428 Mr Tate on Harhottle Castle. 



in 1614, the King granted to Home's daughter, and to her hus- 

 band, Theopolis, Lord Howard, the reversion of " all that manor 

 of Redesdale, and the manor and castle of Harhottle, with all 

 the lands belonging to each of them." This branch of the 

 Howards did not, however, flourish in Redesdale, although 

 they made war against the smaller proprietors respecting 

 the tenure of their lands. Perhaps, the Howards impover- 

 ished themselves by their litigation ; for most of their own 

 estates passed away from them in the course of the seven- 

 teenth century, by sales, to various parties ; and in 1750, 

 Overacres, the last remnant of this great estate, was sold to 

 the Earl of Northumberland. The castle and manor of Har- 

 hottle came into the possession of Widdrington, whose 

 daughter married Sir Thomas Gaiscoign. They were sub- 

 sequently sold to the family of Clennel, and passed to Per- 

 cival Clennel, by whom they were bequeathed to Thomas 

 Fenwick of Earsdon, who took the name of Clennel ; and 

 they now belong to his grandson. 



The extent and character of the royal franchise appear 

 from the proceedings before the Justices in Eyre, when, in 

 1291, Gilbert de Umfreville claimed the right to hold pleas 

 before his own Justices in Harhottle, with its several mem- 

 bers, — Ellesden, Ottreburn, Troquenne, Wodburn, Chestre- 

 hope, Leme, Monkridge, Crossanet, Lynescheles, Bromhope, 

 and Gerardscheles, and through the whole vale of Rede. In 

 1293, he claimed to have, at Harhottle, a weekly market on 

 Tuesday, and a fair yearly, on the day of the nativity of the 

 Blessed Mary (September 8) ; and also to have gallows, 

 tumbrell, pillory, and tolls ; and that no sherifi" or bailiff of 

 the King should enter his franchise to exercise any ofiice, 

 unless by default of his own bailiffs execution should be 

 neglected.* These were royal powers, and of their exercise 

 examples appear in the Hundred Rolls, one of which shows 

 the swift and savage manner in which capital punishment 

 was inflicted. Thomas de Holm was taken within the fran- 

 chise ; but he escaped from prison, and fled for refuge to Al- 

 winton Church, where, before the coroners, he foreswore his 

 country ; but Simon Smart, and Benedict Gley porter of 

 Harhottle, beheaded him at Simonseth,t in the body of the 

 county, and took his head thence, and hung it on the gallows 

 at Harbottle.J 



• Placita de quo Waranto, p. 593. 



f Rot Hund, p. 22. 



X Simonside, near Rothbury, which is beyond the Redesdale franchise. 



