NOETHUMBERLAND. 



The whole county of Northumberland abounds in various remains 

 of primitive occupation, consisting of fortified places, of greater or 

 less size and differing considerably in the nature of their defensive 

 arrangements ; of hut-circles (the foundations of dwellings), some- 

 times placed within the camps, at other times having no provision 

 for defence ; of circles of stone, stone rows (alignments), and single 

 standing stones (monoliths); of rocks and loose stones marked with 

 pits or cups, with circles surrounding pits and with like figures ; 

 and of cairns, barrows, and cists placed in the ground without any 

 super-imposed mound to mark out the burial-place. In addition 

 to these evidences of an early and extensive population, the same is 

 attested by w^eapons and implements of flint and other stone, as 

 well as of bronze, which have all been discovered in many places 

 and in considerable abundance. 



There is perhaps no part of the county which is more prolific of 

 these and other indications of occupation than the parish of Ford 

 and the adjacent district. It possesses a large amount of fertile 

 soil, with considerable tracts of high land amply provided with 

 positions of great natural strength, and has the river Till, a stream 

 well stocked with fish of various kinds, running throuo-h it. In 

 its immediate proximity is the mountain range of Cheviot, whose 

 ancient forest would naturally abound with game of the larger 

 kinds. The district therefore would almost of necessity be early 

 and extensively peopled. 



We find here, in addition to two circles of stones, a monolith on 

 the field of Flodden, which tradition (not much to be depended on) 

 speaks of as marking the place where King James fell in that 

 disastrous battle. The very hill on which the Scottish army was 

 entrenched the night before the fight is surmounted by a large and 

 strong series of mounds and ditches of ancient British origin, which 





