LANDOWNING IN NORTHUMBERLAND 135 



Sir Thomas Swinburne, High Sheriff for the years 1628- 

 29, gives a return of freeholders in Northumberland "from 

 returns of freeholders and inquest," comprising : — 



15 Knights. 

 33 Esquires. 

 182 Gentlemen. 

 51 Yeomen (Spearman's MSS.) 



281 



The following return of landowners in 1774 appears in 

 Hutchinson, Vol. 2, p. 450 : — 



Duke of Northumberland, £40,000 per annum. 



Duke of Portland, £8,000 per annum. 



Earl of Tankerville. £12,000 per annum. 



Earl of Carlisle, £10,000 per annum. 



Lord Ravensworth, £3,000 per annum. 



Sir G. Warren, £2,000 per annum. 



Sir J. H. Delaval, £10,000 per annum. 



Sir W. 0. Blackett, £8,()()0 per annum. 



Sir M. W. Ridley, £5,000 per annum. 



Sir E. Blake. £4,000 per annum. 



— Reed, Esq., £2,000 per annum. 



Northumberland is essentially a county of large estates, 

 large farms, and of old family holdings, and yet few counties 

 in England can show a greater record of changes of estates 

 and of families while retaining all its old associations. We 

 still trace within its boundaries the old baronies of the 

 Normans, with their sub-divisions into small estates ; the old 

 baronial courts are still held ; the tenants still attend to do 

 homage ; and if the names of the lords have changed, can 

 we not with justice say that the house of Percy worthily 

 represents, and with added lustre, the old baronies of Visey 

 and of Umfraville. 



Mr Broderick, in his "English Land and English Land- 

 lords," published by the Cobden Club, 1881, gives the 

 following table, extracted from "The New Domesday Book" 

 of 1873 :— 



