276 Eeport of Meetings for 1880, by James Hardy. 



Eeaching Nawortli Station, this last party walked to Naworth 

 Castle. Its grey towers soon came in sight environed by woods 

 of ancient growth. In leaving it for the present, and passing on 

 through the park, " Belted Will's Oak," which adjoins the road, 

 was measured and ascertained to be 14 feet 10 inches in girth at 

 four feet above the ground. It is a fine healthy tree, with far 

 spreading branches. The tradition went that thieves were 

 hanged summarily on the bough that stretches across the road ; 

 but there is reason for discrediting the story as applicable to 

 Lord William Howard. There were numerous other large oaks 

 in the park of greater dimensions than this, especially some 

 patriarchs beside the drive near the castle, but a number of them 

 were hollow or decayed in the interior of the trunk. The park 

 has been long celebrated for its oaks. In an Inquisition of 31 

 Elizabeth, 1588, the park at Naworth is said to contain "by 

 estimation 200 acres, it is very barren lande, there is in it a great 

 store of olde oke wood, which is worth, if the same were presently 

 sold about £200."'^' In the open part of the park there were 

 some picturesque stag-horned trees, among others of stately 

 growth and amply ramified. The remains of an avenue of good 

 beeches, mixed with a few clean ashes, line either side of the 

 way ; their bases being protected by piles of stones. New belts 

 of plantation appeared in several directions. Some of the distant 

 beeches in the clumps, in their style of ramification, very much 

 resembled cedars ; a peculiarity of aspect which I have observed 

 elsewhere. Another good view of the summit of the castle was 

 here obtained. On some oaks near a ravine on our left hand, the 

 ivy had been killed by the frost. There was some excellent 

 timber here. The white variety of Lychnis diurna grew by the 

 roadside. This forms a beautiful garden flower in its double 

 state. The Irthing was crossed by a narrow high-backed bridge, 

 which bore the date MDCCXXIII. Asplenium Ruta-muraria 

 fringed in great tufts the walls of the bridge, and it grew also 

 on the mortar of the adjoining stone-dikes. It was likewise 

 present at Grilsland on the walls of the public road near St. 

 Mary's Church. 



On coming to the vicarage at Lanercost, the feet and tail of a 

 polecat were observed to be affixed to the stable-door ; the relics 

 not unlikely of one of the last of its race in that vicinity ; for in 

 the Brampton district it only occurs now very occasionally. 



* Introd. to Household Books of Lord WiUiam Howard, p. Ixvii. Note. 



