |
13 0 2 |
44 3 15 |
58 1 6 |
| Oswald Chambers |
1 |
0 2 8 |
12 2 34 |
44 1 0 |
57 2 2 |
| John Emeeton |
1 |
0 3 30 |
12 0 27 |
43 0 28 |
56 1 5 |
| Nicholas Horne |
1 |
0 2 28 |
12 1 27 |
41 0 12 |
54 2 27 |
| Robert Huntlye |
1 |
0 2 31 |
12 3 30 |
44 3 6 |
58 1 28 |
| Thomas Emleton |
1 |
1 0 26 |
12 3 9 |
42 2 36 |
56 2 34 |
| Christopher Lishman |
1 |
0 1 2 |
12 0 27 |
44 2 19 |
57 0 9 |
| John Stamp |
1 |
0 3 35 |
12 2 38 |
44 3 15 |
58 2 7 |
| William Turner |
1 |
0 2 32 |
11 2 25 |
46 3 17 |
59 0 34 |
| Nicholas Stampe |
1 |
0 2 32 |
12 2 1 |
44 0 23 |
57 1 16 |
| John Lishman |
N |
1 |
0 1 11 |
8 2 15 |
35 1 28 |
44 1 16 |
| Thomas Garrett |
1 |
0 1 0 |
7 3 38 |
36 0 19 |
44 1 17 |
| Thomas Lisley |
1 |
0 1 17 |
7 2 37 |
37 1 37 |
45 2 12 |
| William Twedye |
1 |
0 1 6 |
7 3 19 |
37 0 11 |
45 0 36 |
| |
|
There were four cottage
farms held by Hugh Palliser, John Lishman, Richard Dand,
and John Tomlyn, which together comprised a total
acreage of 54 acres. |
|
| |
|
In 1635 the rents obtained by the earl of
Northumberland comprised free rent, 5s. ; rent of demesnes, £I9 3s.
4d. ; rent of tenements and cottages, £43 14s. 4d. ; total, £63 2s.
8d., but beside these annual rents large sums were paid for fines.
In 1663 the Wood-house, the colliery, and part of the land, belonged
to the earl of Northumberland, part of the town to Selby and Falder,
and the great tithes partly to Mr. Selby and partly to Colonel
Brandling.
The greater part of pasture lands of the township remained
open and unenclosed until the middle of last century, when by
articles of agreement dated the 12th of
August, 1758, Gabriel Readhead of the Lee, Samuel Marriot of
Morpeth, and William Smart of Budle were appointed to be
commissioners for the purpose of making the division. The moor was
found to contain an area of 1,509 acres, and by their award dated
the 31st of March,
1759, the commissioners gave to the earl and countess of
Northumberland as compensation for their manorial rights, and also
in respect of their lands which had commonable rights, 956 acres ;
to Richard Clutterbuck for his lands at Whittle, 236 acres ; to
George Selby for his lands at Shilbottle, 89¼ acres ; to the vicar
of Shilbottle, 18 acres ; and to Joseph Garrett, George Hunter, and
Thomas Palliser in respect of their freehold cottages and lands,
there were given allotments of 18 acres, 17 acres, and 7½ acres
respectively.
N
The lands and certain of the tithes which had belonged to Alnwick
abbey were sold by Morrice and Phillipps, the Crown grantees, and on
the 10th of June, 1610, were conveyed to John Crispe, John White,
and Richard Crispe, who resold them in the year 1627 to William
Selby of Beal and Eleanor, his wife. In 1684 Daniel Selby, son and
successor of the above-named William Selby, was a party to the
division of Shilbottle Middle-field ; he was residing at Shilbottle
on the 28th of April, 1694, when with Eleanor, his wife, he released
his lands in Holy Island and at Shilbottle to William Selby of Beal.
At the death of the latter, in 1709, he was succeeded by his son,
Prideaux Selby, then residing at Brinkburn, who by his will, dated
the 4th of May, 1744, seems to have settled his lands at Shilbottle
upon his younger son, George Selby of Hunting-hall, near Lowick, who
in 1759 was a party to the division of Shilbottle common. George
Selby was succeeded by his third son, also named George Selby, of
Alnwick, a captain in the Royal Navy, who died on the 23rd of June,
1867 ; this estate, which comprises 198 acres, still belongs to
N Captain Selby's nephew, Dr. Church.
N
At the present time, besides the land belonging to Dr.
Church, the churchwardens possess 11 acres, certain small
freeholders
N 22 acres, and there are 17 acres of glebe. The duke of
Northumberland is the proprietor of the remainder of the township.
N
In the survey made about 1585 it is stated that within the
manor of Shilbottle there is `a good and riche myne of coles verye
profitable to the countrey thereabouts, the same was occupied by
William Gray of Alnewicke for the rent of £4 14s. and after laid
downe, and lately demysed during the lord's pleasure to William
Bednell and other the burgesses of Alnewicke for the rent of £4 by
yere.'
N Seventeen years later, the coal mine was held under
lease by Griffin Butler and William Harte, clerk, at the rent of
£15.
N During the eighteenth century the coal mines were held
under successive leases by the family of Archbold of Cawledge park
and Alnwick.
N In 1734 it was stated there are `several coal pits that
are at present in use, and produce abundance of very good coals that
serve most of the neighbouring villages.'
N In a colliery plan bearing the date 14th April, 1764, in
the possession of the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries, there is
shown a wind mill, which was evidently used to work the pump
N to draw water from the mines. |
| |
| |
|
TOWNSHIP OF SHILBOTTLE WOOD-HOUSE. |
| |
|
 |
| |
The existence of Shilbottle Wood-house as an
independent township is of modern origin, for when Shilbottle Moor
or common was divided in 1759 `an allotment was set off for
Wood-house as being then part of the township of Shilbottle, and
indeed it appears clear that Wood-house is not distinct from
Shilbottle, but part of it, and it was always included in the
constabulary of Shilbottle, and never had a constable of its own
until lately, when a constable was got appointed there on account
(as is believed) for the farmer of it—who was made constable—to be
exempt from the militia.'
N It comprises 567 acres, and in 1891 had a population of
31
N
The handle end of an iron sword found in Shilbottle wood is
preserved in the museum at Alnwick castle ; the handle, made of
bone, is encircled by longitudinal rods of iron 5 inches in length ;
the imperfect blade is now 7½ inches long, and very much decayed.
N
The place represents the lord's demesne lands, and in the
sixteenth century was called Shilbottle park. The earliest notice
that has been found occurs in the earl of Northumberland's Bailiffs'
Accounts for 1472, when the grieve of Shilbottle accounted for the
rents of certain demesne meadows called Dowkerhalgh, Waterlees,
Tenacres, and Tiallez,
N which were let for 27s. a year.
N In 1486 an allowance of 10s. was made for charges
incurred in the enclosing and maintaining of hedges and ditches
round Shilbottle wood, and Thomas Doddesworth, the bailiff and
forester of the lordship, was charged 10s. for rent of a thicket (virgulti)
within the great wood eaten by his horses and cattle. In the same
year 12d. was received for the bark and 2s. for the branches of
trees cut down for the works at Warkworth castle ; in the following
year 12d. was received for branches. Thomas Doddesworth, who held
the office of bailiff and forester by the earl's Letters patent for
the term of his life, in 1488 was paid £3 0s. 8d. for his fee. In
1562 there was a rebate of rent on account of a parcel of meadow in
Shilbottell called Langhaugh, held by John Stamp at 16s. a year,
because it had been occupied by the lord's officers, together with
the hay growing there to the lord's use. The
sum of 25s. 10d. was paid in wages to men hired to cut down
trees in Shilbottle wood, for carrying them to Alnwick castle, and
building a hedge there with the said trees. John Stamp, the keeper
of the wood, was paid £3 0s. 8d. for his wages, at the rate of 2d. a
day.
N The following description is taken from a survey
of the manor of Shilbottle made about the year 1585 : |
| |
There is within the said manner
two large parcelles of ground inclosed, very well
replenyshed with great tymber and other wodes, the one
called the south wode, the other the north woode, and
are now much wasted and consumed by reason of the
contynually taking and delyverynge of tymber to his
lordship's tenauntes for reparaciones and other wages.
The said woodes have beene used since the said manner
came to his lordship's auncestors' handes as purlewes to
the parkes of Callerche, Warkeworth, and Acklington ;
the herbage whereof are now demysed to one Thomas Stampe,
together with other parcelles of the demaynes by
indenture for terme of yeres yet induringe.
The balye or keper of the same wodes, for his better Bayne
and profitt, hath bene heretofore accustomed to receyve
of the tenauntes of Bylton, Woulden, Buston, and
Shilbottell, of everie of them, one threave of wheat or
rye in the tyme of harvest for lycence to take wodde for
raunges, watling, and other necessaries, calling the
same forster corne, and now clayming the same as parcell
of the profittes of his office, to the great distruction
of the said woodes if the same be suffered.
N |
|
| |
The premises so leased to Thomas Stamp comprised
a well-built capital messuage, with a garden and croft, certain
closes called the Holte, Forsterlaunde, Langhaughe, the Southe-wood,
the Langhaughe-pece, the Over-seavenacre, the Under-wod-pece,
Tyle-leae, the Style-hill, the Salter-meadow, Cannon-meadowe, Wanda-leaz,
Carterdeane-meadow, containing 141 acres in all, the herbage of the
North-wood of 130 acres and of the South-wood of 200 acres ; the
rent of the whole was £5 i6s. 8d. a year.
N In 1587 not less than 84 oaks were cut out of Shilbottle
wood ; one tree was given to the township of Rennington to make ` a
payr of stockes,' some were used in the repair of Warkworth and
Longhoughton mills, and others Were sold.
N
In 1607 Shilbottle park, with `the harbage of twoe great woodes
their called the Northe woode and the Southe woode,' were held by
Thomas Stamp under a twenty-one years' lease granted on the 17th of
February, 1585/6.
N In the following year Robert Stamp paid a fine of £15 on
being admitted to a new twenty-one years' lease at the same rent of
£5 16s. 8d.
N
In an old account of the boundaries and contents of Shilbottle,
drawn up in 1608, it is stated that: |
| |
| Shilbotle wood, in the occupation
of Thomas Stampe, is environed with Shilbotle, Bilton,
Upper Buston, Nether Buston, and Sturton Grainge,
havinge Shilbotle fieldes on the west and the north,
Bilton and the 2 Bustons onne th' easte, and Sturtonne
Grainge onne the southe, contaninge 348 acres, viz., 60
acres in earhable, 40 acres in medoe, and 84 acres in
pasture, with 164 acres of wood, underwodes shrubes and
bushes, all barren, unfruictfull, sowre and watrye, so
that it is unpossihie to keep any sheepe upon the same.
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| Four years later Stamp was superseded in his office by Arthur
Strother of Shilbottle, who met with so hostile a reception from his
neighbours that he addressed the following petition to the earl of
Northumberland : |
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| The humble peticion of Arthure Strother
of Shilbotle, within the county of Northumberland, your
honour's servant, shewinge : That your lordship, in May
last past, by your lordship's warrant, did depute and
appoint your supliant and said servant woodward and
keeper of all your lordshipp's woods of Shilbotle
aforesaid during your good lordshipp's pleasure ; and
that by vertue therof your supliant enterred therto. And
your supliant forther sheweth that one Thomas Stampe of
Shilbotle, Danyell Galland, layt of the same, deceased,
have, sythenc your lordshipp's said warrant graunted,
not onely denyed, as all other the inhabitants of the
same place doe deny, to pay unto your supliant his fees
accustomed to he paid for the said office, but also have
greatlie spoyled and waisted your supliant's said woods,
and encouraged dyvers others to doe the like. And your
supliant also forther sheweth that he, accordinge to the
trust in him reposed by your good lordship, did, about
eight weeks since, make a stopp of certaine grene woods
which Thomas Embleton and Robert Huntley were leadinge
away forth of your lordship's said woods, for revenge
wherof they have procured John Huntley, servant to the
said Robert, Robert Browne, servant unto the said
Galland, and John Johnson to ly in awayt for your said
supliant, and to murder him, and they accordingly have
sore hurte and wounded your supliant. Wherfore your
supliant humblie preyeth your good lordship that your
good lordship will take such present order for your
supliant hearin as his fees may be paid unto him and
such other course taken for your supliant's quiet
enjoying the said office, and his wronges done as your
lordship shall thinke meet, and your supliant shall,
according to his bounden duty, daylie prey for your good
lordship in health long to contynewe.
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| What was decided about the keepership does not
appear, but in 1628, in consideration of the payment of a fine of
£18, a lease of Shilbottle park, etc., was granted to Martin Stamp
to hold for twenty-one years at the same rent as before.
N At its expiration there was a change of tenancy, for on
the 27th of March, 1649, in consideration of a fine of £100, a lease
was granted to Joseph Forster, who seems to have been a member of
the Low Buston family, and himself became ancestor of the family of
Forster of High Buston and Newton-by-the-sea. Forster, on the 28th
of April, 1648, wrote from Gloster-hill to Hugh Potter : |
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| My service presented unto you, wishing
you health and happines. I was forsed to neglect the
performance of my promis that I made unto you by reasone
of the extreamitie of a plurisie which I tooke one
Tuesdaye last with so much violence that if God, by his
providence, had not given me ease by the ordinarye means
he bath appointed, it had beene imposable for me to have
subsisted till this time. But now I blesse his name for
it, I have recovered so much strength as to take the
paines to give your worship satisfaction, the which I
expected my brother should have done, but I am informed
by him that your demands were so hie as not posable to
be dealt with all, but he lets me understand that it is
your desire that if I cane not come I should write my
minde unto you in it, which I have here done according
to your desire, though with
a great deele of paine. He acquaints me that your demand
is £180 fine, which I am sure is more than ever any mane
cane make of it ; yet thus much I will ingage my selfe,
to paye £100 fine and what was promised yourselfe beside
shall also be made good at the receiveing of the lease.
Only I hope you will be pleased to abate some what of
the rente for the child, and to let me have a little
timber for to buld a house with. And this I will ingage
my selfe to doe, that if this will serve if the widdow
will take one man I will take an other, and I will stand
to theire order, if she cane satisfie me for my
disbursments in any convenient time, she shall have the
lease, or else if she will disburse halfe she shall have
halfe ; if not, I will do the like to the child as soone
as he is capable to manage it. God forbid that I should
betraye the trust imposed upon me. This is more, I vow,
then any frinde doth advise me unto, and more than ever
I would have done for it, but I would be loath to se the
child left to the mercye of the world, of whom I make no
doubt but your worship will take pittie and
commiseration. This is all I cane saye at presente, etc.
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| Forster's descendants, under successive leases,
N continued to hold the place until about the year 1775,
but for many years they had been permitted to sublet to other
tenants. It continues to be the property of the duke of
Northumberland, and is comprised in one farm.
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