Notices of Chatton, by Messrs. Procter and Hardy. 55 



Frontiers and Marches," &c, by Sir Robt. Bowes Knight, 1550: 



" The Townesehippe of Chatton conteyneth xxx hushandlands 

 plenyshed of the Kyng's Maties. inherytaunce late of the Erl of 

 Northumberland's lands. In yt is two lytle towers without 

 barmekyns, thone of thinherytance of the said Eichard Fowebery 

 and Thother ys the mansion of the vyccaredge."* 



Nor did Chatton escape devastation ; for in 1368, the 

 Manor was ruined. This appears from an Inquisition, 42 

 Edward III., of which the late Mr. Tate in his " History of 

 Alnwick " has furnished a digest ; which also reveals by a 

 glimpse into the past, the ancient condition of Chatton and 

 its neighbourhood. 



" In the town of Chatton, parcel of Alnwick, is a manor ruined, 

 the herbage of which renders three shillings and fourpence ; and 

 one hundred and eighty acres of demesne land render sixpence 

 per acre ; there are twenty-seven bondagia, eighteen of which 

 are in the hands of tenants at will, each rendering thirteen 

 shillings and fourpence, the other nine are desolated and lying 

 waste, and for herbage each renders three shillings and four- 

 pence ; thirteen cotagia render each twelvepence ; one water 

 mill £8, of which £4 being paid to the 'renowned chapel' at 

 Chatton, there remains to the lord £4 ; a certain severall pasture 

 called 'Musgrave Schell,' renders for herbage sixty shillings ; a 

 park with wild animals called ' Kelsowe ' is of no value beyond 

 the maintenance of the wild animals ; free tenants render £6 14s. ; 

 and the perquisites of the Halmotes are worth four shillings. "f 



These payments were due to Lord Henry de Percy 

 (probably the third Baron Percy), who held the boroughs 

 of Alnwick and Alnmouth, and the towns of Alnwick and 

 Lesbury, Great Houghton, Chatton, Alnham, and a pasture 

 called Swinlees, by homage and fidelity, and by service of 

 twelve knights' fees, and as parcel of the barony of Alnwick, 

 and also by service of sixty shillings yearly paid to the 

 king's exchequer. 



This Inquisition shows that in 1368, there were in 

 Chatton twenty-seven Bondagia, and thirteen Cotagia, held 

 directly under the Lord Baron. Their occupants were 

 tenants at will, with rents of 13s. 4d. and Is. respectively | a 



* Hodgson's "Northumberland," Part iii., Vol. ii., p. 187. In 1475, the 

 Folberries held " one parcel of land in Chatton." — Tate, i., p. 350. 



t " Tate's " History of Alnwick," Vol. i., p. 138. 



J William, the son of Ulfkill, held by soccage at Chatton, in the barony of 

 de Vescy, half a caracute of land, by payment of half a mark. — " Testa de 

 Neville " — Hodgson, v. p. 209. [A caracute consisted of 8 bovates, and each 

 bovateof 10, 12, 13, or 14 acres, or otherwise, according to the quality of the 

 land. — See Coldingham " Account Rolls," &c] 



