442 Lesbury Parish, by the late George Tate, F.G.S. 



but this unprincipled bishop violated his trust, and after re- 

 taining possession of the barony for twelve years, sold it on 

 Nov. 19, 1309, to Henry de Percy, a descendant of Josceline 

 de Lovaine and Agnes Percy ;* and since that time it has 

 been held by their descendants, excepting during short 

 intervals when it was confiscated for rebellion against the 

 throne. 



The history of the different townships will now be traced. 



TOWNSHIP OF LESBURY. 



It has an area of 1646 acres, 3 roods, 17 perches, most 

 part of which is on the north side of the Aln ; but on the 

 south side are the farm of Hipsburn, and the mill and 

 adjoining land. A detached portion of 1 acre 1 rood 21 

 perches is near the mouth of the river, within the township 

 of Alnmouth. 



There are no written records to shew that this township 

 was inhabited either by the Ancient Britons, or by the 

 Romans, or by the Saxon race ; but from the sepulchral re- 

 mains on Shell Law, we may infer that the Ancient Britons 

 had hut dwellings here. Doubtless too the Saxons at an 

 early period after their conquest of Northumberland formed 

 a settlement at Lesbury ; the name evidences this ; for the 

 termination by fig, altered into bury, is of Saxon origin ; and 

 indeed favours the view that the place was then of some im- 

 portance. If the opinion of Mr McLauchlin is correct, that 

 the prefix les is a form of the Celtic Llys, which signifies a 

 court or a hall, we would then have in the name traces both 

 of the Ancient British and of the Saxon inhabitants.-f- More 

 important information is afforded by the charters of Aln- 

 wick Abbey, which shew that prior to 1145, Lesbury was 

 the seat of the principal ecclesiastical establishment in the 

 district ; the chapels of Alnwick, Alnmouth, and Longhough- 

 ton were then subordinate to it ; and therefore it is highly 

 probable that here the chief thane of the district lived in 

 his burgh or fortified dwelling. Indeed, Lesbury, with a 

 genial climate, productive soil, well sheltered situation, and 



* [Eighty-six librates and one-hundred-and-f ourteen and three-quarter acres 

 in Lesseberry, value £86 9s. 6d. : besides other lands, were reserved as part 

 of the dower of Isabella wife of John de Vescy. — See History of Alnwick, 

 I., P . 77.] 



f [It may be only the English less or least. The place is spelled in docu- 

 ments ; Letebyre, Lestebyrye, Lecebyr, Leterbyr. Lessebury, Latybury, Laes- 

 bury, Lescebur, Lesseburg, Lathebury, Lestebery, Lessebiry, Lesscebury.] 



