410 Notes on Akelcl and Coupland. By M. Culley. 



To pass over a space of some seventeen years, we find James 

 Wallis of Coupland, in 1689, borrowing £1000 on lands at 

 Akeld and Humbleton, of one John Rumney of Newcastle. 1 In 

 1691 he borrowed a further sum on Coupland, also of John 

 Rumney. Soon after this he died. 



In 1687, a "James Wallis " was amongst the seven Catholics 

 placed on the Commission of the Peace for the county of Nor- 

 thumberland. I do not know if this was the Laird of Knares- 

 dale, but I think it probably was. The six other Catholic 

 Justices for the county at the same time were, Edward Charlton 

 of Heslyside, Esq., Ralph Clavering of Callaley, Esq., John 

 Errington of Beaufront, Esq., Thomas Riddell of Eenham, Esq., 

 Charles Selby of Biddlestone, Esq., and Sir Nicholas Shir- 

 burne. 2 There were a great many Catholics in Northumberland 

 especially amongst the gentry and old yeomen families. During 

 the reign of Charles II. they had fallen under the general 

 suspicion aroused by the pretended plots of Bolronand Mowbray, 

 and in 1682-3 more than fifty Catholics of Northumberland 

 (including members of some of the leading families of the county) 

 were thrown into prison. 3 The tables were turned when James 

 II. came to the throne, but only to be reversed again on the 

 accession of William of Orange. 



In 1693 ; Vaughan Phillips, Esq., tutor and guardian to the 

 infant James Wallis of Knaresdale, Esq., together with Phillip 

 Leash of Aldston Moor, gent., and John Rumney of New- 

 castle, Esq., assigned the mortgage formerly held by Edward 

 Collingwood, on Akeld, to Susanna Bland of Newcastle, 

 widow. 



Until very recently a small freehold in Akeld was still held by a 

 family of the name of Bland. The same year (1693) Vaughan 

 Phillips, and John Rumney (who appears to have been a large 

 mortgagee on the Wallis estates) conveyed to John Ord of 

 Newcastle, lands in Akeld, Humbleton, Coupland, and Knares- 

 dale, apparently by way of mortgage. 1 



The history of the Wallises of Knaresdale is now drawing 

 rapidly to a close, and that sadly enough. Before another half 

 century had passed away, they owned perhaps not a single acre 

 of their old possessions. 



In 1713, Ralph Wallis of Knaresdale sold his Coupland and 



1 Coupland and Akeld Title Deeds. 3 Surtees Soc. vol. xi.. 

 :; Surtees Soc. vol. xi,. 4 Coupland Title Deeds. 



