Low Buston. By J. C. Hodgson. oil 



further that in 1560 (or 1570) "William Beadnell holds his lands 

 in Buston on an ^th part of a Knight's fee, and on the 200th part 

 of the same which is 13s. Id., and yearly payeth Castle ward." 



In 1586. among other towns " spoyled by the Scots in time of 

 Peace were Buston and Grange." l 



In 1590, at an inquisition taken at Old Bewick, the Jury say 

 that at his death, " Thomas Gray, Knight, was seized in his 

 demesne as of fee tail. . . .of several Baronies . . .of certain lands 

 and tenements in Nether Buston in the fee of Wm. Beidnell 

 gentleman, or of his feofees and certain other lands and tene- 

 ments there in the fee of Thomas Wilkinson or of his feofees." 2 



It will now be convenient to gather the numerous small 

 holdings around the three families who gradually absorbed them, 

 i.e. Johnson, Forster, and Bell. 



Johnston's Estate, of some 92 acres, rated as containing If farm. 



In 1560 and 1590 we find William Beadnel owning at least 

 half of the township. He was also a copyholder in High 

 Buston and of a family which at this period made large purchases 

 of land in this northern half of the county. In 1531 George 

 Beadnel of Newcastle obtained a 90 years lease from Roger Abbot 

 of Alnwick Abbey, of the Wooden Corn Tithes, at a rent of £1 

 13s. 4 d., also the Shielddyke Tithes ; 3 and Clarkson, in 1567, says 

 that Barnhill, lately belonging to Brainshaugh, had been pur- 

 chased of the Abbot of the dissolved house of Alnwick, by George 

 Beadnell of Newcastle, merchant, and was then the inheritance 

 of his son Eobert Beadnell. 



By 1599 a portion of the Beadnell lands in Low Buston, 

 perhaps 90 acres more or less, had come into the possession of 

 Luke Bedenell of Alnwick, who demised his lands in Nether 

 Buston, formerly in the possession of Wm. Johnson (whose name 

 appears in the Muster Roll of 1538) and afterwards of John James 



1 Border Club, vol. i., p. 67. 



2 There exists at Durham the will of Thos. Wilkeson of Nether Buston 

 dated 1587, proved 1588. In it he desires to be buried within the parish 

 church of Warkworth : he gives to his wife Agnes one third part of his 

 goods : to his second son Eobert Wilkeson the interest and tenant right of 

 his farmhold : to his eldest son William Wilkeson one cow and a boule of 

 malt : to his daughter Dorothy Wilkeson fhve sheepe, and mentions his 

 third son George, and fourth son Thomas. 



Tate's Alnwick, vol. u., p. 27. 



