ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 39; 



Befides, the coaft for fertility, and the conveniency of their navy 

 and (hipping, was of more value to them than all the reft, unlefs 

 it can be fuppofcd, contrary to the ufual practice of that wife na- 

 tion, that they preferred poverty to wealth, danger to fecurity, 

 hardfhips and difficulties to pleafure and convenience, and 

 rifqued their lives for the acquifition of bleak mountains and 

 hills, barren rocks, heaths and mora/Tcs. The caftles of Tyns- 

 mouth, Dunftonbroujrh, and this, fland in a line, as Agricolas chain 

 of forts did crofs the country between the two fcas ; and it is very 

 likely that the firil foundations of all three were Roman. It is 

 well known, that the Saxons built their caftles, when they could, 

 on Roman foundations, and gave them the name of Burg and 

 Brcugh. The Danes gave them the name of Burgos. The Saxon 

 king, Ida, has the honour done him by Roger Hove den, and all 

 our hiftorians, of being the builder of this, and make its anti- 

 quity coeval with his kingdom of Northumberland. He firft in- 

 clofed it with wooden pales, and afterwards with (tone. A well 

 was made to accommodate it with water, which is much praifcd 

 by Ko-veden for its goodnefs, and for the flone-workmanmip about 

 it. When the SV/xow-court afterwards became Chrlftian, and Nor- 

 thumberland-kings fervcd God with more pleafure than the world, 

 a church or chapel was built within it, confecrated by K. Ofwald 

 to St. Aidan. 



It muft have been a place of great ftrength, as it was the fanc- 

 tuary of the Northumberland-kings, earls, and governors, on any 

 imminent danger ; withftood the fury of many fieges and bio- 

 cades, and was the confinement of flfate-prifoners. K. Of red, in 

 his minority, and a nobleman under whofe tuition he was, called 

 Brithric, fruit themfelves up in it, on the death of K. Alfred, his 

 father, in 705; to be fafe from the violences of Edulph, a rebel 

 lord, who had feifed upon the crown. Edulph befieged it with 



his 



