Report of Meetings for 1887. By J. Hardy. 39 



in position, has been worked, also on the Biddleston estate, 

 at East Wilkwood ; but not very accessible. These will be 

 noticed in the sequel. We look down into the green hollow 

 where the limpid Alwen flows past Clennell, long the seat of the 

 Clennells, who were here in the time of Edward I., or even earlier. 

 Opposite also is the green back of Lord's seat, and somewhat to 

 the north Clennell Street, a slated shepherd's house, indicates the 

 track of the very ancient line of transit that traverses Kidland, 

 and conducts by Tearnspath to the Windy Gyle and Cocklaw- 

 foot. Howsden or Hawisden Burn, where it issues from this 

 green range, creates a gap ; on the N.E. side whereof upon a 

 platform a very distinguishable British Camp is placed. The 

 hill flanks near this exit are strongly marked with transverse 

 balks of old cultivation, simulating ancient lake margins. Several 

 of them higher up the Coquet actually appear to be relics left by 

 collections of receding water gradually diminished. Beneath 

 these, in more modern times, the land had been held in run-rig 

 by two brothers, James and Thomas ? Selby ; and the spits were 

 laid out on a plan, James's and Thomas's alternately. James 

 lived in the old Hall at Alwinton. The joint property was 

 purchased by the Biddleston branch. The valley and the haughs 

 have all at one time been under culture, hut the surface on the 

 terminal very gravelly banks of the Alwen is very uncertain, and 

 during floods both its waters and those of the Coquet break up 

 and disfigure the loose envelope, which otherwise would be a 

 uniform sheet of grass. 



Alwinton lies in an angle among the green meadows, and 

 cultivated enclosures at the foot of Paspeth. Instead of the 

 picturesque village, with the houses disposed in all sorts of 

 positions — it did not matter whether the front, the back, or the 

 corners, faced the road — the Club saw on their first visit in ] 868, 

 the houses much lessened in numbers, are now in regular ranks, 

 and mostly newly erected, except two thatched ruinous cottages. 

 The Hall has heen. long gone, and its site is now marked by 

 three or four old sycamores and ashes among whose branches the 

 wind sings its requiem. 



The malt-barn, whose gousty chambers and lofts old people 

 still describe with a lingering fear are also swept away. The 

 mill buildings still farther up, are now rendered subservient to 

 pastoral exigencies. The inns have been renovated. The old 

 dwellings had oak-frames which were fastened into the ground, 

 and upheld the wattled and thatched roofs. 



