REPORTS OF MEETINGS FOR 1910 131 



due for victuals purchased in Newcastle of the late King, 

 while two years later in consideration of their impoverishment 

 they obtained at the hands of the receiver of the King's 

 victuals at Newcastle twenty quarters of wheat. Still later 

 the canons made complaint of poverty to the bishop of Durham, 

 and in 1419 they suffered the loss of charters, muniments, 

 books, chalices, vestments, and other goods, which may account 

 for the meagre tale of vestments and church plate included 

 in the inventory made in the reign of Edward VI. (18th 

 August 1552) for the prevention of furtlier embezzlement of 

 the same. The Commissioners for Northumberland entrusted 

 with the taking of the account reported that they had found 

 at Brinkburn "one tene challes, ij owlde westmentes, one owlde 

 coppe, ij small belles, one small hand bell, one holly water pot 

 of bras." In consequence of a visitation of the King's Com- 

 missioners in 1536, who reported that the canons venei'ated 

 as a relic the giidle of St. Peter, and alleged that the prior had 

 been guilty of immoral conduct, the convent was dissolved, 

 the prior being allowed an annual pension of £11. An incom- 

 plete list of the priors contains the names of eighteen, Ralph, 

 the priest, being the first before 1135, and William Hogeson 

 the last in 1536. To the convent appertained a pax'ochial 

 district, by reason of which religious ordinances were maintained 

 by chaplains and curates after the date of its dissolution. 

 Subsequently the site of Brinkburn along with the water corn- 

 mill and other lands was leased to Cuthbert Carnaby at the 

 rent of £7 4s. 4d., and soon afterwards to George Fenwick, 

 In 1550 Edward VI. granted the same to John, Earl of Warwick, 

 who was shortly afterwards created Duke of Northumberland. 

 On his attainder in 1553 they reverted to the Crown. In 

 1572 the monastery and the demesne lands were purchased 

 by Sir John Forster of Bamburgh, whose grandson, Edwai'd 

 Forster, sold them to George Fenwick, described as '* of 

 Gray's Inn, Middlesex, gent." The new owner in acknow- 

 ledgment of service yielded in the armies of the Commonwealth 

 was appointed governor of Berwick in 1649, where he gave 

 proof of his religious zeal in aiding the rebuilding of the 

 parish church. Brinkburn remained in his family till 1792, 

 when it was purchased by Joseph Hetherington of London 



