president's address. 13 



standing, was erected. But the remains of the chapel were in 

 such preservation as permitted additional accommodation to he 

 obtained by throwing a floor across it, and converting both stories 

 into chambers. A fireplace above stairs and another below stairs 

 were inserted for the convenience of this arrangement, and the 

 original windows, now inconveniently situated with regard to 

 height for both stories, were filled up for the sake of strength 

 and snugness, and others made in more suitable positions." I 

 gather from Mr. "Woodman's pamphlet that the earliest mention 

 of the House of Chibburn which has been discovered, is contained 

 in the return made to a mandate to inquire into the goods of the 

 Hospitallers in the year 1313, and preserved in the Register of 

 Bishop Nellaw at Durham. It was issued in pursuance of letters 

 from the Nuncio, Arnaldo, Cardinal of St. Prisca, sent by Clement 

 V. to reconcile Edward II. to the barons, and persuade him to 

 grant the Templars' lands to the Knights of St. John. At this 

 time, when the Hospitalers had not acquired the lands of the 

 Templars, it appears by the document that Chibburn belonged 

 to the Knights of St. John, therefore it must have been originally 

 granted to them. In a document found in Malta we learn that 

 in 1338 three of the Hospitalers resided at Chibburn. Brother 

 John de Bilton, the preceptor; brother John Dacombe, the chap- 

 lain ; and brother Simon Degayne. "We have an account of the 

 receipts and expenditure of the Preceptory. In 1540 the pos- 

 sessions of the Hospitalers were surrendered to the Crown. In 

 1553 the manor of Chibburn was granted to Sir John "Widdrington 

 and Cuthbert Musgrave. The manor of Chibburn again passed 

 to the Crown, by the attainder of "William, the fourth Lord 

 "Widdrington, for rebellion in 1715. Hodgson states that the 

 ancient building at Low Chibburn was frequently a residence of 

 the dowager ladies, or of junior branches of the Widdrington 

 family. 



From Chibburn we now walked clown to the shore, and revelled 

 in the beauty of Druridge Bay, which indeed looked lovely be- 

 neath the autumnal sun. On reaching Cress well, we were 

 shown, by a man whom we met, the traces of encampments, 

 where troops were stationed during the scare of a French 



