378 CKATKK. 



en to Egfrid king of Northumberland, in 685, by 

 \\ hv>m it come to the church of Durham. This pi. 

 ous person, St. Cuthbert, bishop ofLandisferne, or 

 the Holy Island, soon after founded a monastery 

 here. It is said that king Egfrid gave this village 

 and laud about it to St. Cnthbert, that he might 

 have a place to rest at on his way in going and re- 

 turning from the north to York. This shews the 

 nature of those times, and the high respect which 

 was paid to those who officiated in holy things. 



The village stands on an eminence. On the sum- 

 mit of this hill stand the ruins of Craike castle. 

 It is not known by whom this once powerful and 

 magnificient building was erected ; but it is conject- 

 ured to have been a Roman fortress, and that in the 

 time of the Saxons it was a royal palace. The pros- 

 pect from this situation is most commanding : hence 

 is a delightful view of the forest of Galtres, and 

 an enchanting range over the picturesque and ex- 

 tended vale of Mowbray ; so called from its ancient 

 owner Roger de Mowbray, who was a principal 

 man with William Rufus, and possessed one hun- 

 dred and forty manors in England, and twenty in 

 Normandy. He built a great number of religious 

 houses in one of which he ended his days. The 

 ruins of Craike castle, are now occupied as a farm 

 house. Near these ruins is the church, surround- 

 ed by lofty trees and dedicated to St. Cuthbert. 



The freeholders of this place vote for knights, for 

 the county of Durham ; pleas of land are held hi 

 the county of Durham ; but in the military arrange- 

 ments, government thought proper to embody the > 

 militia with the troops raised in this county. 



