POLITICAL HISTORY 



fourteenth century witnessed the rise of many strongholds throughout 

 the land. The building of embattled churches, ' half church of God, 

 half fortress 'gainst the Scot,' to which the parishioners flocked in time 

 of danger, is a curious feature of this movement. Close to the estuary 

 of the Eden, two of these churches remain intact to the present day. 

 Shortly after 1303 the monks of Holmcultram erected one of these 

 fortified churches at Newton Arlosh for the protection of their tenants, 1 

 and at a subsequent date the strong tower of the church of Burgh by 

 Sands was rebuilt 2 with walls 6 or 7 feet thick, two notable examples of 

 the medieval fortress with arched chambers, loop-holes and embrasures 

 capable of resisting a siege. The rector of Bowness on Solway dwelt in 

 a fortalice close to the churchyard wall, the vestiges of which were only 

 recently demolished. 3 Places of defence erected by the voluntary efforts 

 of the community were afterwards utilized by the Crown. In 1380 the 

 king commanded all laymen holding i oo marks or more of land or rent 

 to reside constantly on their estates for the defence of the March, and 

 to see that all castles and fortalices within 3 or 4 leagues of the frontier 

 were well fortified and provided with men and stores to resist the Scots ; 

 similar instructions were given to all captains, lords, wardens of castles, 

 mayors and other officers to obey the king's lieutenant in charge of the 

 March. 4 This distribution of responsibility, occasioned by the necessity 

 of the time, was not without effect on the military position of the 



the old word ' peel ' was used to describe them, the name by which they are known to the present day. 

 Almost every old house of considerable size in Cumberland includes one of these square towers or peels, 

 though it is often difficult to find them except by the thickness of the walls. In many places they stand 

 alone by farm houses, once the seats of country squires. 



1 The bishop's licence for the building of the church of Newton Arlosh is dated II April 1304, and 

 runs thus : ' considerantes insuper statum vestrum per hostiles invasiones et depredaciones Scottorum 

 adeo depauperatum quod terras vestras more solito ad commodum vestrum excolere non potestis . . . con- 

 cedimus . . . ut liceat vobis in territorio vestro de Arlosk infra fines vestros predictos unam capellam 

 seu ecclesiam de novo construere pro vestris inquilinis et inhabitantibus infra fines vestros de Holm moran- 

 tibus . . . Quam capellam seu ecclesiam, cum constructa fuerit, iuxta decenciam, etc. (Harleian MS. 

 391 1 [Reg. of Holmcultram], ff. 7-8). Ground plans, elevations and sections of this church, as it existed 

 at the beginning of the nineteenth century, have been given by Messrs. Lysons (Hist, of Cumberland, 

 pp. cxc.-cxci.). 



J The erection of the present tower of the church of Burgh by Sands is often ascribed to the reign 

 of Edward I., but that date is much too early. In a commission for inquiring ' super prostracione quorun- 

 dam arcuum in ecclesia de Burgo super Sabulones,' dated 15 July 1360, Bishop Welton speaks of 'quern- 

 dam arcum operi novi campanilis adherentem in dicta ecclesia ' (Carl. Epis. Reg., Welton, f. 68). From 

 this statement it may be concluded that the tower was not at that time an ancient structure. 



3 In 1464 William Raa, registrar of the diocese of Carlisle, made this entry in the bishop's 

 accounts of that year : ' De fine rectoris de Bowness pro una litera questandi pro reparacione unius 

 domus defensionis ibidem non respondet hie quia conceditur per dominum gratis ' (Diocesan MS.). 

 Leland says that ' Bolnes ys at the Poynt or Playne of the Ryver of Edon wher ys a lytle poore Steple as a 

 Fortelet for a brunt, and yt ys on hyther syde of the Ryver of Edon, abowt a viii. myles from Cair Luel ' 

 (Itinerary, vii. 52 [ed. Hearne], 1744). In a survey of Border fortresses made by Christopher Dacre in 1580, 

 the condition of ' Bownes Towre ' is thus described : ' This house or towre doth belonge to y" parsonage 

 theire, standing about 4 miles west and by north from ye said house of Drumburghe adioyning to the sea 

 criek v/* devideth ye English and Scotesche borders and the furthest parte towardes y c west, y' y Scotts 

 may enter otherwise then by botinge, and about a mile and a half over the same criek to Scotland at a 

 full sea, a place of small receipt and yet very necessairy for defence of y' parte of the Border, partly de- 

 cayed, the charges of w ch reparacon with a plattforme for ordinance w ch were necessarie to be made upon 

 y c same towre is esteamed to 40 and without the platforme to 10 ' (5. P. Dam. Eliz. Add. xxvii. 

 44 [3]). A wall of this tower was standing close to the rectory in 1856. 



4 Pat. 3 Ric. II. pt. ii. m. 5. 



II 257 33 



