66 Rev, R. W. Bosanquet, A.M., on Rock Hall. 



to be called " the Middle Hall," which, till the year 1855, 

 stood as nearly as possible upon the site and in the position 

 of the present Sunday school, only it had a bed-room floor 

 above, which could only be approached by an outside stone 

 staircase, and some cottages attached to it at the north-east 

 end, which may at some time have been used as offices to the 

 main building. 



This building having become quite ruinous, at the time I 

 speak of, had to be taken down to prevent its falling in. 

 There was then a sun-dial on the south front, the very same 

 which occupies the corresponding position on the south front 

 of the Sunday school ; and, on removing the sun-dial, there 

 was found, about six inches behind it, that stone and inscrip- 

 tion which is now set up over the door head of the Sunday 

 school. The stone, being nearly square, is divided by lines 

 into three parts, the upper part being occupied by the date, 

 1623, the middle by the initials TS||AS, and the lower part 

 by an ornamental design resembling niches nfinri- That date 

 was three years after Mr. John Salkeld bought the estate ; 

 and we conceive that this old house, the Middle Hall, may 

 have been put in order or even built (but it had never been 

 well built) by Mr John Salkeld for his eldest son, whose 

 name may have been Thomas, and who may have been the 

 father of the Col. John Salkeld of the monument. We are 

 all aware that it has been a very generally prevailing custom 

 for grandsons to bear the Christian name of their grandfather, 

 but of course in this case, whether it was or not, must simply 

 be conjectural. 



There are still some notes of very considerable interest of 

 a historical nature connected with Rock, and, like the others, 

 communicated by Mr. Tate, which I will introduce here, 

 though the first two of them will take us a little way back 

 in point of date : 



1538. — Rock sent 19 men to the military muster on Abberwick 

 Moor. Hist, of Alnwick, I. p. 225. 



1552. — The town of North Charlton and Rock to keep watch 

 with three men nightly at the Hinding Gate. Hist. I p. 220. 



The town of Stanford and Rock to keep watch with three men 

 nightly at the Scotts Close-nooke. Ibid. 



1664. — John Salkeld of Rock was a free tenant of the Manor. 

 Hist of Alnwick, p. 349. 



1702. — Rock paid 8d. yearly to the Lord of the Barony for 

 Bondage work. P. 334. 



