president's address. 245 



and the surrounding grounds, were shown to the members. They 

 had the pleasure of inspecting the valuable ornithological 

 museum, and the rare collection of ferns, amongst which was 

 the " Asplenium septentrionale" from Kyloe Crags, near Berwick, 

 found by Mr. Clark. The first mention of the town of Eelford 

 {Iieleford) is by Jordan Fantosnic in his History of the Civil 

 War, in 19 and 20 Henry I., when it was sacked by the Scots. 

 From the Pipe Eoll of this and the following year, Lowick was 

 the capital of the Barony de Musco Campo. King Henry I. had 

 enfeoffed Robert de Muschampe of this and twenty -four other 

 manors in eapite. In King John's reign, Wooler was the capital 

 manor, as appears by an inquisition in the Testa de Nevil.* It 

 passed, after this, into the possession of the de Grahams. So 

 recently as the year 1722 (23rd May), David Graham, eldest son 

 of the Duke of Montrose, was made Earl and Baron Graham of 

 Bedford, from the old asssociation and connection with this 

 manor through his remote ancestor Nicholas de Graham, who 

 married Margery de Muschamp, and proved his title in 1293, 

 before the King's Justices Itinerant. The Conyers, Armorers, 

 Forsters of Bamborough (in the 1 7th century), Dixons, and Lord 

 Onslow, were all successive possessors, till it came, by purchase, 

 to the predecessors of the present Lord of the Manor, Mr. Clark. 

 Conducted by the obliging agent of Belford Hall, the party 

 next proceeded, by a walk of about five miles, to the Beacon, 

 where cobles were in waiting to convey them to Holy Island. 

 Having visited the " Lough," where some fine specimens of birds 

 were obtained by Mr. Thompson, our Secretary, the remains of 

 the Castle were inspected, and the splendid views from the 

 Castle hill admired. Then the stately ruins were examined of 

 the world-famous Abbey and Monastery of the 11th century, 

 standing on the site, probably, of the holy Aidan's humble 

 Cathedral Church of Lindisfarnc, built, "more Scotorum," like our 

 ancient British circular dwellings, of split oak, and thatched with 

 coarse grass or wiry bent, which Bishop Eadbcrt, soon after the 

 sainted Cuthbert's death, removed, in order to cover the roof 

 with lead. Holy Island, and Bamborough Castle opposite, 

 * Hodgson's History <>f Northumberland, Pari in., vol. I., p. 281. 



