132 Old Customs of Morpeth. By Wm. Woodman. 



the cross was removed, and is now in the writer's possession. 

 He has been told that ladies from the country came to Morpeth 

 and sat in the windows of the Market place to witness the 

 bull-baits, like the Spanish women. All proclamations were 

 made from the Bull-ring. Mr Orde, when Sheriff, proclaimed 

 George IV. here, drank his Majesty's health, and threw the 

 glass away that it might not be polluted with a meaner use. 



Oock Fighting: — was common here until the last thirty-five 

 years. It was put down by repeatedly summoning and fining 

 the owner of the pit. Sir Charles Monk, shortly before his 

 death, told the writer that at Morpeth the county gentlemen 

 came into the town on the Tuesday morning of Morpeth Race- 

 week — the first week in September — ami attended . the pit 

 where "a long main" was fought. 



The Races:— at Morpeth was a county meeting ; Lord Grey, 

 Mr Cresswell, Sir Charles M. Monk, and Lord Durham having 

 four horses in their carriages. Gentlemen came on the Tuesday 

 and left on the Thursday after the races. 



Conveyance. — It will appear extraordinary that a mode of 

 conveying land in the days long ago, when writing was not 

 generally known, was continued down to this century at 

 Morpeth. The writer took part in this in two instances ; one in 

 a house where the seller went in and locked the door, the buyer 

 then demanded admittance, when the seller opened the door and 

 handed the key to the purchaser. The other case was a few 

 years subsequent, of land estimated to be worth £20,000 ; there 

 the parties, with witnesses, went upon the land; the vendor dug 

 a turf and gave it to the purchaser, in the name of all the 

 estate, and a note of this was written upon the deed which was 

 given to the purchaser, and the sale was complete. This, 

 called the livery of seisin, was abolished in 1845. 



Markets, Fairs, &c. — Throughout the year on week days at 

 6 a.m., a bell was rung to commence work, at 6 p.m. a bell to 

 leave work, and at 8 p.m. the curfew bell. Ou Sunday in the 

 morning the church and sermon bell. 



The Market was granted in 1 199 by King John, and from that 

 time to the first half of this century was the principal, indeed 

 the only, place of supply of butcher meat for the great seaports 

 on the Tyne and Wear. The cattle and sheep were brought into 



