LANDOWNING IN NORTHUMBERLAND 137 



And at the present time the whole of the estates of the 

 Charltons of Hesleyside (some 22,000 acres) are in the market. 

 The Charltons are described by the late Dr Charlton in his 

 "North Tynedale and the Four Graynes" as "the foremost 

 Grayne," and he adds at page 101 : — "The Swinburnes and 

 the Charltons hold the lands they held in the thirteenth 

 century. The Eobsons are rife at Falstone, the Dodds are 

 yet numerous on the border, and the Milburns are by no 

 means extinct ; may it be long ere these goodly names cease 

 to be found in the district." And yet after the lapse of 

 16 years, the estates, the entire holding, of the chief of 

 these names, are in the market, and may pass into the 

 hands of strangers. Sic Transit gloria mundi ! 



To reverse the old proverb, having sped the parting guest, 

 we now turn to notice and to welcome the new landowners 

 since 1837, among whom the principal are: — Capt. Leyland 

 of Haggerston; Mr A. H. Browne of Calleley ; the late Lord 

 Durham, now represented by the Hon. F. Lambton ; Mr Hugh 

 Taylor of Chipchase ; Mr Leather of Middleton, near Belford ; 

 Sir W. Crossman of Cheswick ; Lord Armstrong of Cragside ; 

 Mr Cruddas of Budle ; Mr Straker of Stagshaw ; Mr Morton 

 of Biddick ; Eyre's Trustees (Stamford) ; Messrs Joicey of 

 Blenkinsop and Longhirst; Mr Ames of Linden; and Mr 

 Laing of Etal; and when we consider that the gentlemen 

 (some from a distance, though in others we recognise old 

 friends), have expended considerably over two millions in 

 the purchase of land within the county, while the following 

 have added largely to their holding therein, viz: — The Duke 

 of Northumberland, the Earl of Ravensworth, the late Lord 

 Redesdale, the late Mr Cresswell of Cresswell, Major Mitford 

 of Mitford, Mr Beaumont of Dilston, Mr Clayton of The 

 Chesters, Mr Eiddell of Felton, Mr Bates of Heddon, and 

 Mr Weallans of Flotterton, we may be justified in expressing 

 a hope that its future is safe in their hands, and that in 

 Northumberland at least land is still a marketable com- 

 modity, though at a reduced value. 



Within the past 50 years more than one-fifth of the whole 

 lands in the county, or over 260,000 acres, representing some 

 300 separate estates, have either changed hands or have 

 been offered for sale in the market, some having changed 



