160 Anniversary Address. 



ground being still watery and adapted for the growth of 

 mosses, peat was formed over the marl, and trees and bushes 

 growing around were, time after time, carried by floods into 

 the marshy ground. Though drained, the place is still a 

 damp bog. 



" From the Kettles I strolled along to Humbleton Heugh to 

 see the terraces, regarding which strange theories have been 

 proposed. Two of these so called terraces, I noticed, at dif- 

 ferent levels, on the north side of the Heugh; the highest 

 being about 20 feet above the other. Neither of them are 

 quite level; the upper one is somewhat rounded, with the 

 greatest slope towards the Heugh; the lower is about 30 yards 

 wide and more nearly level. Hutchinson conjectures that 

 these terraces have been formed by art, for the purpose of 

 marshalling the Militia of the County and showing them to 

 advantage. Pennant inclines to a similar notion. This, 

 however, is a mere fancy, destitute even of probability. These 

 terraces are formed on gravel, which lies at the base of the 

 porphyry hills, and which had been accumulated when the 

 whole valley of the Till had been filled with water. As the 

 land emerged from the water, especially along its shores, 

 places more or less level would appear ; such places near the 

 Heugh have been further levelled and trimmed by art, and 

 used by the early inhabitants of the district for the purposes 

 of cultivation. Some broad and irregular ridges and furrows 

 running along these terraces I consider evidences of this 

 ancient cultivation. 



" Several Members on their return to Wooler went to the 

 hill on which the Castle stood. Here, indeed, were its re- 

 mains overthrown in huge masses apparently by the force of 

 gunpowder. The following extract from a record in the 

 Tower of London and translation of an Inquisition shew that 

 the Castle or Tower of Wooler had been erected previously 

 to the reign of Henry III., and was even in 1254 in a ruined 

 state. 



' Hsec est pars Isabellee de Forde de terris et tenementis 



quse fuerunt Eoberti de Muscampe quae dividitur in duas 



partes. 



