36 Anniversary Address. 



remarks, was evidently constructed for the preservation of cattle 

 during an assault. The windows of the stable are small oblong 

 apertures in the wall, widely splayed internally and secured by 

 iron bars. Among other details worthy of notice is a good ex- 

 ample of a drain. The number of fire-places in this building 

 may be attributed to its situation in a district where coal was dug 

 and easily procured, at the time of its construction. 



" The manor of Aydon belonged, in the early part of the 13th 

 century, to a family which derived its name from the place. The 

 male line of the Aydons failed in the time of Edward the First, 

 who gave Emma de Aydon, the heiress of her family, in marriage 

 to Peter de Yallibus. At a later time a moiety of the manor of 

 Aydon was held by Eichard de Grosbeke, in right of his wife, by 

 whom it is probable the present building was erected. It has 

 been already observed that its date is late in the 13th century, 

 and the period of the acquisition of the property by de Yallibus 

 may be certainly placed after the year 1280. The subsequent 

 descent of this estate is not very clear. In a list of the names of 

 all the castles and towers in the county of Northumberland, with 

 the names of their proprietors, made about the year 1460, it is 

 called * the castle of Aydon,' and is described as being the joint 

 property of Eobert Eaymese, and Ealph de Grey. The Eaymeses 

 are said to have had a joint interest in it with the family of Car- 

 naby until the time of Charles the First." 



On the way to Corbridge a young redstart tempted some of the 

 party into a short chase, but it proved too strong on the wing for 

 its pursuers. As no zoological facts of interest fell to be re- 

 corded during the day, I may here insert a note on some of the 

 wild quadrupeds and birds of the neighbourhood, which has been 

 furnished by Mr Forster, to whose guidance we were so much in- 

 debted both at Corbridge and Aydon Castle. 



'*The Glede, Fulmart, Wild Cat, and Badger have during the 

 last 40 years been extinct in this neighbourhood ; but within the 

 last two years I have heard that there are some Badgers in Dip- 

 ton Wood, about two miles south of Dilston Castle. The Stoat, 

 Weasel, and Fulmart, were in some parts of the neighbourhood, 

 when I was a youth, pretty numerous. Weasels are now nearly 

 extinct ; so are Jays, Hawks, and Magpies, all (I think foolishly, 

 if not wickedly, ) destroyed by gamekeepers. There are not now 

 more than one fourth of the Swallows and Swifts there were in 

 my youth. The Sandpiper, which I often saw in those days 



