Report of Meetings for 1885. By jas. Hardy. 59 



Simonburn' received a revelation that enough treasure to buy all Nor- 

 thumberland lay buried in Simonburn Castle, and its present ruined state 

 was a proof of the faith which was felt in his assertion." 



Nunwick and the Parkend were passed on our left as we pro- 

 ceeded to Wark, which is an open village. The road makes a 

 sudden bend at right angles in the direction we intend to take. 

 AVark is famous for its Mote Hill, on which once were held the 

 Assize Courts of Tindale, from the time of William the Lion to 

 the close of the reign of Alexander III. of Scotland. The Iters 

 of Alexander III., years 31 and 32 (1280-1) have been preserved. 

 These documents which contain curious information about the 

 condition, employment, crimes, and quarrels of the inhabitants 

 of Tindale in that early age, have been printed in the Appendix, 

 pp. ix.-lxviii. of Hartshorne's " Feudal and Military Anti- 

 quities;" and have been partly translated in Dr Charlton's 

 "Four Grains of Tynedale." Wark is still the capital of the 

 barony of Wark, and here till within recent years the Court Leet 

 and Court Baron were wont to be held. Swifts were seen at 

 AVark, the only birds that caught attention during the day. 



After crossing the Tyne, it was observed that the foliage of the 

 beeches were much riddled with small perforations, like those 

 produced by Orchestes Fagi, a springing beetle very frequent on 

 Tyneside. There were here some stately ashes as well as other 

 timber trees. On the left were several earthen and gravel 

 mounds, the effects of natural causes, and of a similar formation 

 to the Mote Hill. 



The sudden revelation of Chipchase Castle still as of old well 

 meriting the title of " a fayre-house," standing up in stately pride 

 amidst its beautiful lawn was welcomed by the company as a fit- 

 ting conclusion to their journey. The public rooms, and the 

 paintings and curiosities were examined with much interest. In 

 the entrance hall there were fixed some red-deer antlers, but all 

 of a modern type, with not more than six tines on each ; there was 

 also a very fine elk's antler, and several heads of Indian deers. On 

 one of the tables was a small pretty earthen urn, pot-shaped, of 

 the food- vessel class ; ornamented all over with simple short 

 oblique lines and chevrons ; probably from the district, which has 

 been very productive of remains of British antiquities. The Eev. 

 G. E. Hall came again to our aid by reading a paper on the his- 

 tory of Chipchase. This will be found in the "Natural History 

 Transactions of Northumberland and Durham," vol.v.pp. 295-306, 



