Loiv Buston. By J. C, Hodgson. 515 



Spittle Flatt, containing by estimate, 4 acres, one other parcel of 

 arable land abutting upon the place called Byrling Rrade 

 Havers, on the western side, containing 2 acres ; a parcel of 

 pasture on the east of the house, containing 4£ acres, a parcel of 

 arable land called Dunstayne containing 7 acres, and one other 

 parcel of arable land called Salterburne Flatt, containing 8£ 

 acres, with common pasture and pays to the Lord yearly 

 15s. Id." 



In 1663, in the Book of Eates, Sir Wm. Forster of Bamborough, 

 is returned as proprietor ; the county rate being Is. 3d. He 

 would be grandfather to Dorothy Forster, Mr Besant's heroine. 

 After this it was acquired by the Bells of Shortridge. 



In 1741, Thomas Bell was elected churchwarden for Wark worth 

 Parish North Side, his qualification being Spittle-house ; l and in 

 1 748, Thomas Bell of Shortridge voted for a freehold at Spittle- 

 house. Until 1794, when mentioned in the church books, it 

 appears to have been regarded either as a separate township, or 

 perhaps as a definite part in a joint township with Bow Buston. 

 It was rated as containing " 1 farm." Buildings and cottages 

 remained until the end of the 18th century. There is room for 

 doubt whether the later holding covered all the premises 

 described by Clarkson, in 1567, or whether the Percy portion 

 was not laid into the adjoining township of Birling. An old rent 

 charge of 20s. for the poor of Wark worth, formerly paid, has 

 long been lost. In 1758, Thomas Bell sold to Hugh, Earl of 

 Northumberland (the 1st Duke) all his fishing rights adjoining 

 upon and belonging to bis lands of Wark worth Spittle. 



Of the long extinct holding of Middle Buston or Middle Stead, 

 very little is known. The building stood in a field still called the 

 Stead-field, midway between the hamlets of High and Low Buston 

 — footpaths from the north and south and east approach the 

 spot — that from the east being incomprehensible without the 

 knowledge of the existence of the old farm-stead. A few scat- 

 tered notices in the Register books of last century tell us of 

 burials—probably those of hinds ; but it is recorded that in 1757 

 it was the turn for Low Buston and Middle Buston to provide a 

 churchwarden. Shortridge, the centre around which the smaller 

 holdings have gathered, and by which name they are now known 

 — had a separate existence before the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 

 Clarkson in 1567 speaks of Shetteridge — very much the present 

 1 Warkworth Church Books, 



