ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS l2l 



The battle of Neville's Cross, fought on the 17th October 

 1346, was preceded by such terrible devastation both in 

 Northumberland and the bishopric of Durham, on the part 

 of the Scottish army, that a fresh and immediate impetus 

 was given to the building of towers and places of defence 

 all along the Northumbrian border. In the interesting list 

 of castles and towers in Northumberland drawn up in the 

 year 1415, it will be found that the number of strong- 

 holds all over the county, and especially on the Border, had 

 enormously increased. Mention is made of some 115, 

 including the castle at Berwick-on-Tweed which was then, 

 apparently, occupied by the English. Something like 

 every fourth manor or township had its place of defence ; 

 and the majority of these were strong single towers in 

 many cases surrounded by a high wall or enclosure, into 

 which cattle and sheep might be driven for protection, 

 while in a few instances they took the form of a massive 

 keep or castle. It is interesting to note also, how in the 

 list of 1415 some of the old territorial families were still 

 holding their own, while in other cases newer names 

 appear upon the scene. The Haggerstones still held their 

 strong tower of Haggerstone ; Ford was still occupied 

 by a Heron, while other members of that house possessed 

 the castles of Twisel and Eshott, and the towers of Crawley, 

 Whittingham, Meldon, Chipchase, and Simonburn. At 

 Wark on the Tweed and at Heaton, the Greys had come 

 into possession. The Strothers appear as owners of the 

 neighbouring towers of Lanton and Kirk-Newton. Chil- 

 linghara Castle had devolved on the female heirs of Sir 

 Allan de Heton. On the extreme edge of the middle 

 March the main line of the Se^^s held their strong outpost 

 at Biddlestone, while the important castle of Harbottle 

 was occupied and commanded by Sir Robert Umfreville. 

 These are but a few instances. 



By the commencement of the sixteenth century the 

 number of towers on the Border had again considerably 

 increased, and an interesting return was made only a 



