Anniversary Address. 5 



Thus Wordsworth ironically describes our most active and 

 useful members. 



The anniversary meeting was held at Alnwick, on Wed- 

 nesday the 24th of September, 1856. The members present 

 (according to seniority of election) were, Robert Embleton, P. 

 J. Selby, the Kev J. D. Clark, Wm. Dickson, F.A.S., George 

 Tate, F.G.S., the Rev. L. S. Orde, the Rev. Wm. Darnell, 

 John Church, the Rev. Geo. Selby Thompson, Dr. G. R. 

 Tate, and John Church, jun., (a visitor.) 



After breakfasting at the Star Inn, the members proceeded 

 to view the Cartoon drawn by William Dyce, Esq., R.A., 

 of the School of Design, Somerset House, from which the 

 stained glass of the great east window of St. Paul's Church, 

 Alnwick, is copied. As a work of art, this Cartoon is un- 

 rivalled, and will bear a much closer inspection than we were 

 able to devote to it. 



The Castle, Barony, Manor, Borough, and Town of Alnwick 

 has been fully described in a History, published by Mr. 

 William Davison, bookseller, in the year 1822, to which I 

 must refer. I may, however, make a few additions and re- 

 marks, as they may be useful to future historians. 



Alnwick is a Parish by reputation, but in a legal point of 

 view it is only a Chapelry, within the parish of Lesbury. 

 Lesbury, with its chapels of Alnwick, Houghton, and Aln- 

 mouth were anciently granted to Alnwick Abbey, by the 

 former Lords of Alnwick ; and at the dissolution of monas- 

 teries, when the King came to dispose of the Rectorial tithes, 

 the corn tithes of Alnwick are described in the King's grant, 

 parcel of the Rectory of Lesbury. 



The Barony of Alnwick was the centre of a great district, 

 and the Castle was always a Fortress of much importance ; 

 belonging to the Tysons, De Vescies, and Percies. 



Attached to it were Manors in Demesne, that is to say, 

 those which the Barons held in their own hands, and with 

 the produce of which, the dignity of the Baron was kept up- 

 These manors were about twenty-five in number. 



Then again, the great Baron of Alnwick, in the days of 

 military tenures, granted out to his followers, other manors, 



