Whalton and its Vicinity, by the Rev. J. E. Elliot. 241 



of the magistrates who inflicted them, with a vindictive and 

 unconcealed exultation. If the curate of Ponteland was half 

 drowned and nearly frozen to death, or Sir T. Lorraine of Little 

 Harle, in a drunken orgie, was kicked downstairs by his wife 

 and broke his leg, and other mishaps befell any of his adver- 

 saries, he considers them as special judgments by the hand of 

 Providence to avenge his cause. He was, at last, however, 

 driven by these persecutions to take refuge in the wilder and 

 more inaccessible parts of the Border, and preached with 

 considerable success to the savage and barbarous inhabitants 

 of the Wheelcauseway, Kielder Head, and the Dead Water.* 



Of the Presbyterian congregations established during and 

 after the Commonwealth, there are very few remaining in the 

 Whalton district. One of the last ministers of the meeting 

 house at Belsay was a Mr Dallas, who was also landlord of a 

 public-house at Bolam — a somewhat incongruous union of 

 professions. Both the meeting-house and the public-house 

 have, however, now disappeared ; and that which existed at 

 Kirkley was broken up owing to differences between the 

 clergyman aiid his elders consequent upon his own irregular 

 habits. 



I have been thus particular in noticing these different 

 phases of religious opinion in the district, as affording an 

 explanation of, and accounting for, the isolated tombs and 

 sepulchres which form one of its characteristics. Of the suc- 

 ceeding rectors none, I think, call for any particular notice, 

 with the exception of Mr Noel Ellison, an elegant and accom- 

 plished scholar, fellow and tutor of Baliol, and an intimate 

 friend and asssociate of the illustrious author of the " Christian 

 Year." Besides several sermons, he published a little work 

 entitled " Romish Truths and Catholic Errors," in which he 

 anticipated some of those opinions which led to the great 

 Oxford movement of Dr. Pusey and Mr Newman — in which, 

 however, he did not himself join. 



The sketch I have given of the ruling powers, the land- 

 owners and rectors, may properly be followed by some account 

 of the habits and customs of the people who grew up under 

 their superintendence. These — although they have undergone, 

 and are still undergoing considerable changes, owing to the 

 increased facilities of railway intercommunion and the conse- 



* See M'Crie's "Memoirs of Veitch," p. 119. 



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