152 Historic Notices of Ha ugh ton Castle. 



allowance of wood, etc., as her dower. Gerard Widdrington in 

 1454 possessed the castle, demesne, and manor of Haughton. 



Shortly afterwards, in 1460, whilst the adjoining strongholds 

 of Chipchase, Wark, and Symonburn are called " Towers" (Turris 

 de Chipchesse, Alexandri Heroun, Turris de Werk in Tyndale, 

 Thomae Grey, and Turris de Symonburn, Willemi Heroun;) those 

 of Swinburn and Haughton are dignified by the name of "Castle ;" 

 the proprietor of both being at this time John Woderington.* In 

 the 10 Elizabeth, 1568, we learn that a later John Woodrington, 

 knight, died, seized of the manor and vill of Swynburn Magna 

 and Swynburn Parva and Haughton, with a moiety of the vill 

 and manor of Humshaugh " (Wallis, ii., p. 343, Note.) At this 

 date the Swinburnes of Capheaton held a moiety of the manor 

 of the township of Haughton, and in 1609, Haughton and 

 Haughton Strother. In 1 623 Sir H. Widdrington leased Haugh- 

 ton to his daughters. 



The Castle was destined to experience another change in the 

 line of its owners. In 1642, as it is said, it was purchased by Mr 

 E. Smith of Tecket, near Simonburn, from Sir W. Widdrington. 

 But in the rate-book of 1 663 Lord Widdrington alone is entered 

 for Nether and Over Haughton. (Hodgson, Northd., vol. i., 

 part iii., p. 305.) In 1769 Wallis records (Northd., vol. ii., p. 

 67,) that Haughton Castle "belonged to Mr Wm. Smith, gentle- 

 man;" and adds sundry notes showing that it had then passed 

 into a condition of partial dilapidation. He remarks that there is 

 "a neat little bed-chamber cut out of the walls holding two or 

 three chairs, a table, with a fire place ; one sash-light in it." 

 "Most of it now uncovered ; the entrance by a flight of steps ; a 



* Quite recently strong- doubts have been suggested as to the authenti- 

 city and genuineness of this document which Hodgson, " Hist, of Northd.", 

 Vol. i., Part iii., " Records," p. 2G, inserts as "Article II. 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. From a 

 MS. in the Possession of Robert Surtees, of Mainsforth, Esq., F.A.S. 

 "Nomina Castrorum et Fortaliciorum infra Gomitatuin Northumbrian." — 

 Internal evidence seems to prove that the eminent antiquary and historian 

 of Durham could not resist the temptation to impose this supposititious 

 MS. upon his friend the historian of Northumberland ; and, as when he 

 ventured to palm off upon Sir Walter Scott the strange, fictitious ballad 

 on " The Death of Fearherstonhangh," inserted both in the " Bordfir 

 Minstrelsy," and the " Notes to Marmion," he may not have dared after- 

 wards to disclose the true state of the case for fear of a breach of 

 friendship. 



