Low Buston. By J. C. Hodgson. 517 



Selby of Beal and Twizel, by his marriage with Margaret Cook 

 of Eastfield. She, after Bell's x death, married Wm. Clark of 

 Belford Hall, but had no issue to either marriage. 



As early as 1784 we find Ealph Fenwick 2 as tenant of Short- 

 ridge : and before 1810 he purchased it of his nephew, Thomas 

 Bell. 



The history of the Fenwick family belongs to Ulgham ; space 

 will allow but a very brief summary to be given here. They 

 were settled at Ulgham Grange in the time of James I. In 

 1645, Edward Grey of Cowpen demised Ulgham Grange to "my 

 brothers Roger Fenwick and Ralph Fenwick ; " two of their 

 brothers, tanners in Morpeth, being sureties for the rent. 

 Edward Grey died in 1 653 : he was son of Philip Grey of Howick, 

 by his wife Margaret Weetwood. From this Edward Grey is 

 descended the present Earl Grey, and Ralph Fenwick of 

 Shortridge was great grandson of the Ralph of 1645. Born 

 about 1737, leaving his elder brother Francis at the ancestral 

 Ulgham, he farmed at Embleton and Chevington, and had 

 prospered : his wife was Margaret, sixth daughter of Thomas 

 and Frances Smith of Togston, but they had no children. There 

 resided with them at Shortridge, Mrs. Fenwick's mother and two 

 sisters. Mrs. Smith died there in 1805, and Miss Elizabeth 

 Smith having had her leg broken by a carriage accident, also 

 died at Shortridge. 



Ralph Fenwick died about 1826, and was succeeded by his 

 nephew and heir at law, Ralph Fenwick of Ulgham,, who died in 

 1849, when Shortridge with Spittal-house, etc., was sold to 

 Edward Thew of Alnwick for £12,600. 



The estate, then described as land of the most fertile 

 quality, 60 acres in rich deep Ox Pasture, was sold subject 

 to the annual payments of £2 13s. 8d. for Land Tax, of £21 16s. 8d. 

 Vicarial Tithe and £30 4s. lid. for Rectorial Tithe, also 2s. 6d. 

 to Lord Tankerville of Wark. The purchaser, Edward Thew, 

 of an old family of Alnwick freemen, and one of her most 



1 In 1813, Thomas Bell of Alnwick agreed to purchase of Ralph Annett 

 of Heckley Fence, a house in St. Michael's Lane, Alnwick, in 1819 the 

 purchase was completed. Thomas Bell, by his will dated 18th January 

 1826, bequeathed this house to his wife Margaret Bell for her life, as a 

 residence. Executors to will — J. P. Selby, George Selby, and Margaret 

 Bell. Papers with Mr Robert Middlemas, Alnwick. 



- 1784. Ealph Fenwick, Churchwarden, North Side. — Warktvorth Church 

 Bool-. 



2o 



