i;30 Old Ctb^itoTYis of Morpeth. By Wm, Woodman. 



" Menteith. The wood of Birnam ! 



Malcolm. Let every soldier hew him down a bough, and 

 bear it before him: ..... 



Messenger. As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I looked 

 toward Birnam, and anon, me thought, the wood began 

 to move."*" 



Bridges. — A bridge stood upon the site of the old bridge 

 from distant days. In the bed of the river, at low water, may 

 yet be seen the starlings and remains of a wooden bridge. 

 This was doubtless built by the society of Bridge Builders, the 

 'fratres ponti,' who wore white dresses with a badge of a 

 bridge and a cross upon the breast. In many instances a 

 chapel was built upon the bridge, as at London and Wakefield ; 

 or a wayside chapel stood at one end for the convenience of 

 pilgrims, as at Morpeth, and tolls were levied, so that a bridge 

 was a valuable investment. Here, at Morpeth, the bridge was 

 repaired bj' the Chantry priests, and afterwards by the Bailiffs, 

 as trustees of the property of the Grammar School, who held 

 the Chantry lands. A Lord of Misrulef was chosen at Easter 

 to continue to the Wednesday, and keep a barrel of ale upon 

 the bridge, make all passengers drink thereof, collect money 

 for the repairs of highways, and give a just account at 

 Whitsuntide. 



The two arches of the old stone bridge were of different 

 dates, the south arch being the earlier, and having the finest 

 mouldings. The north arch was built in 1640, when Lord 

 William Howard "allowed the farmers of the milnes at 

 Morpeth, for twelve weekes wanting of the proffitts of them, 

 whilest the damme was put out, when the bridge was 

 building xx/«."| 



A chain was fixed to the bridge, which, on a given day in 

 every year, was stretched across the road, and toll exacted 

 from every passenger. Tradition says that when the great 

 Duke of Argyle was on his road to London, in the days of 



* Macbeth, Act V., Scenes 4 and 5. 



t We find in 1588, when Mr Dacre attempted at Easter to hold a 

 Oonrt Baron at Morpeth, Lord William Howard's steward held a 

 court, at which one of the Jury was the Lord of Misrale. — Lord Wm. 

 Howard's Household Book, Surtees' Soc, Vol. Ixviii. p. . . . 



X Lord William Howard's Household Book, page 359. 



