Anniversary Address. 325 



in London. The rooms are of noble proportions, elegantly 

 furnished, and contained some good pictures. The gardens 

 were viewed with interest, and the fernery particularly 

 noticed from the size and beauty of its specimens. 



The old Pele Tower, the ancient residence of the family, 

 was next visited. It stands on an eminence overlooking 

 the sea, and commanding a full view of the surrounding 

 country. The view to the west was over an extensive 

 landscape, backed by the Cheviot Hills, and in the north 

 and south lovely outlines of coast scenery were exhibited. 



The Cresswells are of an ancient stock, and were settled 

 here so far back as the reign of King John. There is a 

 long pedigree of the family in Hodgson's Northumberland. 

 As the Cresswells were not tenants in capite, there were no 

 Inquisitions post mortem to shew their possessions from 

 time to time. The old tower had received several additions, 

 which were removed by William Cresswell, who restored 

 the family mansion, and this in turn was removed, leaving 

 only the old tower. The present hall was built after 

 designs of one Shaw, under the superintendence of Mr 

 Green, architect, Newcastle-on-Tyne, by Addison John 

 Cresswell, who married Elizabeth Mary Reed, cousin and 

 heiress of John Baker of Hinton-on-the-Green, in the 

 county of Gloucester, and of Grosvenor Street, London. 

 Mr Cresswell afterwards assumed the surname of Baker. 

 Newbiggen and Cresswell were parcel of the Barony of 

 Bywell, granted to the Balliol family by William Rufus. 



Edward the First, in 1292, conferred the crown of Scot- 

 land on John de Balliol, son of John de Balliol and his wife 

 Dervagilla, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway ; but 

 deprived him of it in 1296, and gave his estates to John 

 Dreux, Earl of Brittany and Richmond. 



This John de Balliol was the youngest son, but his older 

 brethren had predeceased him, and then he became entitled 

 to the rights of the head of the family. 



After inspecting the Pele Tower, the party retraced their 

 steps towards Newbiggen. In the plantation Doronicum 



