CHAP. I. Some Account of the Roman Walls in the Country of the OTTADINI; particularly the Walls of HADRIAN and SEVERUS, which went through this TOWN. The moſt ancient Name of this TOWN.

IT was about an hundred Years after the Landing of Julius Caeſar in this Iſland, when the Brigantes, a popu⯑lous and warlike Nation of the Britains, whoſe Coun⯑try extended from the North of Humber to the River Tyne, containing the preſent Counties of Yorkſhire, Dur⯑ham, Lancaſhire, Weſtmoreland, and Cumberland, were firſt aſſaulted by the Romans. The Britains behaved themſelves in the War with great Courage and Reſo⯑lution, 'till at laſt, in the Reign of Veſpaſian, the great⯑eſt Part of them were conquered. After this in the Reign of Titus, Julius A⯑gricola, the Lieutenant of Britain, who was at leaſt equally Famous for his Conqueſts over the Cuſtoms and Manners of the Britains, as for his many Victories over them in Battle, did in the third Year of his Lieutenancy make a Diſcovery of other Parts of this Iſland, which were not brought under the Roman Yoke. Upon which he marched Northward into the Country of the Ottadini, which extends from the North of Tyne to the River Taus, wa⯑ſting and deſtroying all before him, 'till he came to the Tay it ſelf. And now according to ſome was the firſt Wall made in Britain: But it was not pro⯑perly [2] a Wall, it was only a Line of Garriſons placed upon that Slip of Land between Edinburgh-Frith and Dun-Britain-Frith, for the Security of what they had already gain'd; and if the Valour of Agricola's Army, and the Renown of the Roman Name could have ſuffer'd it, there was no Need of a further Search after the Bounds and Limits of Britain. The Friths above-mentioned, called then Glota and Bodotria, might have been very ſufficient, being the Arms of two oppoſite Seas, and only ſeparated by a ſmall Space of Land, which was well fortified with the Roman Garriſons; ſo that the Romans were Lords of the whole South, and had caſt the Enemy as it were into another Iſland Tacit. in vit. Agricol.. But what could ever bound the Roman Glory, and limit their ne⯑ver ſatisfied Ambition? It was not enough that they had intirely ſecured them⯑ſelves for any Attempts of the Caledonians, but They alſo were to be ſubdued. This was effected in the 8th Year of Agricola's Lieutenancy in the reign of Domitian.

HOWEVER after this, Cambd. that further Part of the Iſland was left to the The inha⯑bitants went naked, had no Houſes to live in, nei⯑ther did they Till the Ground. As one writeth, de praeda & venatione, Frondibuſ (que) Arborum vi⯑vant, degent in Tentoriis Nudi & ſine calceis. Grey ex Xiphilin'. Barbarians, as neither Pleaſant nor Fruitful; but this nether Part was fairly reduc'd to a Roman Province; which was not governed by Conſular, or Pro⯑conſular Deputies; but was counted Praeſidial, and appropriate to the Cae⯑ſars, as being a Province annex'd to the Empire, after the Diviſion of Pro⯑vinces made by Auguſtus, and having Propraetors of its own.

HADRIAN, who was made Emperor about the Year of our Lord 117, made the ſecond Wall. Cambd. He drew a Wall, ſays Spartian, of eighty Miles in Length, to divide the Barbarians from the Romans; which one may gather, from what follows in Spartian, to have been in the Faſhion of a Mural Hedge of large Stakes, fix'd deep in the Ground, and faſtned together with Wattles. The ſame Authority from the Scotch Hiſtorian who wrote the Rota Temporum, tells us, that Hadrian did firſt of all draw a Wall of a prodigious Bigneſs, made of Turf (of that Height that it look'd like a Mountain, and with a deep Ditch before it) From the Mouth of the Tyne to the River Eske, i. e. from the German to the Iriſh Ocean. This is ſuppoſed to have been done about the Year 123.

THE Cambd. Third Wall was built by Lollius Urbicus, Lieutenant of Britain, un⯑der Antoninus Pius, about the Year 144, who by his great Succeſs removed back the Bounds to where Julius Agricola had ſet them, and raiſed a Wall there.

THE Cambd. Fourth Wall was that of This Empe⯑ror died at York about the Year 211, Feb. 4th. Severus, which was built about the Year of Chriſt 210, which extended from Sea to Sea, quite croſs the Iſland. This was a Wall of Stone, built much about the ſame Place where the Wall of Hadrian was. It had it's Beginning at Bulneſs on the Iriſh Sea, and croſſing the Iſland, went as far as Walls-End, a Village about 3 Miles Eaſt of Newcaſtle.

A Cambd. Fifth Wall was built between the two Arms or Boſoms of the Seas for many Miles together, that where the Waters did not defend them, the Wall might be a Security againſt the Incurſions of the Enemy. This Wall was made by Carauſius, Governour of Britain, in the Reign of Diocleſian, and ſtood in the ſame Place where Lollius Urbicus had built his.

THIS being finiſhed, the Romans left the Britains to their own Valour and Conduct, being called away for the Defence of Gaul; But no ſooner were they gone, than their Enemies returned, and ſlew all before them: Up⯑on this they ſent Ambaſſadors to Rome to ſollicite the Aſſiſtance of the Ro⯑mans, which was granted them. For Valentinian ſent three Companies under the Conduct of Gallio of Ravenua, who routed the Enemy and relieved the Province. After this Cambd. p. 86. ex Gild'. they made a Wall of Stone (not raiſed at the pub⯑lick and private Coſts, as the other was) with the Help of the poor Natives, built after the uſual Manner, quite croſs the Country from one Sea to ano⯑ther, by thoſe Cities which were perhaps built there for fear of the Enemy: They exhorted them to be couragious, and left them Patterns to make their Weapons by. Upon the Southren Shore of Britain alſo, where their Ships [3] lay, (becauſe the barbarous Enemy might enter there) they built Turrets at ſome Diſtance from one another, that lookt a long Way to the Sea. And ſo the Romans intending never to return more, about the Four Hundred Seventy Sixth Year from the coming of Julius Caeſar, took their laſt Farewell.

THIS laſt Wall, according to Bede, was eight Foot broad and twelve Foot high, and ſtood in the Place where the Walls of Hadrian and Severus had ſtood. Cambd. It had great Number of Towers or little Caſtles, a Mile one from another, called now Caſtleſteeds; and on the Inſide a Sort of fortified little Towns call'd Cheſters. The Inhabitants tell you there was alſo a Brazen Trum⯑pet or Pipe, (whereof they now and then find Pieces) ſo artificially laid in the Wall between each Caſtle and Tower, that upon the Apprehenſion of Dan⯑ger at any ſingle Place, by the ſounding of it, Notice might be given to the next, then to the Third, and ſo on.

THESE are all the Walls of the Romans; and that three of them went through this Town is ſomething more than probable. For Severus's Wall was in the Place of Hadrian's, and the laſt Wall mentioned, in the Place of Severus's, and that laſt Wall went through this Town. Mr. Camden is ſo ſure of this, that he declares, 'Tis moſt certain that the Rampier, and afterward the Wall paſſed through this Town; and that at Pandon-Gate there ſtill remains, as 'tis Thought, one of the little Turrets of that very Wall. There is indeed to this very Day a Part of that Turret in being, above Pandon-Gate, which, as the ſame Authority juſtly obſerved, is different from the Reſt both in Faſhon and Maſonry, and undoubtedly carrys along with it a very great Age.

NEAR this Turret is the Wall-Knoll, a very ancient Place, which our Hi⯑ſtorian Grey ſays poſitively, Was a Part of the Picts-Wall; and indeed the very Name of it ſpeaks as much. For the Word Wall upon the Knoll, which ſignifies an Hill or Eminence, cannot be underſtood of any other than the Ro⯑man-Wall; Becauſe it had this Name from very ancient Times, long before the Building of the Town-Wall, to which it almoſt adjoins.

A little above this Place is a Tower, commonly call'd the Vide Wall-knoll Tower. Carpenters-Tower. This was one of the Roman-Towers, as was very Viſible, before the taking down of the Upper-part of it. Lib. de rebus Novo⯑caſt'. For it was of the ſame Size, Model, and Stone with the Tower of This Village is now in the Poſſeſſion of John Ro⯑gers, Eſq of Newcaſtle, who has tur⯑ned the inner Part of the Tower into Modern Rooms, but left the Walls of it ſtill intire. Rutcheſter in Northumberland, which was undoub⯑tedly one of the Roman Towers, by the Picts-Wall.

IT muſt alſo not be omitted, that there is an ancient Tradition among the Inhabitants of this Town, that the Roman-Wall went through the Weſt-Gate, and the Vicar's Garden, along that Ground where St. Nicholas-Church now ſtands, along Nether-Dean-Bridge, by the Wall-Knoll, Sally-Port, and ſo on to Walls-End.

NOW to theſe Reaſons and Authorities let us add what Hollinſ. De⯑ſcrip. of Brit. p. 128. Hollinſhead ſays, where he gives an Account of the Courſe of the Roman-Wall. It begins he ſays at Bolneſs upon Burgh, and ſo he brings it from Place to Place, 'till he brings it to Rutcheſter, then to Heddon, then to Wallbottle, then to A ſmall Vil⯑lage about 3 Miles Weſt from Newca⯑ſtle, belonging to John Ro⯑gers, Eſq Denton, and to Newcaſtle, where it is thought St. Nicholas Church ſtandeth on the ſame.

TO this I ſhall add the Authority of a Manuſcript, I am obliged to a very worthy John-Mil⯑bank, Eſq Gentleman for; Hadrian built a Wall of Turff or Sods, from the Sea-Side beyond Carliſle unto Tinmouth. It was demoliſhed after he was gone, and after him Severus built near the ſame a Wall of Stone, and made Towers and Watching Places at every Miles End, and a Paſſage all along by the Help of an Horn, or ſuch an Inſtrument, that they might ſpeak through the Wall, and tell where the Enemy was. This ended at the River of Tyne near Walls-End. This Authority goes on, I my ſelf have ſeen it at Thirlwall, and it cometh by Portgate, near Stanchebank, by Halton, near the Long-Lane, where both the Walls are Apparent; as alſo at Denton, over Bonwell-Hill, down to [4] the Weſtgate. And he alſo adds, you may ſee it down the Hill by Mr. This Houſe was in Pil⯑grim-ſtreet on the Weſt-ſide, a little before you come to Sil⯑ver-ſtreet. Leonard Carr's Houſe, and over Walker-Moor to It has been a Vulgar Er⯑ror in many, who from the Name Wallſ⯑end, have i⯑magined that the Wall did actually end at that Vil⯑lage; but it could never have been ſo, becauſe that Place is half a Mile from the River Side. It is therefore not preſuma⯑ble that the Romans would have begun or end⯑ed the Wall but at the Side of the ſaid River, ſeeing all to the Eaſt⯑ward of this Place, the Ri⯑ver was the Continuation of the Prae⯑tentura or Fence, from hindring the northerly In⯑curſions. The firſt Track is half a Mile South from Wallſend, near Cou⯑ſins's Houſe, beginning a little to the Eaſt of it, at the Side of the River Tyne; and here certainly the 1ſt Station of Segedunum was originally placed. For 162 Paces a ſaint Track of the Wall appears running North twelve Degrees and a half Weſterly; then forms an Angle, Pointing ſouth weſterly for 135 Paces to the above⯑mention'd Manſion of Couſins's Houſe. About 131 Paces Weſt of this, the Foſſa begins to appear pretty diſtinct, meaſuring about 20 Foot in Breadth, and a little beyond it, is the Foundation of the Stone Wall, from hence it paſſes by a few Houſes called the Bee-Houſes, next through a ſmall Village called Walker: Here the Foſta is 40 Foot broad, beyond which the Foundation of the Stone-Wall appears plain, then it aſcends the Byker-Hill, run⯑ing betwixt the Village of Byker and the Windmill, thence going down the Hill, paſſes through the Euesburn, croſſing the Rivulet there; then I found it aſcend the high Ground to the Weſtward of it, paſſing by the Manſion Houſe and through the Garden to the Red-Barnes; from thence it is viſible through the Fields, going Streight to the Sally-Port Gate of Newcaſtle. Gordon. Itiner. Septent. p. 70. — This Place where the End of the Wall is, belongs to Mr. Henry Waters of Newcaſtle. Walls-End.

THUS I think it very clear that theſe Roman-Walls went through this Town. Let us now ſee what this Town was in theſe ancient Times. p. 779 Mr. Cambden gives his Opinion thus: Gateſide is commonly believed to be of grea⯑ter Antiquity than Newcaſtle it ſelf. And if I ſhould ſay further, that this and Newcaſtle (for they ſeem formerly to have been only one Town parted by the River) were that Frontier-Garriſon, which in the Times of the later Emperors was called Gabroſentum, and defended by the ſecond Cohort of the Thraces; and that it retained it's old Name in a due Senſe and Signification, notwithſtanding this Newcaſtle has changed it's Name once or twice, I hope it will be no ways inconſiſtent with Truth. For Gaffr is uſed by the Britains for a Goat, and Hen, in Compoſition for Pen, which ſignifies an Head: And in this very Senſe and Meaning it is plainly called Caprae Caput, or Goats-Head by our old Latin Hiſtorians.

THUS far this learned Antiquary. But notwithſtanding this his Judgment, and that no tollerable Reaſon can be brought againſt the two Places having been but one; yet ſome will ſtill have it, that Gateſide, excluſive of Newcaſtle, is the ancient Gabroſentum, becauſe of it's Name. For my Part I cannot help being of Mr. Cambden's Opinion, and for this, among other Reaſons; that if the Name of Caprae Caput diſcovers the Gabroſentum, then it is more probable that the principal Part of it lay on the North-ſide of the River than on the South: Becauſe Gabroſentum was one of theſe Frontier Garriſons, which lay ad Lineam Valli, within the very Range of the Wall. For all theſe Garriſons ad Lineam Valli, were placed on the ſame Side of the River with the Wall it ſelf, conſequently Gateſide could but at moſt have been a Part of Gabroſentum, and the meaneſt Part of it too; a Sort of Suburbs to it, as it actually was to this Town of Newcaſtle, in the Reign of Edward the Sixth, as ſhall be ſhown hereafter.

BUT if this is not allowed, (and yet it muſt be allowed, if Gateſide has it's Name from the Gabroſentum) yet moſt certainly it was a Vide Chap. of the upper Parts of the Town. garriſon'd Fort in theſe very Times. For ſtill there is the Remains of a Roman Turret, and the under Part of one of the Roman Towers to be ſeen, and the Name of Pandon is no ſmall Corroboration of the Truth of it, as may be ſeen in our Account of that Place.

THUS I think whatever is boaſted of the Antiquity of Gateſide, it plainly appears, that if Caprae Caput, or Gateſide Points out the ancient Gabroſentum, Newcaſtle muſt be her elder Siſter; foraſmuch as a Town muſt be earlier than it's Suburbs. And if it does not Newcaſtle is by Mr. Cambden called the old Gabrocentum where the 2d Cohort of the Thracians lay; but according to the Courſe of the Forts in the Notitia Imperii, Gabrocentum is the ſeventeenth Station on the Wall; if therefore we follow the Noticia ſtrictly, Newcaſtle would rather ſeem to be the Pons-Aelii, the 2d Station on the Wall, where the Cohort of the Cornovii lay. In this I have the concurring Opinion of the learned and judicious Antiquary Dr. Hunter of Durham. Gord. Itin. Septent. pag. 71. The ancient Orrhea, mentioned by Ptolomy has been thought by ſome to have been the Original of this Town, but for what Reaſon I know not. Point it out, it will then be a certain Con⯑cluſion, that there is an indiſputable Account of this Town in theſe very Times of the Romans, which was ſome Hundreds of Years before Caprae Ca⯑put, or Gateſide is mentioned by the moſt early of our Latin Hiſtorians.

CHAP. II. Of this TOWN, after the Time of the ROMANS.

AFTER the Departure of the Romans, it ſeems to have chan⯑ged it's Name, as I ſhall ſhew immediately; and probably by the latter Part of it's after Name Monkcheſter, it was a Place of Defence, or Garriſon'd Fort, during the Times of the Saxons and Danes. This Name of Monkcheſter it retain⯑ed 'till after the Conqueſt. Thus we are told from Simeon Dunelmenſis, a Monk of the Church of Durham, that New⯑caſtle upon Tyne was anciently called Monkcheſter, civitas Monachorum, or the Town of the Monks, not becauſe it belong'd to the Monks, but becauſe the Monks of thoſe Parts dwelt there.Ex Collect. Mr. J. Dou⯑glas.

SOME, are of Opinion, that Newcaſtle got it's Name of Monkcheſter, becauſe the Monks in Time of Danger came for Protection to it, and not from their inhabiting it. This is quite contrary to the Authority above-mentioned, and all others that I have met with. Mr. Eachard in his Hiſtory of England ſays, that Monkcheſter was ſo called from certain Monks who lived there in great [6] Auſterity and Retirement; and the Monaſticon gives us the following Account. In the Year 1074, there was a certain Man in the Province of the Mercians, a Presbyter and Prior of the Monaſtery of Wincheleſcumbe, who was a Monk, whoſe Name was Aldwin: This Man preferr'd a voluntary Poverty and Con⯑tempt of the World to all it's Honours and Riches; and having learned from the Hiſtory of the Northumbers, that that Land was formerly famous for Mul⯑titudes of Monks and religious Men, who tho' in the Fleſh, lived not accor⯑ding to the Fleſh, but whilſt they were on Earth, had their Converſation in Heaven: He deſired greatly to viſit the Monaſteries of theſe Places, (tho' He knew they were forſaken and left deſolate) and there to lead a poor Life in Imitation of them. Coming therefore as far as the Monaſtery of Eveſham, he made known his Purpoſe to certain of the Brethren; upon which, two of them aſſociated with him; one of them was named Elfwie, who was a Dea⯑con, and after that a Prieſt; The other's Name was Renifrid; he was igno⯑rant of Letters. Theſe the Abbot gave leave to accompany him, but not 'till he had ſet Aldwin over them, and committed to him the Care of their Souls. After this, they ſet forward on their Journey a Foot, having an Aſs to carry their Books, Neceſſaries, and their Sacerdotal Veſtments, to celebrate divine Service in. At length they came to York, deſiring of Hugh, the Son of Bal⯑drick, who was then Sheriff, Ut eis du⯑cem itineris inveniret uſ⯑que locum qui Monkce⯑ſter, i. e. Monacho⯑rum civitas appellatur, nunc Nov⯑um-Caſtel⯑lum nomi⯑natur. Quo per ductum venientes, ad tempus ibidem ſunt morati, ubi nullum anti⯑quum San⯑ctorum Chri⯑ſti reperirunt Veſtigium. Dugd. Mon. Tom. 1. p. 41. that he would procure them a Guide to Monk⯑cheſter, that is, the City of the Monks, which is now called Newcaſtle, whi⯑ther being brought by their Guide, they ſtaid a-while, but found not any Remains of it's former Sanctity, no Footſteps of the Religious People who had formerly dwelt there. Walcher Biſhop of Durham hearing of this, ſent for them, and gave them the Monaſtery of Jarray, which at that Time was unroof'd, and had ſcarce any Thing remaining of it's ancient Grandeur.

AND now how long it had been in this deſolate Condition we may gather from Mag. Brit. Nov. & An⯑tiq. ex Hol⯑biuſ. Hollingſhead. By the Invaſion of the Danes, ſays he, the Churches and Monaſteries throughout Northumberland were ſo waiſted and ruined, that a Man could ſcarcely find a Church ſtanding at this Time in all that Country; and as for thoſe that remained, they were all covered with Broom or Thatch: And as for any Abby or Monaſtery there was not one left in all the Country; neither did any Man, for the Space of Two hundred Years, take Care for the repairing or building up of any Thing in Decay; ſo that the People of this County knew not what a Monk meant. And if they ſaw any, they wonder⯑ed at the Strangeneſs of the Sight. One Place there was in this County, fa⯑mous for being the Habitation of Monks, from whence it was called Monk⯑cheſter, but that alſo was ſo ruinated and deſtroy'd, that when the Monks of Mercia (the Monks mentioned before) came to it, they found no Token or Remnant of any Religions Perſons who had had an Habitation there; all was defaced and gone.

NOW with reſpect to Monkcheſter this ſeems to be punctually true. For as Hollingſhead obſerves that it was about 200 Years from the Ruin of the Mo⯑naſteries to this Time after the Conqueſt Anno 1074; ſo it muſt be taken Notice of, that the Danes, in the Year Hollin. 875, which was the 4th of the Reign of King Alured, divided themſelves. So that King Haldon with one Part there⯑of went into Northumberland, and lay in the Winter Seaſon near He ſat down with his Men at Tames⯑mouth, which is be⯑tween Gate⯑ſide and Whickham. Sim. Dunel'. to the River of Tyne, where he divided the Country amongſt his Men, and remained there for the Space of two Years, and oftentimes fetched thither Booties and Preys out of the Country of the Scots and Picts.

IT appears then from this, that the Monaſteries of Monkcheſter had been in Ruins about 200 Years, that is to ſay, from the Year 875 to the Year 1074, the Time of the Coming of the Mercian Monk.

LET us now ſee if we can form any probable Conjecture when it was firſt inhabited by Monks, and got the Name of Monkcheſter. And this I imagine happen'd towards the later End of the 7th Century. For in the Year 635, the Monaſtical Life was brought in among the Northumbers by Aidan, who was [7] that Year made Biſhop of Northumberland, and had his Seat at Lindisfern is a ſmall I⯑ſland on the Northern Shore of England, made only by ſwelling Tides, for at Ebb it is joined to the main Land of England, by a Ridge of ſandy Earth. It is, as we are inform'd called the Holy-Iſland, from it's firſt Biſhop living in an Holy Society with his Clergy. He dy'd Aug. 31ſt, Anno 651 and was buried in the Church of Lindisfern. He was ſucceeded by Finan a Monk of the Monaſtery of Hy, who died Feb. 12, in the Year 601. Coleman ſucceeded him, and was Biſhop about 3 Years. But being worſted in the Controverſy about the keeping of Eaſter, he gave up his Biſhoprick, and left Lindisfern. Tuda ſuc⯑ceeded him, and dy'd the ſame Year he was made. After this the See was vacant fourteen Years, and then fill'd up by Eata in the Year 678, who continued 'till the Year 685, being then choſen to the See of Haguſtald. He was ſucceeded by St. Cuthbert, who was conſecrated at York by Theodore, Archbiſhop of Canterbury upon Eaſter-Day, which happened March 26. The Archbiſhop was aſſiſted by ſeven other Biſhops, and King Egfrid, and many of his Nobles were preſent. When he had been Biſhop about two Years, he gave up his Charge, and foreſeeing his Death approaching he reſigned his Biſhoprick, and re⯑tired to his former Solitude, the Iſland of Fern, where he died in two Months Time, viz. March the 20th 687, and was buried at Lindisfern. Eadbert was choſen after him, he governed the See about ten Years, and dy'd in the Year 697. Eadfrith or Egfrith ſucceeded him, who is ſaid to have wrote a very fine Book with his own Hand, containing the Goſpels in Latin, which Ethelwold, his Succeſſor, adorned with Gilding and Jewels, Bilfrid the Anchorite painted, and Aldred the Prieſt enlarged, with an interlineary Verſion in the Saxon Tongue: My Authority ſays further, that this very Book is ſtill preſerved in the Cotton-Library. — This famous Library had the Misfortune this laſt Year 1731 to be ſet on Fire, and part of it, and its Manuſcripts were burnt, but we hope this valuable Piece of Antiquity has eſcape. This Biſhop died Anno 721, and was ſucceeded by Ethelwold, after the See had been vacant near three Years. He died in the Year 740. Keneuif, or Kenulf ſucceeded him the ſame Year, who died in the Year 783. Henulf was ſucceeded by Higbaldus, who died May the twenty fifth, 803. Ecgbert ſucceeded him, who was conſecrated by Eanbald, Archbiſhop of York, Ean⯑bert Biſhop of Haguſtald, and Baldulf, Biſhop of Whithern, at Bigwell, June 11th 803. He died Anno 821. Heathured ſucceeded him, and died Anno 830. Ecgredus was his Succeſſor, who dy'd in the Year 845. He was ſucceeded by Eanbert, who died in the Year 854. Eardulph ſucceeded him. This Biſhop left Lindisfern in the Year 875, on Account of the Invaſion of the Danes, and wan⯑dered up and down for ſome Years. At length he and his Company fix'd at Cunaceſtre (now called Cheſter in the Street) which is a Village about ſeven Miles diſtant from Newcaſtle, Southward. This was in the Year 883, and there the See continu'd 113 Years. This Biſhop died in the Year 900. He was the firſt of the Biſhops of Lindisfern that exerciſed Epiſcopal Authority over the See of Hex⯑am; which he did in the firſt Year that he ſettled at Cheſter: The See of Hexam continued 'till the Reign of King Henry the firſt, under the Jurisdiction of the Biſhops of Lindisfern. Eardulph was ſucceeded by Cutheard, who died in the Year 915. Tilred ſucceeded him, and died in the Year 928. Tilred was ſucceeded by Wigred, who died in the Year 944. Wigred was ſucceeded by Uhtred, who ſat above 3 Years. Senhelm ſucceeded him; who ſeems to have been removed from his Biſhoprick in the year 957. He was ſucceeded by Aldred, who died in the year 968. Aldred was ſucceeded by Elffig, who is alſo call'd Ellfinus, who died in the year 990. Aldwin ſucceeded him, and in the year 995 was obliged to remove the Body of St. Cuthbert, and the Clergy that were with him, from Cheſter to Rippon, becauſe of the Danes; But Things becoming peaceable again, they left that Place about four Months after their coming thither. In their Return, they paſſed through Durham, which at this Time was a Place wild and not habitable, being all a Wood, full of thick Buſhes and Trees, ſaving only a little Plain upon the Top of the Hill, which was wont to be ſowed, and is the very Place where now the Church ſtandeth,) and were mightily taken with the Situation of it. Here Aldwinus firſt depoſited the Body of St. Cuthbert, and reſolved to make this Place his Epiſcopal Seat. Having therefore grubb'd up the Wood, he began to build a Church of Stone,Mag. Britt. p. 742. ex Godwin. and Houſes about it for his Company. The Governour of Northumberland, then named Uthred, and the People from the River Coqued to the Tees, came in ſo rea⯑dily to his Aſſiſtance, and continued their Help ſo long, that the Wood was ſoon grubbed up and the Church and Houſes finiſhed, inſomuch that Aldwin dedicated the Church in the 3d year after he began the Work, upon Sept. the 4th. This was the Beginning of the Church and City of Durham or Dunhelm more properly, which takes it Name from Dun, which ſignifies a Mountain, and Holm a River-Iſland in the Saxon Language, becauſe the River Were, with it's circling Stream, waſhes the Hill on which it ſtands on all Sides, ſo that it makes it almoſt an Iſland. — Aldwin died in the year 1017, and was ſucceeded by Eadmund, who was e⯑lected the year 1020, after the See had been vacant about 3 years, he died Anno 1040, and was buried in the Church of Durham. Eadred ſucceeded him, but enjoyed that Honour no great while; for in 10 Months time he died, He was ſucceeded by Egelric, Anno 1049, who built a Church at Cheſter upon the Street, in Me⯑mory that the Biſhops of Lindisfern had reſted themſelves there, together with the Body of St. Cuthbert, 118 years, during the Time of the Daniſh Wars: He reſign'd in the year 1056, and was ſucceeded by Egelwyn, who died in the year 1071. Walter or Walcher ſucceeded him, who was ſlain at Gateſide (as a ſhewn in our Account of that Place) May 14th, 1080. After this the See was void for 6 Months; and then on the 9th of November was filled up by William Kairlipho, who died Anno 1095. This Man, as Godwin goes on, pulling down to the Ground the Church of Durham, which Aldwinus had firſt built, began to erect ano⯑ther far more magnificent, but lived not to finiſh it himſelf, Malcolme, King of Scots, and Purgot Prior of Durham, laid the 3 firſt Stones, July 30, or (as ſome deliver Aug. 11.) 1093. This Biſhop, after the See, had been vacant 3 years, and 4 Months, was ſucceeded by Ranulf Flambard, Anno 1099, who died Sept. [...], 1128. Geoffry Rufus was his Succeſſor, who died May the 6th, 1140. After him ſucceeded, William de Sancta Barbara, who died Nov. 14, 1153. He was ſucceeded by Hugh Pudſey. Vid. in Regu. Reg. Au. 1195. Lindisfern, [8] Hexam is a Town about 16 Miles Weſt of Newcaſtle. It was in the Times of the Romans, as Cambden ſays, the Axelodinum, where lay the 1ſt Co⯑hort of the Spaniards. It had among the Saxons the Name of Hextoldeſham, from the Rivulet Hextold, which runs by it. In the year *Dugd. Vol. II. pag. 70. 674, Etheldreda, Wife to King Egfrid, aſſign'd it for an Epiſcopal See to St. Wilfrid, who built here a Church, and dedicated it to St. Andrew the Apo⯑ſtle. The Order of it's Biſhops is as follows; 1ſt Eata, who is alſo reckon'd the 3d or rather the 4th of that See, he was ordained Biſhop of Hexam at York, by Theodore, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Anno 678, and gover⯑ned that See three years whilſt he was Biſhop of Lindisfern. In the year 681 Tumbert the 2d Biſhop was conſe⯑crated; but he was depoſed the ſame year, St. Cuthbert was choſen into his Place; but being better pleaſed with the Situation of Lindisfern; Biſhop Eata, in reſpect to him, left the See of Lindisfern, and became the 4th Bi⯑ſhop of Hexam. The 5th was St. John of Beverly, who was Biſhop about the year 685, He continued Biſhop about one year, and was then tranſlated to York. After the Tranſlation of John, King Alfrid reſtored the Church of Hexam to Wilfrid the 6th Biſhop, who died Anno 709. St. Acca ſucceeded him, who was the 7th Biſhop, he was depriv'd in the year 733; he died Nov. 20, Anno 740, and was buried, as is ſaid, near the Conſiſtory of the Church of Hexam. Frithubertus the 8th Biſhop ſucceeded Acca, and came to the See Anno 735; he died Anno 766. Alkmundus the 9th Biſhop ſucceeded him, Anno 767, and died Sept. the 7th, 781. Tilbert the 10th was the next Biſhop; he died 789, and was buried in his own Church. To him ſucceeded Ethelbert the 11th Biſhop; he died October 16, 797, and was buried in the Church of Hexam. Heardred 12 ſucceeded him; who died in the year 800. To him ſucceeded Eanberth 13th Biſhop; who died Anno 806. To him ſucceeded Tidferth, the 14th Biſhop; who died about the year 821. After this, the See of Hexam, becauſe of the Daniſh Wars, lay neglected for above 63 years together. But at length it was united with Lindisfern, under Eardulph, the 15th Biſhop of Lindisfern. This happened in the year 883. Under this Jurisdiction it continued 'till the Reign of King Henry the 1ſt, when the Town of Hexam and the Church, Anno 1113, were taken from the Dioceſs of Durham and given to that of York, the King be⯑ing highly diſpleaſed with Ranulph Biſhop of Durham. †Ex. Mag. Brit. p. 737.This Church at the Time it was built, was ſuppoſed to exceed all the Churches on this Side the Alps, for it's Pillars, Porches, and Allies leading round it; afterwards in the Time of Biſhop Acca, that Bi⯑ſhop ſuperadded to the Buildings of his Church many Decorations and curious Works; he got from all Parts ſome Relicks of the Apoſtles and Martyrs, and erected ſeveral Altars in Reverence to them, and for that End made diſtinct Porches in the Walls of the Church. He alſo with great Diligence and no ſmall Charge, gathered the Hiſtories of of their Sufferings, with many Volumes of Eccleſiaſtical Writers, and of them he made a very large Library. He alſo provided ſeveral ſacred Utenſils, as Flaggons, Cups, Pattens, Candleſticks, and other Veſſels of the like Nature, which belong to the Service of God. He alſo brought a famous Choriſter who had been taught to ſing in the Church of Canterbury, whoſe Name was Maban, to inſtruct thoſe of his Church of Hexam. Mag. Brit. ex Bed. lib. 5. c. 21. He is alſo ſaid to have gilded the Walls with Gold and Silver, and covered the Altars with Purple and Silk. That Part of this Church which is now ſtanding (for the Weſt End of it, is intirely demoliſhed) is ſtill grand and noble, and ſpeaks what it was in ancient Days. About 3 years ago it was repair'd by Contribution, no ſmall Part of which was raiſed in the Town of Newcaſtle. — This Church was honoured with the Sepulchre of the good King Alfwold, who was murder'd by Sigga, (a certain Nobleman) at Silceſter, ‡Some Remains of which Place are yet to be ſeen on the Weſt Side of the North Tyne, in the Grounds belonging to Walwick Grainge, be⯑tween that Place, and the Roman Wall. Rich. and lies buried under the Arch, at the South End of the North Eaſt Iſle; a Monu⯑ment is erected ſince the Foundation, in Honour of that Prince. Rich. p. 61. **Stav. p. 173. ex Ri⯑chard. Pri. Hagulſt. de Stat. Eccl. Stavely in his Hiſtory of Churches gives us the following Account. That Privilege which I read to have been granted unto the Church of the once eminent Monaſtery of Hagulſtad is very re⯑markable: That is, there were 4 Croſſes ſet up at a certain Diſtance from the Church, in the four Ways leading thereto. Now if any Malefactor flying for Refuge to that Church, was taken or Ap⯑prehended within the Croſſes, the Party that took or laid hold on him there, did forfeit Two hun⯑dredh; (in Hundredh viii. Librae continentur) If he took him within the Town, then he forfeited Four Hundredh; if within the Walls of the Church Yard, then Six Hundredh; if within the Church, then Twelve Hundredh; if with⯑in the Doors of the Quire, then Eighteen Hundredh; beſides Penance, as in caſe of Sacriledge; but if he preſum'd to take him out of the Stone Chair near the Altar, called Fridſtol, or from amongſt the Holy Relicks behind the Altar, the Of⯑fence was not redeemable with any Sum; but was then become ſine emendatione Botolos (i. e. Bootles, vid. Gloſs. W. Somner) and nothing but the utmoſt ſeverity of the offended Church was to be expected, by a dreadful Excommuni⯑cation, beſide what the ſecular Power would impoſe, for the preſumptuous Miſdemeanour. The Canons ‡Dug. Mon. Vol. II. p. 91. Regular of this Church, which were appointed by Thomas the 2d, Archbiſhop of York about the year 1109, continued 'till they were diſplaced by King Henry the 8th, Anno 1539. when the Revenues of the Monaſtery was valued at 122 l. 11 s. 1 d. It was of the Auguſtine Order. Several Rents were paid to it out of the Town of Newcaſtle. — It is ſtill very ſtately and magnificent, and by far exceeding any Thing in that Town. It is now inhabited by Sir Edward Blacket, Bart. but is the Property of Walter Blacket, Eſq Among the eminent Perſons of this Place, I meet with two in particular. ‡Stephen. ad⯑dit. Vol. 1. p. 203. The 1ſt is John of Hexam born in that Place, and firſt Monk, then Prior of the Monaſtery there. He was a Man, grave, modeſt, meek, courteous, aſſable, yet ſevere and rigid in puniſhing the Faults of thoſe under his Charge; learned and eloquent, and a diligent Searcher of Hiſtory and Antiquities, and tho' he taught Philoſophy and Divi⯑nity publickly in his Monaſtery, yet in private He, as much as Time would permit, read Hiſtorians, and particularly venerable Bede. He made an Addition of 25 Years to the Hiſtory of Simeon of Durham, beginning at the 9th Year of King Henry the 2d, and proceeding to the firſt of King Richard, calling it an Hiſtory of 25 Years. He alſo writ of Signs and Comets: A Diſcription of the Scottiſh War: Sermons, and ſome other Things; and flouriſh'd in 1190. The other is Richard of Hexam, firſt Monk, and then Prior of that Monaſtery, educated there in Monaſtical and School Learning, and in all Sorts of Piety; ſo diligently imitated his Maſter, John, Prior of that Place, that he ſuc⯑ceeded him in that Employment, and in Teaching. When made Prior, he in all Things moſt exactly copy'd after his ſaid Maſter; for tho' he in publick taught his Brethren Philoſophy and Divinity; yet in private he read Hiſtory, and accu⯑rately writ the Affairs of his Time, eſpecially in England, by the Titles, The Actions of King Stephen; The Acti⯑ons of King Henry the 3d, and proceeding to the 1ſt of King Richard; The War of the Standard; A ſhort Chro⯑nicle from Adam to Henry the Emperor; Of the State and Biſhops of the Church of Hexam. He died and was buried in his Monaſtery, about the year 1192. Hexam was made a Biſhoprick in the Year 678, and had Eata for its firſt Biſhop; Churches and Monaſteries were built in ſeveral Places, and Religion [9] flouriſhed in this whole Kingdom. This Account Hollingſhead gives in the following Words: Great Numbers of Perſons daily offered themſelves to be baptized, inſomuch that within the Space of 7 Days (as is left in Writing) Aidan chriſtned 15 Thouſand Perſons, of the which no ſmall Part forſaking the World, betook themſelves to a Solitary kind of Life. Thus by continual Preaching the Goſpel in that Country, it came to paſs in the End, that the Faith was generally received of all the People; and ſuch Zeal to advance the Chriſtian Religion daily increaſed amongſt them, that no where could be found greater. Hereupon were no ſmall Number of Churches built in all Pla⯑ces abroad in thoſe Parts by Procurement of King Oſwold, all Men liberally conſenting (according to the rated Subſtance) to be Contributors towards the Charges. By this Means the Kingdom of the Northumbers flouriſh'd, as well in Fame of Increaſe of Religion, as alſo in civil Policy and prudent Ordinances.

When now it is conſidered that the Buſineſs of Religion went on ſo Brisk⯑ly throughout the whole Kingdom of the Northumbers; it is rational to ſup⯑poſe that this Place, as it was not only convenient for the monaſtical Life as to Retirement, but alſo a Security to it too, (being at that Time a garriſon'd Fort) was certainly as early inhabited by the Monks as the abovementioned Time; and beſides if we conſider the Veneration it is mention'd with by many Hiſtorians for the ſevere rigid Lives of it's Monks; how it was the moſt emi⯑nent Place in the North, for the monaſtical Life, ſo very famous on that ac⯑count, as to change it's former Name to that of Monkcheſter: There can ſcarce be allowed it a later Time to arrive at ſuch a Pitch of Eminency and Glory. Before the Name of Monkcheſter, I imagine, from it's being a Place of For⯑tification, that it had the Name of Cheſter, as Weremuth was the original Name of that Place, but was afterwards called Monkweremuth, from the Monks inha⯑biting there. It ſeems all along to have been a Place of Defence and Fortifi⯑cation. It was the Ancient Gabroſentum, according to Mr. Cambden; or as o⯑thers more juſtly imagine the Pons Aelii of the Romans; was a garriſon'd Fort, 'till inhabited by the Monks; and was ſuch from the Time of the Monks 'till the Conqueſt.

THE Name of Monkcheſter continued 'till the Building of the Caſtle, and after that, from the Building of it, it got the Name of New-caſtle: The Oc⯑caſion of which was this. Malcolme King of Scotland having entred with his Army into the Confines of England, came with it into Northumberland, and waiſted and plundered the whole Country as far as the River Tyne; the Con⯑queror being all the while in Normandy, and alſo his Son Robert Curtois. But no ſooner were the King and his Son come into England, than Robert was ſent with an Army againſt Malcolme to drive him out of the Country. The Scots being appriz'd of this, retir'd into their own Country, and Robert with his Army encamp'd upon the Banks of the Tyne, where he built the Caſtle to de⯑fend theſe Northern Parts from the Incurſions of the Scots, for the Mag. Brit. p. 608. Poly. virg. &c. Future. The Chronicle of Mailros ſays, that the Conqueror ſent his Son Robert into Scotland, againſt Malcolme, in the Year 1080, who, having done nothing, up⯑on his return, built the New-caſtle. From hence it is eaſy to conclude, that the Caſtle was founded the ſame Year, towards the latter End of it. For Dugdale tells us in his Monaſticon, that Anno Do⯑mini MLXXX Rex Williel⯑mus Autum⯑nali Tempo⯑re Rober⯑tum Fillium ſuum contra Malcomum miſit; ſed cum perve⯑niſſet ad Eg⯑glesbreth, nullo conſe⯑cto negotio, reverſus Ca⯑ſtellum No⯑vum ſuper flumen Ty⯑nae condidit. Dug. Mon. Tom. 1. p. 42. King William in the Year 1080, about the Time of Autumn, ſent his Son Robert into Scotland againſt Malcolme. But having got as far as Egglesbreth, he returned (having done no Exploit) and built the New-caſtle upon the River Tyne.

THUS the Town loſt it's Name of Monkcheſter for that of Newcaſtle, which it retains to this Day. But however by the building of the Caſtle it loſt nothing elſe; for the Building of the ſaid Caſtle did not deſtroy or take away the Right or Intereſt which the Towns-men had before; but that ſtill remained as before.

AFTER this the Town grew more populous, and increas'd in Trade and Wealth; had great Privileges granted them by the Kings, built Churches, Monaſteries, Walls, Bridges, &c. as ſhall be ſeen in the following Treatiſe.

CHAP. III. Of the WALLS of this TOWN.

NEW CASTLE is ſeated on the Northern Bank of the Ri⯑ver Tyne; and is bounded on the Eaſt by the Land of By⯑ker; on the Weſt by the Lands belonging formerly to the Prior of Tinemouth; on the North by the Lands of Kenton, and Coxlodge, and on the South by the County of Durham.

IT is ſurrounded with a Stone-Wall, which at the Time it was built, and for many Ages after, was undoubtedly of very great Strength. This has ſeveral Gates belonging to it, Round Towers, and Square Turrets, which ſhall by and by be conſidered. On the Out-ſide of it is a Ditch or Trench, and on the Inſide it is ramper'd with Earth.

Grey.THE Cauſe of Building this great Wall was the often Invaſion of the Scots into this Place and Country; they continually infeſted it and the rich Monaſteries in theſe Northern Parts; the religious Houſes of this Town, and the adiacent Places being above Forty.

SOME are of Opinion, that the Walls were begun in the Reign of King Henry the Third. But the Author juſt now mentioned, imagines Them to have been earlier. King John, he ſays, gave great Priviledges to this Town, and probably the New-gate, and Walls thereabout, were built in his Time; the North Part of the Wall being the oldeſt, and of another Faſhion than the other Walls.

IN the Reign of King Henry the 3d, the ſame Author ſays, the Weſt part of the Wall was built; but I am rather inclined to believe, that that Part of the Wall was not built 'till the Reign of Edward the 1ſt. The Wall from [11] the Time it was begun, went on but ſlowly 'till this Reign, when an Acci⯑dent hapned, which revived the former Fears of the Towns-Men, and put them in Mind of the neglected Wall, which, 'till that Time had got no far⯑ther than Ever-Tower, as appears by the old Part of the Wall, ending there⯑abouts. The Accident was this, Cambden. in the Reign of Edward the 1ſt, a very rich Burgher being carried off a Priſoner by the Scots, out of the Middle of the Town, firſt paid a round Ranſom himſelf, and afterwards began the 1ſt For⯑tifications of the Place.

IT is true, that this Accident was the Occaſion of carrying on the Wall; but Mr. Cambden is miſtaken in ſaying it occaſioned the Beginning of it. For it was begun ſome Years before the Reign of Edward the 1ſt. For from New⯑gate to the Ever-Tower as has juſt now been obſerved, is a Work older, and vaſtly different from what the Wall is from Ever-Tower towards the Weſt-gate. This Wall, leading to the Weſt-gate, was it which was begun in the Reign of Edward the 1ſt, for in this Reign it was, (when Leave was granted to the preaching Friers to break out that Little Gate which now leads into the Wardens-Cloſe, then their Garden, that this Wall was called the Vid. Dur⯑ham-Tower and Black-Friers. New-Wall; and ſurely a New-Wall, will imply that there was an Old one before, was the thing itſelf not ſtill a Matter of Fact as it really is to any Obſerver.

HOW long the Walls were a Building, or who they were in particular that contributed towards the Building of them, is a Matter pretty much in the Dark. However, 'tis Gardiner, chap. 4. This Au⯑thor, whoſe Name was Ralph Gar⯑diner, liv'd at Chirton, a Village Eaſt of Newca⯑ſtle, near the Town of Shields, which Village is now in the Poſſeſſion of Rob^t Law⯑ſon and Ed⯑ward Col⯑lingwood. Eſqrs. He was a bitter Enemy to this Town, and did all the Miſchief to it that lay in his Power, as appears in every Page of his Book. In which are Numbers of Falſities. ſuppoſed, that King Edward the 1ſt, was a Contri⯑butor to them. The Names of ſome of the Round-Towers alſo give us ſome Light, which to this Day do ſeemingly bear the Names of their ancient Foun⯑ders, which may in ſome Meaſure occaſion a Gueſs at the Time of their Buil⯑ding.

THE Town, after the compleating of the Walls, was divided into 24 Wards, according to the Number of the Gates, and round Towers in the Wall, which Towers and Gates were wont be defended in Times of Hoſtili⯑ty with the Scots, by the particular Wards appropriated to them.

THE 1ſt Gate I ſhall begin with is the Cloſe-gate, which is ſo called, be⯑cauſe it ſtands in a narrow Street called the Cloſe, it had in Ward, from the Cloſe-gate upon the South-rawe, ſo going Eaſtward unto the Javil-grippe, but nothing of Javil-grippe, then going Weſtward upon the North unto the Cloſe-gate.

FROM the Cloſe-gate there are Stairs leading up to a Round-Tower called the White-Fryer-Tower. This Tower had in Ward, from the Eaſt-end of Bailiff-gate, oppoſite to the Javil-grippe, with all that dwell upon the High-Stairs in the Cloſe, unto and with the Weſt-ſide of theſe Stairs that lead unto the South-Poſtern of the Caſtle, with all Javil-grippe Eaſtward, and from the Javil-grippe to the South-rawe of the Cloſe, and with all the Bridge-End.

THIS Tower, with the Wall leading to the little Gate, (commonly called the Poſtern-gate, but originally the Gate of the White-Fryers, or White-Fryer-gate) were together with the Gate itſelf, probably built by the White-Fryers; for the White-Fryers were ſituated in the South-weſt-end of the Street of Weſt-gate, in the ſame Grounds were are now the Houſes of Mr. Anderſon, George Grey, Eſq and others. And as it is reaſonable to believe, that what⯑ever Religious Houſe, or Nobleman, built a Tower or Piece of the Wall, that it would be built chiefly for their own Security; ſo the Buildings now mentioned, being ſo ſituated as I have juſt now obſerved, are a Proof that the White-Fryers were the Founders. And if it be conſidered that the White-Fryers were See White-Fryers. founded by King Edward the 1ſt, in whoſe Reign the above-mentioned Accident happened, which occaſioned a freſh Beginning of Building of the Wall; it will appear ſtill more probable, that theſe Fryers were the Builders. It may indeed be ſaid, that as they were ſounded in this [12] Reign, it can't be imagin'd they had ſufficient Riches for ſuch an Un⯑dertaking. This is readily granted, but when it is conſidered, that theſe Fry⯑ers were newly founded by King Edward the 1ſt, that they were the firſt of that Order that had been in this Place, that they were Carmelites, or original⯑ly coming from Mount Carmel in Syria, and that the Prayers of all Monaſte⯑ries were thought more particularly available for the Souls in Purgatory; it will follow I think rationally, that they were more able then to do ſuch a Thing by getting the Contributions of others, than they could have been of themſelves 200 Years after. The Name given to theſe Walls is alſo another Argument; it is more probable, that the White-Fryer-Tower, the Wall and Gate now mentioned, were ſo called, (as other Towers were) from their Foun⯑ders, than from their bare Situation. For the Walls behind the Black-Fryers are not called after their Name, becauſe they were not built by them, but by King Edward the 1ſt, as ſhall be ſhewn below.

THIS Tower is now the Meeting-Houſe or Hall of the Company of Ma⯑ſons.

GREY in mentioning the Ports or Gates of Newcaſtle, ſays, there were be⯑ſides Theſe, Poſtern-Gates belonging to the Religious Houſes; I have met with no more than three, and this White-Friers-gate is undoubtedly one of them. It ſeems to be much of the ſame Kind with that which leads into the Warden's-Cloſe. It has been an Out-let to the Fryers, that they might walk to the Forth and the neighbouring Fields; and that it might be of Uſe and Service to the Caſtle, in Times of Hoſtility with the Scots. I imagine it was out at this Gate, that the Townſmen made that famous Sally, mention'd by Grey, who ſays, that in the Reign of Edward the 3d, See a more perfect Ac⯑count in the Year of the Mayors, 1342. Three hundred valiant Men iſſued out of the Town through a Poſtern-gate, and came ſuddenly in the Night up⯑on a great Army of the Scots, which lay in the Weſt Part of the Town, and raiſed the Army, put them to flight, and took Earl Murray Priſoner in his Tent, and others.

THE next Round Tower to White-Fryer-gate is Denton-Tower, or Nevil-Tower, which had in Ward all the Hairy-Hugh, on the South Side of the White-Fryers, with all the Houſes ſtanding there, upon the Burn-bank, betwixt the Fryer-Kirk, and a Burne, unto the Stone Bridge in Bailiff-gate, with all Bailiff-gate, upward that ſame Rawe unto Denton-Chare, with Denton-Chare.

WHY it was called Denton-Tower, I can give no Reaſon, unleſs it was from it's having in Ward the Lane called Denton-Chare; but it has the Name of Nevil-Tower, from the Nevil Family of Raby who built it, which Family was honoured with the Title of Earl in the Reign of Richard the 2d, Ralph Nevil Lord of Raby, being created Earl of Weſtmoreland, in the 21ſt of that Reign: His Houſe in Weſt-gate, called Weſtmoreland-place, which ſhall be con⯑ſidered when we treat of that Street, had this Tower built behind it for it's Security and Defence. The Tower is now the Hall of the Wallers, Brick-layers and Plaiſterers, and was repair'd by them Anno Dom' 1711, Richard Flet⯑cher, and William Johnſon, Wardens.

THE next Round Tower is Weſt-ſpittle-Tower, which had in Ward the Side upon the Weſt Rawe under the Caſtle Moat, from the Caſtle-gate, ſo down⯑ward on that Rawe, to and with a great Waſte belonging to Laurentius Acton, oppoſite to a Corner Shop of a Chauntery in St. John's Kirk, next the Pant; alſo from that Pant upwards upon the Eaſt-Rawe in the Side, with the South Kirk-Style of St. Nicholas, by the Eaſt-Side of St. Nicholas.

THIS Tower has it's Name from St. Mary the Virgin's Hoſpital, which was otherwiſe called Weſt-ſpittle, to which it almoſt adjoins; it muſt have been built by the Maſter and Brethren of that Hoſpital for the ſame Reaſons that the other two Towers before-mentioned were built by their ſuppoſed Founders.

[13]THE Tower next to this has the Name of Stank-Tower. It had in Ward all Now called Back-rawe. Gallowgate; oppoſite to the Caſtle-Yates, ſo going Northward, from the Eaſt-end of Gallowgate, upwards that ſame Rawe, unto the Eaſt-end of Den⯑ton-Chare, with the Iron-market, with all the Houſes oppoſite to the Iron-market, down to St. Nicholas Pant, as their Doors open towards the Iron-market, or towards the Pant, or towards St. Nicholas Kirk-Yard.

GUNNER-TOWER, is the next; it had in Ward, from All-Hallow-Pant, beſide Cordiner, ſo going downward the ſame Rawe towards Cale-Croſs, and ſo going upwards by that Fleſher-Rawe, unto Painter-hugh beſide Swin-burne-place, unto a Place called Pencher-place, beyond Painter-Heugh, as it ſtan⯑deth beyond Lorkburne.

BETWEEN this Tower, and one next to it, is a Poſtern which leads to the Forth. It was made Anno 1705, when Thomas Waſs, Eſq was Mayor, Matthew Matfin, Eſq Sheriff. There is alſo another Paſſage from it into Weſtgate.

PINK-TOWER. This Tower had in Ward in the Cloſe, from the High-Stairs that lead from the South Poſtern of the Caſtle towards the Cloſe, ſo going Eaſtward on that ſame Rawe, by the North-ſide of Sandhill, unto and with St. Mary-lane, with the Houſes upon the Corner, called St. Mary-Lands in All-hallow-kirk, and ſo going upwards all the Weſt-rawe in the Side, to a great Waſte upon the Caſtle-hugh, ſometimes call'd old Laurentius Acton's Waſte, oppoſite to the Pant at Lorkburne.

WEST-GATE, is the next, which is the High-way Weſt into the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland, and is Grey. ſaid to have been built by Roger de Thornton, in Memory that he came from the Weſt-country, according to the old ſaying,

THIS Gate had in Ward from the Vennel that leads into White-Fryer-Kirk, ſo going upon the Weſt Rawe of Weſtgate, unto the Weſtyate, with all that dwell without that Yate. Alſo from the Weſt-end of Denton Chare, ſo going upward upon the Eaſt-Rawe of Weſtgate unto the Weſtyate, with all that dwell in St. John's Kirk-yard, and with all that dwell from the ſaid Kirk unto the Weſt-gate. It is now the Hall of the Houſe-Carpenters.

DURHAM-TOWER is the next, and it had in Ward from St. John's Chare to going upward by Urd-place, upon the Weſt-Rawe of Beer-market, unto the Shod-Frier-Chare, with all the Shod-Frier Chare.

HEBER-TOWER is the next; it had in Ward all the Meal-market from Denton-Chare, to Pudding-Chare, with all Pudding-Chare and St. John's Chare.

THIS Tower is now the Hall of the Armourers, Curriers and Felt-makers, who were made one Fellowſhip in the 36th of Henry the 8th. They were order⯑ed to aſſociate themſelves in the Feaſt of Corpus Chriſti, and go together in Proceſſion, as other Myſteries, and ſuſtain the Charges of the Lights Pageant, and Place, on the ſame Feaſt; according to old ancient Cuſtom. And the Ordinance therein was to be deviſed by Their Wardens when the Hour was aſſigned, upon Pain to loſe and forfeit one Pound of Wax, to be applied to the Uſe of the whole Fellowſhip of the ſaid Occupations. The beſt Account I have met with of theſe kind of Plays, is of one that was play'd in the City of Coventry. Step. 1ſt V. p. 138. Before the Suppreſſion of Monaſteries, the City of Coventry was very famous for the Pageants that were played therein upon Corpus Chriſti Day, which occaſioning very great Confluence of People to it from far and near, was of no ſmall Benefit thereto; which Pageants being acted with migh⯑ty State and Reverence by the Franciſcan-Fryers, had Theatres for the ſeveral Scenes very large and high, placed upon Wheels, and drawn to all the emi⯑nent [14] Parts of the City, for the better Advantage of Spectators: and contain'd the Story of the old and new Teſtament, compos'd into old Engliſh Rhimes, as appears by an ancient Manuſcript, entitl'd Ludus Corporis Chriſti, or Ludus Coventriae, that is, The Play of Corpus Chriſti, or The Play of Coventry. in Bibl. Cotton. ſub Effigie Veſp. D. 8.

A little beyond this Tower, oppoſite to the Monaſtery of the Black-Friers is a little Gate in the Wall, which I imagine to be one of thoſe which Grey calls Poſtern-Gates. It leads into the Warden's-Cloſe, and was made in the Reign of King Edward the 1ſt. The Black Fryers petition'd the King, he being then at Durham, that they might have a Paſſage though his New Wall into their Garden, which was accordingly granted. The original Grant is ſtill in Being, with the King's Seal at it, in the Hands of Mr. Joſhua Douglas, who obliged me with the following Copy of it.

EDWARDUS Dei gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Aquitaniae Omnibus ad quos preſentes Literae perveniunt ſalutem.

Sciatis quod de noſtra Gratia ſpeciali conceſſimus dilectis nobis Fratribus praedica⯑toribus de Novo Caſtro ſuper Tynam, quod per medium Novum Murum circum⯑agentem Villam praedictam, quem per medium Gardini Praedictorum Fratrum fieri opertebit, ut dicti facere poſſint quandam ſtrictam Portam ad ingreſſum in Gardinum ſuum habend' Portam ſuſt' ſibi & ſucceſſoribus ſuis tenere in perpetuum. Dum tamen Porta illa ad voluntatem noſtram, Vicecomitis Northumbriae aut Conſtabuli noſtri ibid' qui pro tempore fuerit, obſtruatur. In cujus Rei Teſtimonium has Literas no⯑ſtras fieri Patentes; Teſts me ipſo apud Dunelm' decimo octavo die Septembris, An⯑no Regni noſtri Octavo.

MORDEN-TOWER had in Ward both the Eaſt-Raw of Spurrior-gate, Sadler-gate, and over Fleſh-ſhambles, from the North-Weſt Kirk-Stile of St. Nicholas unto Fiſh-ſhambles, and the ſaid Raws opened either to the Cloth-market, or the Meal-market. This Tower was granted to it's Companies Anno 1619. The Ordinary was granted them 1536. In that it is order'd, that they ſhall go in Proceſſion on Corpus Chriſti Day, and maintain the Play of the Three Kings of Colleign. In the Year 1700, this Tower was by the Plumb⯑ers, Glaziers, &c. made a beautiful Hall.

[15] EVER-TOWER, which is now the Hall of Colliers and Carriage-Men, with Pavers, had in Ward the Shod-Frier-Yate, ſo going up that Raw beſide White-croſs unto Newgate, with all the Darnecrook, and with all the Gallow-gate without Newgate, unto the Barriers, as Men go to the Gallows.

ANDREW-TOWER, ſo called, becauſe it is almoſt contiguous to St. Andrew's Church, had in Ward from the Great Nun-gate, ſo upwards upon that Eaſt-Rawe, unto a Burn, beſide Lam-place that runs to Lorkburne, with all the Cockſtale-Booths, and with all the Weſt-Rawe of Sidgate without New-gate from Gallows-gate unto the Water-Mill beſide St. James's Kirk.

NEWGATE had in Ward all Ratten-Rawe, as it opens towards the Pil⯑lory in Cloth-market, with them that dwell in the North of St. Nicholas upon that Eaſt-Rawe of the Cloth-market, unto the Over-dean-bridge end.

THIS Gate of all the others is not only the ſtrongeſt, but alſo the moſt ancient. It is of the ſame Maſonry and way of Building with that Part of the Wall which leads to Weſtgate Weſtward, as far as Ever-Tower, which is viſibly the oldeſt Part of the Wall. From this Gate is a Cauſey that lead⯑eth to the Town-moor, and towards the North Parts of Northumberland and Scotland; it is now, and has been many Years a Priſon for Debtors and Grey. Fel⯑lons. The new Buildings on each Side of it were built, the one Anno 1702, William Ramſey, Eſq Mayor, William Boutflower, Eſq Sheriff; the other Anno 1706, Sir Ralph Carr, Mayor, William Elliſon, Eſq Sheriff.

BERTRAM-MUMBOUCHER-TOWER. From Newgate towards the Eaſt we paſs to the Tower of Bertram Mumboucher, which was ſo called from Bertram Mumboucher the Founder of it, Ex Fuller Wor. who was High-Sheriff of the County of Northumberland, in the 49th of Edward the 3d, and in the 1ſt, 2d, and 3d of the Reign of Richard the 2d.

This Tower has to Ward all the Weſt-end of Over-dean-bridge with the Shops between the Fiſh-ſhambles and the Beer-market, and from the ſame Bridge-end unto the Great Nun-gate.

FICKET-TOWER had in Ward from Whelpington-barn, beſide the Great Croſs ſtanding within Maudlin-Barras without the New-yate, ſo com⯑ing upon the Eaſt-Rawe of Sidgate, without the New-yate, unto the New-yate, and alſo within the New-yate, and ſo going up the Eaſt-Rawe Southward unto a Burne beſide Lam-place, that runneth towards Lorkburn, with all Grey-Frier-Chare from the Barras over againſt Ficket-Tower, and their North Kirk Door of the ſaid Fryery Weſt-ward, and no further Eaſtward in that Lane.

PILGRIM-STREET-GATE had it's Name from the Pilgrims who were wont to lodge in that Street, and go out of that Gate when they came to viſit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary at Geſmunde; to which Place with great Confluence and Devotion they came from all Parts of this Land in theſe Times of Superſtition. It is now the Hall of the Company of Joy⯑ners, who repair'd it 1716, Thomas French and Paul Cook being Wardens. This Gate had in Ward without the ſame Gate beginning at the great waſte Barn, call'd Emeldon-barn, oppoſite to the Maudlins, coming downward and inward upon that Weſt-Rawe of Pilgrim-ſtreet-yate, within the Yate, and with⯑in the Yate unto All-Hallow-Pant, beſides Cordiner's-place beſide the South-Kirk Stile of All-Hallow's Kirk, with all Painter-hugh, and with all Neither-dean-bridge, and with all the North-end of Upper-dean-bridge, both Sides thereof from Lorkburn Eaſtward to Pilgrim-ſtreet, with Pencher-rent, and in Grey-Fryer Lane from Ficket-Tower Eaſtward.

THE Tower next to this Gate is that in the Corner of the Carliol Croft, now the Hall of the Weavers who repair'd it Anno 1682. It got it's Name very probably from it's Founder: For the Carlills or Carliols were ſeve⯑ral [16] of them Magiſtrates of Newcaſtle: and as this appears probable from the Name, ſo it is alſo equally probable that the Founder of this Tower had his Houſe ſomewhere at the Head of Pilgrimſtreet, nigh his own Tower, as Ne⯑vel's Tower was behind his Houſe; and that the Field called vulgarly Carling Croft, had it's Name of Carliol Croft, being at that Time of Day the Property of this Founder. The laſt Mayor of this Town of that Name, before the Completion of the Walls, was Nicholas de Carliol in the 2d Year of Edward the 3d, ſo that this Tower could not be much later in Building, to ſay the leaſt of it's Antiquity imaginable; but it is rather probable it was built a good while earlier. It has to Ward all the Eaſt Raw of Pilgrim-ſtreet within the Yate, and without the Yate, from and with the Maudlins, ſo coming inward upon the Eaſt-Raw, unto the Auſtin-Chair.

CARLILL-CROFT-TOWER, otherwiſe called Plummer-Tower, it has in Ward from the Auſtin-Chare in Pilgrim-ſtreet, upon that Eaſt-raw of Pil⯑grim-ſtreet, unto the Kirk-Garth of All-Hallows, with all Temple-Gate, other⯑wiſe called All-Hallows-Gate, beneath All-Hallow Kirk, unto a Burn called Cogo, with all Cowgate and other Places between Cogo and the King's Wall unto the Stone-Brigg over Pandon-Burn, alſo upon the Sandhill on the Eaſt Side of Lorkburne, beginning at the Barber's-Shop upon the Corner, in Booth's-Rent, over-againſt the Maſon-Dieu, ſo going up that Eaſt-Side of Lorkburne, all that Rawe towards Cale-Croſs, to and with the Corner called Oliver-Rent, and ſo upward, all that Corner unto the North-End of Grindon-Chare.

AUSTIN-TOWER; this Tower was built by the Fryers of St. Augu⯑ſtine, commonly called Auſtine-Fryars, and has its Name from them. It ſtands oppoſite to the Monaſtry that built it, as the White-Fryer-Tower and Wall does to that of the White-Fryers, and Weſt-Spittle-Tower to that of St. Mary the Virgin, or the Weſt-Spittle. It ſeems to have been built in the Reign of Ed⯑ward the firſt.

IT has in Ward from the North-end of Grindon-Chare, ſo up that South-Raw of the Neither All-Hallow's-Bank unto Galeway-Rent with them that Dwell in Brown-Chare, Grindon-Chare, Tud's-Chare, Norham-Chare, Philip's-Chare, Shipman's-Chare, Oliver-Chare, Galeway-Chare, with half of the Fryer of Auſtin. This Tower is now the Hall of the Ropers, and was repair'd at the Charge of the Company, 1698, John Langlonds, and John Dawſon being Wardens.

CORNER-TOWER had in Ward all the Houſe-ſide upon the Key, as their Doors open Southward towards the King's Wall upon the Key-ſide from the Stone Stairs beſide the Common; ſo going Eaſt-ward upon the Key-ſide, to the South-end of Broad-Chare-Yate, in the ſaid King's Wall.

PAMPEDEN-YATE is ſo called from the Ancient Town of Pampeden, where was the Picts-Wall, and a Roman Turret, part of which is ſtill to be ſeen. Out of this Gate is a Cauſey that goeth into a Place of Recreation and Perambulation, called the Shields-Field, and a Way to a Village called Wallſ-end is a Village Faſt from Newcaſtle about three Miles; nigh it was the Station of the 1ſt Cohort of the Fraxagi as the Liber notitiarum ſays, which calls the Place itſelf Vindobola, or as Antoninus names it, Vindomora, which laſt ſeems in the Pro⯑vincial Language of the Britons to have ſignified the Walls-end, as the later does the Rampier's-end. For they anci⯑ently named a Wall Mur, and a Ditch or Rampier Gual, or Val, or Bal. Cambden. But with this a late ingenious Author cannot agree, becauſe Mr. Cambden brings no Proof from Inſcriptions, and alſo becauſe Pancirolus, in the ſame Notitia places Vindomora at the ninth Station per Lineam Valli, where the fourth Cohort of the Galli lay, and which appears by Inſcriptions to have been the Little Cheſters upon the Wall; He con⯑cludes therefore, that where the Wall begun, which has already been ſhown, the firſt Station of Segedunum was cer⯑tainly placed. Gord. Irinerar. Septontion. p. 70. The preſent Walſ-end is a very agreeable Place, having about it very good Grounds, and in it ſome beautiful Houſes and Gardens. Some of the Poſſeſſors of which, are Mr. Henry Waters of Newcaſtle Hoaſtman, Mr. Charles Atkin⯑ſon of Newcaſtle, Hoaſtman, Mr. Thomas Waters of Newcaſtle, Merchant, Mr. James Monkcaſter of New⯑caſtle, Merchant, Mr. William Dixon of Newcaſtle, Brewer, &c. There is a Chapel belonging to this Village, which is very inconveniently ſituated, on the Top of an Hill, the preſent Incumbent is the Reverend Mr. Thomas Dockwray, Lecturer of St. Nicholas in Newcaſtle. Walſ-end, [17] by Bede, Villa ad Murum, This is cer⯑tainly a Mi⯑ſtake. For according to Mr. Camb⯑den, that was Wall-town, which from the a⯑greeableneſs of the Name, and (as he goes on) it's 12 Miles Diſt⯑ance from the Eaſtern Sea, was the Roy⯑al Burrow, which Bede calls ad mu⯑rum. But the learned Dr. Smith upon this Paſſage of Bede is of another Opi⯑nion. He ſays, it is commonly ſuppoſed to be Walton, but this, he adds, can't be true. For it anſwers not the Di⯑ſtance at which Bede places the ad murum from the Sea. But Wallbottle, both as to it's Name, and as to it's Di⯑ſtance, which is not far from New⯑caſtle, and from the Sea about 12 Mi⯑les, will an⯑ſwer exactly well. But be this is it will, certain it is, that the ad murum is fa⯑mous on Ac⯑count that Si⯑gebert King of the Eaſt-Saxons, and Penda King of the Mer⯑cians, toge⯑ther with his whole Train of Courtiers and Atten⯑dants were baptiſed in it by the Biſhop Finanus. —One Matilda, of this Village of Walls-end, had ſome Lands in Pampeden confirmed to her at a Court held at Byker, Anno 1285. In a Charter of William de Carilepho, Biſhop of Durham, which he granted to the Monks, we have menti⯑on made of this Place. For the Biſhop is ſaid to have given this and Willington to the Monks. Ultra ampnem Ti⯑nam duas villas Wyllynton & Walleſhend cum ſuis Appendiciis. and ſo into Tinemouth-ſhire. This Gate had in Ward from Galeway-Rent in Croſs-gate, beſide All-Hallow Pant, both the Rawes of that Croſs-gate, ſo going-Eaſtward down to the Pant called Broad-Chare Pant, with Bell-place that ſtandeth upon the Pant; and with all the Broad-Chare, and Narrow-Chare, otherwiſe called Collier-Chare, with Michael-place, cutting upon the Weſt-ſide of Pandon-bourne.

WALL-KNOWL-TOWER and HABKIN-TOWER, are now but one Ward, and they have in Ward from the Broad-Chare part, beſide Bell-place, ſo going to a Burn called Cogo, both the Towers unto the South-ſide Cogo-Burn, as it runneth beſide the Stone Brig unto Pandon-Burn, from Pandon-yate, to the Sand-gate either in Pandon or Fiſher-gate, or in other Places from the ſaid Burn Eaſtward, with the Wards, with all that dwell upon North Rawe in Sandgate.

THIS Tower commonly called the Carpenters Tower, becauſe the Com⯑pany of Carpenters or Ship-wrights meet in it, was one of the Towers of the Old Romans. This Company in the Year 1716, built upon the under Part of it a very grand and ſtately Square-Tower, adorn'd at the Top Cor⯑ners with 4 fair Turrets built in the form of a Lanthorn.

Lib. de Reb. Novocaſt'.BUT before the taking down the Top of the old Tower, it was much of the ſame Size, Model, and Stone with the Tower of Routcheſter in Northum⯑berland, which was certainly one of the Towers belonging to the Picts-Wall.

THERE is under it an ancient Poſtern-gate, which leads into the Field called the Garth-Heads, the moſt part of which was laſt Year encloſed and turned into Garden-ground, by Richard Ridley, Eſq the Owner of it.

FROM Sandgate, which is ſo called becauſe, it was built upon the Sand, or the River-ſide, is a Wall, having many little Gates in it, extending itſelf as far as the Merchant's Hall, along the Street called the Key-ſide.

IT muſt not be forgot what is mentioned in the Manuſcript of Mr. John Milbank, that between every one of theſe Towers, there were for the moſt Part 2 Watch-Towers made ſquare, with the Effigies of Men cut in Stone up⯑on the Tops of them, as tho' they were watching, and they were called Gar⯑ret, which had Square Holes over the Walls to through Sones down.

WHEN theſe Walls were finiſhed is not exactly found. Grey Grey 7. ſeems to think they were finiſhed ſome little Time before the Reign of Henry the 6th.

BUT this I imagine is a Date too late for the finiſhing of them; for Henry the 4th, in the 4th Year of his Reign, Aug. 16, granted at the Caſtle of Port-tefract, that all Fines, Redemptions, Amerciaments, Iſſues, Forfeitures and Profits, as well of Pleas as that of Juſtices of the Peace, &c. be received by the Mayor and Burgeſſes of this Town and their Officers, for ſupporting, amending, and repairing the Walls, Bridges and Gates of the Town. The Walls then in this Reign muſt have been compleated, foraſmuch as they then probably wan⯑ted Repairs.

BUT further had Grey remembered his own Story above-mention'd, of the 300 valiant Men, that iſſued out at the White-fryer-gate, and put the Scottiſh Army to flight, he would ſurely have concluded that the Walls were finiſhed before that Accident, which hapned in the Reign of Edward the 3d. Certain⯑ly the Scottiſh Army, which is ſaid to have been a great one, would not have [18] lodged without the Town if they could have lodged in it, and what ſhould hinder their lodging in it, but the Walls of the Town well guarded? I con⯑clude therefore that the Walls of the Town at the lateſt were compleated in the Reign of King Edward the 3d, before the Year 1342 for it was in this Year that this Tranſaction hapned.

AFTER they were finiſhed, it Grey 27. was famous for being a Bullwark againſt the Scots, all the Power of Scotland could never win it, but of late, viz. in the Time of the Civil Wars, being aſſiſted by the Engliſh, it was ſtormed, and our Churches and Houſes defaced, and the Ornaments of both taken away.

IT is now going faſt into Ruins, ſeveral of the Turrets and ſome of the round Towers being fallen; but the Towers which ſtand, together with ſome lit⯑tle Parts of the Wall adjoining to them, are kept in good Repair by their reſpective Companies.

THE Circumference of this Wall, from the Cloſe-gate, to the ſame, is two Miles and 175 Yards.

CHAP. IV. WEST-GATE.

THIS Street has it's Name from it's being on the Weſt Part of the Town.

FROM the Gate Eaſtward is a Little Street called Ratten-Rawe, at the End of which is a narrow Paſſage, turning up to the North, which leads to the Monaſtery of the Black-Fryers.

CHAP. V. NEWGATE-STREET. Of the upper and higher Parts of this Street, towards the North.

THE old Part of Newgate, together with that Part of the Wall, leading as far as Ever-Tower, being viſibly older than the other Towers, and the Reſt of the Wall; is a ſure Sign that when the Walls were began, this Part of the Town was then inhabited.

IT is probable that hereabouts was the ancient Monkche⯑ſter, where the Monks and religious Men inhabited. This appears from a Place in this Street, viz. That Row of Houſes which ſtands almoſt in the Middle of the Street, called to this Day the Huckſter's Booths: For the People who dwelt in theſe Houſes, were Huckſters, and ſupplied the Religious Houſes with Proviſions. There is a Tradition ſtill among the Inha⯑bitants of this Part of the Town, That in old Times there were many Mar⯑kets between the Newgate and the White-Croſs; nay, ſome of them, according to the Tradition they have received, will Point out the very Ground where ſuch and ſuch Markets were.

NOW this, I think, is a ſufficient Proof that theſe Upper Parts of the Town were firſt inhabited by the Monks, the Lower Parts, as far as the Ca⯑ſtle Yard, were the Habitations of the Town's People: The Caſtellum, or For⯑tification having been thereabouts, from the Beginning of Hadrian's Wall, as we are inform'd, by a Mr. Horſe⯑ly of Mor⯑peth, who dy'd a few Months ago, a little before the publiſhing of his Roma⯑na Britannia, the Book re⯑ferr'd to. This Gentle⯑man was of he was of the Publick Grammar-School of this town, and afterwards ſtudied in one of the Scotch Colleges. He was Ma⯑ſter of Arts there, and Fellow of the Royal Society. He is ſuppoſed to have been equally Knowing with any in his Time, in the Britiſh Roman Antiquities. Rom. Britt. 132. late ingenious Author. He ſays there muſt have been a Station in this Town, for theſe Reaſons: If we conſider the Importance of this Place, it's Diſtance from the firſt Station at the End of the Wall, and the Turns the Wall makes, (eſpecially at the Eaſt Side of the Town) in Or⯑der to it's paſſing through the Heart of it; we can ſcarce Queſtion but there has been a Station here: And it's old Name of Monk-Cheſter ſeems to put it out of Doubt. The former Part of the Name is taken from the Settlement of the Monks in this Place, and the latter Part from the Word Caſtra, which is a pretty ſure Mark of a Station: Beſides the Name Newcaſtle, (given firſt [40] to the Caſtle it ſelf, and then to the Town) has been thought to imply (as in other Inſtances) that there was an old Vid. Chap. of the Caſtle. Caſtle or Fort there before, and near the Place where the new One was erected. And as this Newcaſtle was built by Robert, Son of William the Conqueror, the old Caſtle muſt have been undoubtedly Roman. And ſome Years ago, a Coin of Veſpaſian was found near the Caſtle, as I was told by the Perſon himfelf that found it.

THE ſame learned Author goes on thus: The next Thing is to determine the Boundaries and Situation of this Station, which I perſuade my ſelf may be done. I hinted before that there was a Traditionary Account of the Walls paſſing through St. George's Porch, near the North Weſt Corner of St. Ni⯑cholas Church. But it is certain that the Line of the Wall lies a little to the North of this End of the Church, and I think has not touched this Porch, tho' it comes near it. And therefore I conjecture, that the Wall which has paſſed through this Porch, muſt have been the Eaſt Rampart of the Station; for the Suppoſition will reconcile theſe ſeemingly differing Accounts: And if a Line be erected Perpendicular to that of Severius's Wall, ſo as to paſs thro' that Porch, and be continued along the Brow of the Hill, at the Head of the Side, 'till it meet the Line of Hadrian's Vallum, near the Eaſt End of Balygate, and not far from the Caſtle. This Line ſeems to anſwer ſo well in Reſpects, that I cannot much Doubt it's having been the Eaſtern Limits of the ancient Station: For this brings the Station near to the Caſtle, which probably has been built a little more to the South Eaſt, in order to bring it nearer to the Top of a Steep Hill. And fixing the Eaſtern Boundary of the Station here, leaves a Plain and Level Area for the Station it ſelf, and with⯑out it, a Deſcent towards the South and the River, for the Town to ſtand upon, which might extend it ſelf to the Bridge, ſuppoſing the ancient Bridge to be near the ſame Place where the preſent one ſtands: From which Bridge the ancient Town and Station might probably take the Name of Pons-Aelii This Eaſtern Boundary of the Station muſt at that Time have been near⯑er the River, than it is now now; ſince 'tis certain, that the River formerly flowed farther up towards this Part of the Town. The Poſition of the Ea⯑ſtern Rampart of the Station being thus determined, the other Boundaries may be alſo defined; for the Diſtance here between the Lines of the Walls ſeems to be about ſix Chains; and it is not much to be queſtioned, but the two Walls here, (as in other Caſes they frequently did) have fallen in with the Northern and Southern Ramparts of the Station; ſo that theſe ſix Chains have been the Breadth of the Station. And if we ſuppoſe the Station to have been of a middle Size, we muſt make it a Square, and allow ſix Chains for the length of it. If at this Diſtance another Line be drawn equal and Parallel to the former, and between the Lines of the Wall, it will be the Weſtern Boun⯑dary of the Station, as the two reſpective Parts of the two Walls make the Northern and Southern Limits. And upon this Suppoſition, a Line drawn from the Foot of the Fleſh-market to Baily-gate, near the eaſt End of it, will be the Eaſtern Limits of the ancient Station. That Part of the Vallum which reaches from Baily-gate to Mr. Ord's Houſe, will be the Southern Limit; and a Line drawn from hence, to that Part of the Line of Severus's Wall, which is about thirty Yards Eaſt from the End of Roſemary-lane, muſt be the We⯑ſtern Boundary, and the Part of Severus's Wall included between this and the Foot of the Fleſh-market, remains for the Line of the Northern Rampart.

CHAP. VI. Of the Diviſion of this Street.

HAVING now got as far as the End of the broad Part of this Street, we have the Breadth of it divided into Three Streets. The firſt Street, or that on the Right Hand, is called the Meal-market, the Oatmeal-market, or Groat-mar⯑ket, becauſe of the Oatmeal, which is ſold there every Day of the Week, but more eſpecially on the Saturday's. What Name it had formerly, or whether it ever had any other, I cannot ſay; but this is certain, that it has re⯑tained it's preſent Name above two hundred Years.

AT the Upper-end of this Street, or the North-end of it, is the Poſt-houſe of this Town, which is adorned with a pretty Area of a Quadrangular Figure, together with a good Garden: It belongs to Mr. James Bell, the preſent Poſt-Maſter.

AS you deſcend from this End of the Street, you turn the Corner of this Houſe upon the Right Hand, into a Lane called the Pudding-chare, or as I have ſeen it in ſome ancient Writings Budding-chare, which leads into Weſt⯑gate. There were three Houſes in this Lane which paid an Annual Rent to the Chantry of the Holy Trinity in St. John's Church; one paid 20 d. per Ann. another 2 d. and the third 4 d. The Lane called Roſemary-lane, which turns upon the Right Hand as you go down this Chare into Weſtgate, was former⯑ly called St. John's Chare; becauſe it led from the Pudding-chare to St. John's Church.

IN this Lane there is a Waſte, which belong'd to the Nuns of St. Bartholo⯑mew, boundering on the Weſt on the Common Gutter, and on the North on the Chantery Lands.

THIS Waſte is the Ground where are now the Gardens of Mr. James Bell, Poſt-maſter, and the old Houſes on the North of theſe Gardens, now the Property of Mr. Ralph Trotter, are the Chantery Lands here mentioned.

[53]OVER againſt the South-end of this Lane, which ſo leads to St. John's Church, is an ancient Alms-houſe, in which live ſeven poor People, who have a ſmall Allowance at Chriſtmas from the Town.

HAVING paſt the Eaſt-end of the Pudding-chare, we go Southward, which leads into the Body of the Meal-market, aforeſaid.

THERE is little in this Street worth taking Notice of; the Houſes ge⯑nerally are very ancient and mean, the few good ones are one which was built the laſt Year by Mr. Prior of this Town, Cooper, an ancient Inhabitant in this Street; and another the Houſe below it, which belongs to Mr. William Harriſon, Dyer, which was formerly the Dwelling-houſe of Timothy Robſon, Eſq Alderman of this Town, and ſometime Mayor; and ſome few others.

IN the Reign of Queen Elizabeth a Houſe in this Street belonging to one William Penrith, whoſe Site is now loſt, paid an annual Rent to the Chante⯑ry of our Lady in the Pariſh Church of Long-benton.

Rom. Bri⯑tann. p. 132.THE late Mr. Horſely tells us of another Houſe in this Street, in the laying of the Foundation of which, about 15 or 16 Years ſince, the Maſons ſtruck upon the Roman Wall at each of the Side Walls, ſo that the Building ſtands croſs the Roman Wall. But where the Site of it is he does not ſay.

TOWARDS the lower end of this Street is a large open, where is a Mar⯑ket every Saturday for Wool, below this again a Lane leading into Weſtgate, called Denton-chare.

PASSING by the Eaſt-end of this Chare, we come to the ancient Iron-Mar⯑ket, which was oppoſite to St. Nicholas Church, in that Piece of Ground lead⯑ing to the Side, from the Houſe of Mr. Charles Clark, and from below the Shop of the late Mr. John Kellot, Smith.

ANOTHER Street which the broad Street of the Big-market is divided in⯑to is the Middle-ſtreet, ſo called becauſe it ſtands in the Middle of the Streets in this Part of the Town; for it has on the Eaſt-ſide of it the Fleſh-market and Pilgrim-ſtreet, and on the Weſt, the Oatmeal-Market, and Weſtgate.

THIS Street bore anciently three Names, the upper Part of it was called Skinner-gate, the lower Part of it Spurrier-gate and Sadler-gate.

IT is a Street as it was in Grey's Time, where all Sorts of Artificers have Shops and Houſes.

WE come now to the 3d Street, (viz.) the Fleſh-market, at the upper-end of which is the Upper-dean-bridge, ſo called becauſe of the two Bridges which croſs this Dean or Rivulet, which runs into Lorkburne, this is that which is the higher or upper one.

HAVING paſſed by the Weſt-end of this Bridge we go Southward into the Fleſh-market.

GREY tells us, ‘that when the Good-men of this Town began to trade and venture beyond the Seas, they built many Ships, and procured a Char⯑ter from the Kings of England to carry Fells beyond Seas, and to bring in foreign Commodities. The Staple was then at Antwerp in Brabant, called Commune totius Europae Emporium. The Charter of the Merchant Adventurers was the firſt Charter that was granted by any King to any Town.’

‘AFTER this Grant this Town flouriſhed in trading, built many fair Houſes in the Fleſh-market, then called Cloth-market. The Merchants had [54] their Shops and Ware-houſes there, in the Back-parts of their Houſes: The River of Tyne flowed and ebbed, where Boats came up with Commodities; which Trade of Merchandizes continued many Years.’

‘IN this Street the Mayors, Aldermen, and richeſt Men of the Town lived.’

PART of the preſent Fleſh-market was called the Cloth-market, and part of it the Fleſh-market and Fiſh-market. An Anonymous Authority ſays, that in Pil⯑grim-ſtreet was the Market for Fiſh, that came up to the Nether-dean-bridge. But this in my Opinion is a Miſtake. For in the Ward belonging to Mor⯑den-Tower, part of it is over the Fleſh-ſhambles from the North Weſt Church Stile of St. Nicholas, unto the Fiſh-ſhambles. Conſequently the Fiſh that came up to the Nether-dean-bridge muſt have been ſold in the Fleſh-market, not in Pilgrim-ſtreet. The Shops of this Street are at preſent the Shops of Artificers, and the Houſes either chiefly Coffee-houſes or Taverns, or Ale-houſes.

IN ſome ancient Writings belonging to that worthy Gentleman The Rev. Mr. Smith of Melſonby, I find that ſeveral Houſes in this Street paid an an⯑nual Rent to Univerſity College in Oxford; one of them in particular nigh the Church Yard paid 6 s. in the Year 1304, and ſo did many Houſes in the o⯑ther Streets of this Town to the ſame College. Several of theſe were the Gift of the Lady Ann Bellaſys to this College, An. 1444.

THE Fleſh-market in this Street, which is held every Saturday, is a very great Market, not only as it ſupplies the Town in a great Meaſure, but as it alſo furniſhes the Country for ſeveral Miles round. Beſides there are ſeveral Thouſands of People belonging to the Coal-Works, ſuch as Staith-Men, Wag⯑goners, Pit-Men, Wrights, Keel-Men, &c. all which for the moſt part have their Proviſions from this Market.

THE Proviſion alſo for Ships, is got from this Market. And this indeed muſt be very conſiderable, when there will be ſometimes 3 or 4 hundred Sail in at a Time.

THERE are 2 Fairs kept in this Market every Year for 8 Days together, the one begins upon Lammas Day, or the Firſt of Auguſt, which Grey calls a remarkable Time of the Year, but why he calls it ſo, he gives no Account. This Fair is in ſome Meaſure of an ancient ſtanding. For we meet with ſome Account of it in the Reign of King John, mentioned in a Charter of another of our Kings. The Words are theſe, Inſuper cum Dicti Burgenſes per Chartam praefati Joannis Regis habeant in dicto Burgo unam feriam ſingulis annis per duos dies duraturam, viz. in vigilia & in die Sancti Petri ad Vincula, &c.

NOW from this it appears that King John granted to the Town of New⯑caſtle, Lammas Fair, which he order'd ſhould be held on the Eve of St. Peter ad Vincula, and upon the Day it ſelf. Blount in Verb. I ſuppoſe Grey calls it a remark⯑able Time of the Year, as well becauſe it is called Lammas Day as becauſe it is called St. Peter advincula. As it is Lammas Day, it is a remarkable Time of the Year, for it is called Lambmas becauſe Lambs were not then fit to eat, they were grown too big: aliter from the Sax. III asmaesse q. d. Loaf⯑mas, becauſe on that Day the Engliſh made an Offering of Bread made with new Wheat. On this Day it was, that Tenants that held Lands of the Cathe⯑dral Church of York (which is dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula) were bound by their Tenure to bring a Live Lamb into the Church at High-maſs on that Day.

IT is alſo a remarkable Time, as it is St. Peter ad vincula, and as it is called the Gule of Auguſt, from the Latin Gula, a Throat. The Reaſon is ſet down in Durand's Rationale (Lib. 7. c. 19.) who ſays, that one Quirinus, a Tribune, hav⯑ing a Daughter that had a Diſeaſe in her Throat, went to Alexander, then Pope [55] of Rome, the 6th from St. Peter, and deſired of him to borrow, or to ſee the Chains, that St. Peter was chained with under Nero; which being obtained, the ſaid Daughter kiſſing the Chains, was cured of her Deſeaſe, and Quirinus with his Family baptized. Tunc dictus Alexander Papa hoc Feſtum in Calendis auguſti celebrandum inſtituit, & in honorem beati Petri Eccleſiam in Urbe Fabrica⯑vit, ubi vincula ipſa repoſuit, & ad Vincula nominavit, & in calendis auguſti dedi⯑cavit. In qua, Feſtivitate Populus illic ipſa vincula hodie Oſculatur. So that this Day being before called only the Calends of Auguſt, was upon this Occaſion termed indifferently either St. Peter's Day ad Vincula, from the Inſtrument that wrought the Miracle; or the Gule of Auguſt from that Part of the Virgin whereon the Miracle was wrought. Blount in verb.

AFTER this Fair granted by King John, it was by a ſucceeding King, or⯑dered to begin at the ſame Time, and to continue 28 Days. When it was reduced to the Time above-mentioned I have not met with.

THE other Fair held in this Market is at St. Lukeſmas, it was granted to the Town in the Reign of Henry the 7th. During the Time of theſe Fairs there is a Court of Pye-powder. All the Privileges and Power that a Court Leet can have, is granted to this Court. Grey 17.

TOWARDS the South-end of this was a large Croſs, with a lead Ciſtern at the Top of it to hold the Water, called the New-water; which was pulled down about 3 Years ago. Beyond this, at the End of this Street is the Cor⯑diners Meeting-houſe.

CHAP. VII. Of St. NICHOLAS Church.

AT the End of the Fleſh-market, on the South-ſide of the Cordiners Meeting-houſe, juſt now mentioned, ſtands the Church of St. Nicholas. It is a very grand and magnifi⯑cent Building, being in length 79 Yards, two Foot, three Quarters; in breadth 24 Yards, two Foot, three Quarters; and of an Height equal and proportionable. Who it was founded by I have no where met with, but if a Conjecture may be made, it was perhaps founded by Henry the Firſt: But be this as it will, it is certain it is as old as his Days. For Henricus Rex, Angliae Archiepiſco⯑po Ebor' & E⯑piſcopo Du⯑nelm' & Vi⯑cecomiti de Northumber⯑landa Salu⯑tem. Sciatis me dediſſe & conceſſiſſe Deo & San⯑ctae Mariae de Cairlelia & Canonicis e⯑juſdem loci, Eccleſiam de Novo Caſtello ſuper Tynam & Eccleſiam de Newburna & Eccleſia quas Ricar⯑dus de aurea Valle de me tenet' poſt obitum ejus, & Ricardus, & Clerici qui ipſis Ec⯑cleſiis deſer⯑viunt, recog⯑noſcant de Canonicis ipſius & fa⯑ciant eis ſer⯑vitium quod mihi facere ſolebant & Poſt obitum eorum redigantur Eccleſiae in Manus Canonicorum. Ita quod Clerici qui eis De⯑ſerviant, habeantinde Neceſſaria & Canonici habeant reliquum. Dugdal. Monaſt. P. 2. p. 73. it was this King that gave it to the Church and Canons of St. Mary's of Carliſle; and al⯑ſo at the ſame Time the Church of Newburn.

IN a Book belonging to the Veſtry of St. Nicholas, it is ſaid to be founded in the Year 1091; but what Authority this Account depends upon, I know not; however it is ſomewhat probable.

THE ordering of the Vicarage was not 'till ſome Years after. The King indeed in his Charter makes a general Proviſion of what is neceſſary for the Miniſter of this Church, but does not ſay what that is. This was done by Hugh Pudſey, Biſhop of Durham, as Thomas Hatfield, one of his Succeſſors gave it under his Epiſcopal Seal at Auckland, June 6th, 1360. For having ſearched the Regiſter of Hugh, his Predeceſſor, he found, that he with the Con⯑ſent of the Prior, and Convent of Carliſle, order'd the Vicarage of St. Nicholas in Newcaſtle upon Tyne, on the Day before the Converſion of St. Paul, or January 24th, 1194, and gave the Vicar, for the Time being, a Portion, or Maintenance, viz. all the Fruits, annual Profits, Oblations, Obventions whatſo⯑ever, of what Kind or Thing ſoever they were, belonging to the Church of St. Nicholas, except the great Tythes belonging to the ſame Church.

THIS Account I am obliged to Dr. Hunter of Durham for, who favoured me with the following Tranſcript from Biſhop Hatfield's Regiſter.

THE Steeple of this Church is in Height 64 Yards, one Foot, three Quar⯑ters. It is ſuppoſed, as to it's Model, to be the moſt curious in the whole Kingdom: It is adorned with 13 Pinacles, and a large and beautiful Lanthorn, which ſtands upon two very bold Arches of Stone, and at the Top of the ſaid Lanthorn ſtands the tall Spire, by much the largeſt belonging to the Stee⯑ple. On the Corners of the old Tower, upon which ſtands the ſaid beautiful Structure, are four Images, one at each Corner, cut at length in Stone. 'Tis ſaid that Ben Johnſon, the Poet, made the following Lines upon it.

IT is ſaid, and indeed confeſſed, that Robert Rhodes was more probably the Builder of this Steeple than any other Perſon: His Name being at the Bottom of the Belſry.

BUT who this Robert Rhodes was, is more uncertain. Grey tells us, that Ro⯑bert de Rhodes was the Lord Prior of Tinmouth, in Henry the 6th Days. And an Anoymous Authority ſeems to ſuggeſt, that this Robert Rhodes was one of the Biſhop of Durham's Juſtices; becauſe in a Regiſter at Durham, there is mention made of Robert Rhodes, ab Anno 1486, ad An' 1537, and Agnes his Wife.

BUT neither of theſe ſeem to me to be the true one. I am rather inclina⯑ble to believe, that one Robert Rhodes, Eſq who lived in this Town in the Reign of Henry the 6th was the true Perſon. We meet with this Gentleman's Name in an Inquiſition that was taken at the Caſtle of Newcaſtle, in the 25th of Henry the 6th, 1447; for two of the Gentlemen preſent were Roger Thorn⯑ton, the Son of the famous Benefactor of that Name, and Robert Rhodes, and they were alſo firſt mentioned after the Mayor.

Lib. de Reb. 11.IN the Year 1451, we meet again with the ſame Perſon, who together with the ſaid Roger Thornton, by an Inſtrument bearing the ſame Date, con⯑veyed ſome Houſes for the Uſe of a Chantery Prieſt to pray for the Soul of [58] William Johnſon. We have alſo a further Account of this Gentleman in the Year 1500, for an Inſtrument bearing that Date informs us, that the Mayor and Inhabitants of Newcaſtle, gave a Tenement to a Prieſt to live in, who was to pray for the Soul of Robert Rhodes and Agnes his Wife, at the Altar of St. John the Baptiſt, and John the Evangeliſt in St. Nicholas Church.

NOW when it is conſidered that this Robert Rhodes, I am ſpeaking of, was ſo great a Man in this Town, that he lived in the ſame Reign in which Grey acknowledges the Lanthorne to have been built, namely in the Reign of Hen. the 6th, and that he was ſo commemorated by the Mayor and Inhabitants af⯑ter his Deceaſe, I dare ſay it will appear much more probable that he was the Builder than either of the others.

THERE might indeed be, and probably there was a Robert Rhodes, Prior of Tinmouth, in the Reign of Hen. the 6th, but I never met with any Bene⯑factions of the Priors of Tinmouth to the Town of Newcaſtle. They were on the contrary mortal Enemies to this Place, and always jealous of it's encreaſ⯑ing Glory. As to the other Robert Rhodes, one of the Biſhop's Juſtices, he was alive in the Year 1537, which was the 29th of Henry the 8th, and ſo comes too late to build a Steeple in the Reign of Henry the 6th. I have been told by a worthy Gentleman, and one who is curious in theſe Things, that this Robert Rhodes, ſo taken Notice of by this Town, was Eſcheator.

THERE is a traditional Story of this Building I am now treating of, which may not be improper to be here taken Notice of. In the Time of the Civil Wars, when the Scots had beſieg'd the Town for ſeveral Weeks, and were ſtill as far as at firſt from taking it, the General ſent a Meſſenger to the May⯑or or of the Town, and demanded the Keys, and the Delivering up of the Town, or he would immediately demoliſh the Steeple of St. Nicholas. The Mayor and Aldermen upon hearing this, immediately ordered a certain Number of the chiefeſt of the Scottiſh Priſoners to be carried up to the Top of the old Tower, the Place below the Lanthorne, and there confined; after this they returned the General an Anſwer to this Purpoſe, That they would upon no Terms de⯑liver up the Town, but would to the laſt Moment defend it: That the Steeple of St. Nicholas was indeed a beautiful and magnificent Piece of Architecture, and one of the great Ornaments of their Town; but yet ſhould be blown into Attoms before ranſom'd at ſuch a Rate: That however, if it was to fall, it ſhould not fall alone; that the ſame Moment he deſtroyed the beautiful Structure, he ſhould Bath his Hands in the Blood of his Countrymen; who were placed there on Purpoſe either to preſerve it from Ruin, or to die along with it. This Meſſage had the deſired Effect. The Men were there kept Priſoners during the whole Time of the Siege, and not ſo much as one Gun fired againſt it.

THERE were only five Bells originally belonging to this Church, but of late Years the Number is encreas'd to Eight. The great Bell, call'd the com⯑mon Bell, was ſent to Colcheſter to be new caſt in the Year 1615, it weighed 3129 lb. They are very large ones, have a bold and noble Sound, and yet exceedingly ſweet and Harmonious. The three latter Bells were given to this Church by the Corporation.

IN the Year 1723, William Elliſon, Eſq Mayor, and Robert Sowersby, Eſq Sheriff, the Steeple was repaired at the Expence of the Corporation.

AT the North Door of this Church, it is obſervable, that the large Flagg which is the firſt Step into the Church, is cut all along the Surface with un⯑even Lines, in Imitation of the Waves of the Sea. This is a ſilent Remem⯑brancer of the Saint the Church is dedicated to; for St. Nicholas, the Biſhop of Myra, who lived in the Time of Conſtantine the Great, is ſo famous among ſome for his Miracles and Apparitions by Sea, that he has merited the Title of the Patron of the Sailors.

[59]THERE were no fewer than 9 Chanteries belonging to this Church, which are valued at 48 l. 4 s. 6 d. per Annum.

THE Chantery of St. John the Baptiſt, and St. John the Apoſtle, was on the In Eccle⯑ſia Sancti Nich. de di⯑cta villa No⯑vicaſtri ad altare Bore⯑ale Joannis Baptiſtae & Joannis A⯑poſt. & E⯑vangel. lib. Cart. p. 121. North-ſide of the Church. It is ſaid to have been founded by Robert Rhodes and Agnes his Wife, and licenſed by King Henry the 6th. If there be any Truth in this, it is that he was a third Founder. He allowed a Prieſt 7 l. 7 s. 10 d. per Annum to pray for his Soul, and the Soul of his Wife; and the Town of Newcaſtle, as it is ſaid above, out of Reſpect to his Memory, gave the Prieſt a Houſe to live in; but it's a Miſtake that this Chantery was not founded before, for Richard de Emeldon who had been above 12 Times Mayor of Newcaſtle, was permitted by Letters Patents from King Edward the 3d, to build upon a Piece of vacant Ground, over againſt the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr, that he might preſent it to Three Chaplains, to procure their Prayers for him whilſt he was living, and after he was dead, and alſo for the Souls of his Wives and his Father and Mother, &c. every Day at the Al⯑tar in St. Nicholas, which was dedicated to John the Baptiſt, and John the Apoſtle and Evangeliſt. This Gentleman died about the 6th or 7th of the Reign now mentioned, as is clearly gathered from the Authority above; and the Letters in which this Chantery is mentioned bear Date the 6th of this Reign: and therefore it is a Miſtake to ſuppoſe this Chantery founded in the Reign of Henry the 6th, which was almoſt an hundred Years after.

THE Prieſts ſet a-part to attend this Altar, were every Day to pray for his Soul, and the others above-mentioned; and by an Order from the Then Ri⯑chard, Lord Biſhop of Durham, the Chaplains for the Time being, were obli⯑ged on the Anniverſary Day of his Death, every Year for Ever, to celebrate his Memory with a Solemn tolling of the Bells, and devoutly ſinging by Note in the Evening of the Anniverſary, and on the Anniverſary itſelf, and ſolemnly to ſing Maſs for the Soul of Richard himſelf, and the Souls above-mentioned, and the Souls of all the Faithful departed. And after Maſs, one of the Chaplains was to diſtribute among an hundred and ſixty poor People, the Sum of Six Shillings and Eight-pence, and this annually for ever. This, together with ſeveral o⯑ther Things, was ordered by Richard, Biſhop of Durham, in the 3d Year of his Conſecration, Anno 1335, which was, with all other Things mentioned in the Charter, confirmed by Edward the 3d, in the 10th Year of his Reign.

THUS then it appears that this Chantery is of a much older Date than the Reign of Henry the Sixth. But this is not all; Richard de Emeldon, was but a ſecond Founder of this Chantery: It boaſts ſtill an higher Antiquity, and is ſaid to have been founded by Laurence of Durham, who was Prior of Durham in the Year 1149, which, by the way, is a further Proof of our Conjecture of this Church's being founded by King Henry the Firſt, or in that Reign at lateſt.

2. THE Chantery of St. Catherine was founded by William Johnſon and I⯑ſabel his Wife, in the Reign of Edward the Third; it's yearly Value was 6 l. 15 s. Roger Thornton, the Son of Roger the great Benefactor, in a Deed dated December the 20th, 1451, is made, together with ſome others, a Truſtee by a Feoffment of Roger booth, the ſurviving Feoffee of William Johnſon, who gave the Lands and Tenements therein mentioned, for the better Support of a Perpetual Chaplain to attend the Chantery of St. Catherine, which is ſaid to be ab Alano-Durham ab antiquo ſundat:

IN the Reign of King Henry the 6th, one Robert Mitford was the Chap⯑lain of this Chantery, who ſucceeded Peter Angram, a former Chaplain.

3. ANOTHER Chantery of St. Catherine, was founded by Nicholas and John Elliker. The Deed of Foundation is ſaid to have been imbezeled by Richard Wallas, late Incumbent there: The yearly Value 3 l. 14 s. 8 d. which aroſe [60] out of certain Tenements ſituated in the Cloſe, Caſtle-mote, in the Side, and in Sandgate.

4. THE Chantery of St. Peter and St. Paul, was founded by Adam Henro⯑ther, and Allan Hilton, and licenced by King Henry the Fourth; the yearly Value 4 l. 13 s. 4 d. which aroſe from ſome Tenements in the Cloſe, Side, and Weſtgate.

5. THE Chantery of St. Thomas, was founded by John Thapecape, and li⯑cenced by Edward the Third; the yearly Value of it was 4 l. 12 s. 6 d.

6. THE Chantery of our Lady, whoſe Deed of Foundation is ſaid to have been imbezeled by Thomas Ireland, late Incumbent there. But however we may give ſome Gueſs at the Time of it: For Lib. Cart. p. 48. there is mention made of it, and of two Shillings a Year given to it, in a Charter which was ſigned by Nicholas de Carleol, then Capital Bailiff of the Town, in the Year 1328; and in the Year 1305, Peter Graper, then Mayor of the Town, gave Et cuidam Capellano celebranti divina ad al⯑tare Beatae Mariae Virgi⯑nis in Eccle⯑ſia Beatae Nicholai de Novo Ca⯑ſtro duos So⯑lidos argenti &c. Lib. Cart. two Shil⯑lings a Year to the Chaplain that waited upon the Altar of the bleſſed Vir⯑gin Mary, in the Church of St. Nicholas. So that it muſt at lateſt have been founded in the Reign of King Edward the Firſt. That large Porch on the South-ſide of the Church, or the South-Croſs of the Church, as it is called, is the Chantery of St. Mary's; the yearly Value of it was 5 l. 16 s.

7. STEPHEN Whitgray, and Mary his Wife, founded the Chantery of St. Margaret, in the South-ſide of the Church of St. Nicholas, in the Reign of Richard the Second. I take that Square Place, called Bewick's Burial-place, now the Burial-place of Utrick Whitfield, Eſq near the Porch-Door of this Church, to have been this Chantery.

THEY conſtituted John de Etell, Chaplain of this Chantery, to pray for their Souls, and the Souls of the faithful departed. The Value of this Chan⯑tery was 10 Marks yearly, which was raiſed out of certain Tenements, viz. out of one near the Cale-croſs, and from a Tenement which paid ſomewhat to the Chantery of St. Eligie, in the Church of All-Hallows in this Town; and from another Tenement near the Cale-Croſs, which lay near Grundon-chare; and from another Tenement over-againſt St. Nicholas Church; and from ano⯑ther Tenement in Hackergate, near the Chapel of All-Saints; and from a Te⯑nement near Kirk-chare; from a Tenement in Pampedon; from a Tenement in Broad-chare; from a Garden near Pampedon-burne; from a Tenement in Cale⯑garth in Broad-chare, &c.

THE Chaplain of this Chantery, after the Deceaſe of the Founder, was to be choſen by the Vicar of St. Nicholas, the Mayor and Bailiffs of this Town, and Four of the honeſt Pariſhioners of St. Nicholas. Witneſſes of this Char⯑ter, were Laurentius de Acton, Mayor of this Town, Henry de Carliol, Thomas de Gryndon, John de Newbiggyng, John de Appreton, Bailiffs, Thomas de Hering⯑ton, John de Coket. Given at Newcaſtle the 20th of April, Anno Dom. 1394, in the 17th of Richard the Second.

8. THE Chantery of St. Cuthbert, was founded by Thomas Harrington and William Redmarſhall, in the Reign of Richard the Second; yearly Value 7 l. 3 s. 2 d. which was raiſed out of certain Tenements ſituated in the Sandhill, Side, and Cloſe.

9. THE Chantery of St. Loye, was founded by Robert Caſtell, in the Reign of Edward the Third: Yearly value 4 l. 10 s. which aroſe from Tenements in the Cloſe, Weſtgate, and from a Cloſe without the Weſt-gate, called Gooſe-green-cloſe.

THE Font belonging to this Church has either been built or repair'd by Robert Rhodes the Builder of the upper Part of the Steeple; for his Coat of Arms (and probably his Wife's too) is quartered on the Baſis of it.

[61]ON the North-Iſle, anſwering to the Nave or Body of this Church is a large Gallery, which is chiefly for the Uſe of the Boys of the Grammar School. At the Eaſt-end of which an Addition was made to it by the Rev. Dr. Tom⯑linſon, for the Uſe of his Succeſſor, the Lecturer of St. Nicholas, and his own Family.

IN the Rood-loft, or the Gallery which ſeperates the Chancel from the Nave of the Church, now called the Organ-loft, is a Double Organ.

ON the North-ſide of this Organ, is a Porch called Saint George's Porch, which was built, as Grey informs us, by one of the Kings of this Land. It has undoubtedly been one of the ancient Chanteries; for ſeveral of them were ſi⯑tuated thereabouts, between the Gallery and this Porch; as ſome others of them were in St. Mary's Porch, or the South Croſs of the Church. It hath under it a Vault, and there is on the North Windows the Head of the King, the Father of the Lady which St. George delivered from the Dragon.

ON the Eaſt Windows is ſtill remaining ſome of the painted Glaſs. There is particularly the Picture of Saint Laurence, and ſome Skin-marks, and Coats of Arms. It has been a beautiful little Place: It is ceiled at the Top, and has been ſurrounded with carv'd Work in Wood; ſome of which ſtill remains, to ſpeak the Curious Art and commendable Expence of the Days of old.

THE Chancel of this Church is a very noble and ſtately one. The Altar was in the Year 1712, very ſumptuouſly and yet decently adorn'd. At the [...] Top, is the Word Jehovah, and under that, in a Glory, a Part of the Name of Lord which he himſelf proclaimed before Moſes. The Lord God merciful and gracious. What is below that again, ſee in the Altar of All-hallows.

The PLATE for the Altar.

TWO Flaggons; Three Challices and Covers; Three Salvers; A ſmall Spoon Drainer.

ON the South Side of the Chancel is the Veſtry, above which is the Library. The Keeper of which is the Rev. Mr. Stoddard, Aſſiſtant Curate of this Church.

IN this are ſeveral good Books, and ſome Manuſcripts: But it is not at pre⯑ſent any way comparable to what it will be hereafter, either for Variety or Number of Books of all Kinds of Learning; The worthy and learned Dr. Tomlinſon, being expected to leave at his Death, to this Library, his whole Study, which is perhaps (conſidering the vaſt Number of Books, their be⯑ing ſo well choſen, ſo neatly and curiouſly Bound, their great Variety, being of all Manner of Subjects, treating of all Arts and Sciences) a Library out⯑done by few private Gentlemen in the Kingdom.

Grey 10.IN this Church are many ſumptuous Windows, but that in the Eaſt ſur⯑paſſeth all the Reſt in Height, Largeneſs, and Beauty. This Author ſays, that there were in this Window the Twelve Apoſtles, and the ſeven Deeds of Charity: I ſuppoſe he Means, painted upon the Glaſs. He tells us alſo, that this Window was built by the Beneficent Roger Thornton, the Elder, and that there was this Inſcription on it. Orate pro anima Rogeri de Thornton, & pro animabus Filiorum & Filiarum. At preſent there is nothing remaining of theſe Pictures, but two Heads, which, if we may Judge of the Reſt by them, will ſpeak them to have been very Tall, and curiouſly done: The Inſcription is intirely gone.

AN Indulgence of 40 Days was granted by twelve Foreign Biſhops, 1359, and confirmed by Thomas Hatfield, Biſhop of Durham, to all ſuch (having re⯑pented and confeſſed their Sins) as performed the following Things, viz. If [62] they came to this Church to Maſs, to Prayers Morning or Evening, or other Divine offices, on the Feaſt of it's Patron, and the others below written, viz. on the Feaſt of Chriſtmas-day, the Circumciſion, the Epiphany, Eaſter-Eve, the Aſcenſion, Pentecoſt, Trinity, Corpus Chriſti, the Invention and Exaltation of the Holy Croſs, St. Michael the Arch-Angel, the Nativity and Decollation of John the Baptiſt, the bleſſed Apoſtles Peter and Paul, and all other Apoſtles and E⯑vangeliſts; the Commemoration of All-Souls, and on the Feaſt of the Dedica⯑tion of the ſaid Church of St. Nicholas; and alſo on the Feaſts of St. Stephen, Lawrence, George, Martin, Dionyſius, Blaſius, Mary Magdalen, Catharine, Aga⯑tha, Margaret, and in the Octaves of all Feaſts, and on every Lord's -Day and Sabbath through the Year. They alſo were intitled to this Indulgence who follow'd the Body of Chriſt, and the Holy-Oyl, when they were carryed to the the Sick; or who went round the Church-yard, praying all the while for the Dead; Thoſe alſo were intitled who aſſiſted in the Repairing of the ſaid Church, or Gifted it with Lamps, Books, Chalices, Veſtments, or any other neceſſary Or⯑naments; or gave, or left to it by Will, Gold, Silver, or any Part of their Subſtance: Thoſe alſo ſhared in it, who on the Sundays ſaid their Prayers when the Bell rung at High Maſs, at the conſecrating of the Body of Chriſt; and laſtly thoſe who devoutly prayed for the Soul of Catherine de Camera, whoſe Body was buried in the ſaid Church, and for the healthful Eſtate of John de Camera, Gilbert de Dukesfield, and Agnes his Wife, as long as they lived, and for their Souls when they were dead.St. Nicho⯑las Veſtry.

CHAP. VIII. Of PILGRIM-STREET.

THIS Street got it's Name from the Pilgrims, who came from all parts of this Kingdom to worſhip at our Lady's Chapel at Geſmond, or Jeſu⯑munde, or as it is called in ſome ancient Writings Je⯑ſumuth, is it pleaſant Vil⯑lage, on the North-Eaſt of Newca⯑ſtle, Diſtant from it about 2 Miles; it appertained to the Barony of Robert de Gaugy, as appears by a Certificate given in the Third of Hen. the 3d. of ſuch Manours, as his Barony did conſiſt of, for which he was obliged to the Service of Three Knights Fees. Mag. Brit. Vol. 3. Adamus de Athol, who lies buried in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, in St.Andrew's Church, lived in this Village, and is called Dominus de Jeſmond: The Orde's Family was alſo in Poſſeſſion of it. There are ſtill to be ſeen the Ruins of the Chapel and Hoſpital of our Lady in this Village. The Hoſpital is now a Dwelling-houſe; but the Chapel is chang'd into ſomething worſe, being turn'd into a Stable. I am told, and it is very probable, that this Chapel and Hoſpital are at preſent the Property of Mr. Robert Andrew of Gateſhead. Geſmond.