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Sturton Grange. By J. C. Hodgson, Low Boston. 



Sturton Grange, a township in the North West corner of 

 Warkworth Parish, is bounded by the parish of Shilbottle, the 

 townships of Low Buston, Brotherwick, "Warkworth, and Walk- 

 mill, and the chapelry of Brainshaugh. It is 1114 acres in 

 extent ; its soil, mostly of good quality being in tillage or in rich 

 old pasture. Its fields are well watered : the Grange burn 

 enters its Western borders by the Red-ford gate, runs through 

 the picturesque Black Dean, past the site of the ancient monastic 

 buildings on the Grange Green, and ultimately through beauti- 

 ful Houndean into the Coquet, a mile above Warkworth Bridge. 

 Good sandstone has been wrought from its quarries, and bricks 

 and draining tiles of medium quality have been manufactured 

 from its clay. There is a limestone quarry in the adjoining 

 township. 



The township has long been divided into the Grange Farm of 

 408 acres ; South Side of 402 acres ; and Eastfield of 272 acres ; 

 of the last a portion has been taken by the N. E. Railway for 

 Warkworth station, &c. 



In 1831 the Rateable value was £1396 with a population of 

 88. In 1871 the population was 114 and this year 1888 the 

 Rateable value is £1711. 



The Tithe Rent Charge payable to the Vicar of Warkworth 

 is £33 2s. 6d. 



Ancient History. 



If the grant of King Ceolwulf circa 737 to St. Cuthbert* 

 covered the whole of the parish of Warkworth, then Sturton 

 would be included, though it is not particularly mentioned. The 

 grant was soon resumed by the King's successors. 



Carham f was by King Henry I. granted to Walter Espec of 

 Hamlake, Yorkshire, who there built the Castle of Wark before 

 the year 1136. Walter's only son was killed by a fall from his 

 horse : his sister Adeline wife of Peter de Ros had a son Robert 

 de Ros, who again was father to Everard de Ros Lord of 

 Wark. It is in the possession of this Everard that we next hear 

 of Sturton Grange under the name of Strettuna, when it was by 

 him granted to the Cistercian Abbey of Newminster, " eldest 

 daughter of Fountains." In its Chartulary, which has been 



*C. J. Bates, Border Holds, p. 81. 

 t Hartshorn, ii, pp. 31, 33, 34, 35, etc. 



