Report of the Meetings for 1894. 63 



threatened to draw off the supply altogether. Within the 

 last few months the sinking of a deeper shaft in the Howburn 

 Colliery, which is just outside the Asylum boundary, rendered 

 it necessary for the Visiting Committee to bore to a greater 

 depth. Fortunately they have been successful in finding more 

 water, and until the same or some other colliery, at a greater 

 depth still, taps their new subterranean spring, the}' may 

 think themselves safe. It is at best a precarious position 

 for such a public institution to be in. These details were 

 interesting to many, for as ratepayers or County Councillors 

 in Northumberland, they are deeply concerned. 



Passing the East Mill, it was noticed that the electric light 

 was installed, through the enterprise of the proprietor, Mr 

 William Davison. The local gas company did not accommodate 

 itself to his needs, he introduced the new light, and now 

 supplies it to the Town Council to light part of the public 

 roarls between the mill and the town. Less than a mile from 

 the town the Lady Chapel Wood is reached on the right, 

 from that portion of the east road known as the Quarry 

 or Whorl Bank. 



In a ravine to the left is the colliery whose operations 

 threatened to drain off the water supply from the Asylum. 

 A few years ago, while driving a new "drift" into the east 

 side of the ravine, the workmen encountered an old "drift," 

 of which there is no historical record. Following it up they 

 came upon the remains of a sledge of rude construction ; two 

 runners roughly bound together, and wholly made of wood. 

 The upper surfaces of the runners were worn in a manner 

 which showed that a circular vessel had been placed upon 

 them. This pointed to the likelihood, may it not be said 

 certainty, that when that "drift" was in use, "pit tubs" 

 were actually "tubs" made of staves and hoops by a cooper, 

 and not oblong boxes as they are at the present day, though 

 still called "tubs." A little way in front of the sledge there 

 was picked up a leather sandal, to the upper surface of which 

 the instep strap was still attached, and on the under surface 

 of which was fixed an iron plate, in shape and size like the 

 shoe of an ass ; it was very thin. Further in, the remains 

 of a wooden shovel were found. Tradition says that the 

 Monks of Newminster Abbey, a religious house of importance, 

 which stood west of Morpeth about a quarter of a mile, worked 



