324 Anniversary Address. 



Edward the Second in 1310, summoned this place to furnish 

 naval assistance for his expedition to Scotland. In 1314, the 

 same king requested the Bailiffs to furnish him with a ship 

 for the same purpose; and in 1316, granted authority to 

 collect tolls for loading or unloading goods on the quays 

 there. The rank of this port in Edward the Third's time, is 

 shewn by the fact that its Bailiffs, with those of Kingston- 

 upon-Hull, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and other places, were 

 summoned to send three or four honest and discreet men to 

 attend a council, to be holden at Warwick, under the Bishop 

 of Lincoln, the Earl of Warwick, and others, on matters of 

 State importance, on the Fridaj' before New Year's day, 

 1337. In 1382 the boroughs of Newbiggen and Morpeth 

 were each assessed at 6s, in the rate for defraying the 

 expenses of knights of the shire, in the Parliament of West- 

 minster in 1382. Newbiggen is now a fishing village much 

 resorted to in the summer months as a watering place. 

 There are several semi-detached villas and good houses in 

 it. It is a chapelry of one township in the parish of Wood- 

 horn. Mr Longstaffe, the historian of Darlington, gave a 

 short description of the Church, and stated that there were 

 evidences of the system of village community in the 

 township. 



After leaving the Church the party divided ; a small 

 portion going with the Vicar of Woodhorn to inspect — 

 under the guidance of Mr Longstaffe — the Church, which is 

 well worthy of attention : the- other party under the 

 guidance of the Rev. R. E. Taylor, Vicar of Cresswell, took 

 the road across the Links or Newbiggen Moor, to Cresswell 

 Hall, — permission to view it had been granted by the 

 owner, Mrs Cresswell. On a pond by the way the Ranun- 

 culus aqiiatilis was observed in full flower; and in the 

 Dean wood the faintest shade of blue gave notice that the 

 hyacinth would shortly beautify the scene. The day was 

 one of unclouded sunshine, a striking contrast to its suc- 

 cessor, when there was a downpour of rain. The party 

 were shewn over the Hall by the butler, as the family were 



