Ch. X. 



DURHAM. 



227 



Ryver caullid the Westgate, and thereby 

 is a parke rudely enclosid with stone of a 

 12 or 14 miles in compace, it is xii. miles 

 up in Ware-Dale from Akeland Castelle.'' 

 At Middleham the old park wall is still 

 perfect, and in summer, adds Surtees, is 

 yellow with the blossom of stonecrop. 

 ' Parcum muro inclusum,' is leased by the 

 Bishop of Durham in 1521. It is still 

 held under the see.* 



The prior and convent of Durham had 

 also their places of sylvan retirement. 

 Near Durham was their large park of 

 Bear, rectfe Beaurepaire. The house and 

 chapel of Beaurepaire were founded by 

 Prior Bertram between 1244 and 1258, as a 

 place of solace and retreat for himself and 

 his successors. Hugh of Derlyngton, 

 1258-1274, enclosed the park, and that of 

 Muggleswick, on the borders of North- 

 umberland. Bishop Beke during his 

 quarrel with the convent, broke down the 

 fences and destroyed and drove out the 

 game. In 131 1 Bishop Kellawe granted 

 license to Prior Tanfield to enlarge the 

 park of Beaurepaire. In 13 15 the Scotch, 

 in their successful irruption into the 

 bishoprick, destroyed almost the whole 

 stock and store of game and cattle. The 

 ruin is said to have been completed by 

 the Scotch armies when they occupied 

 Durham in 1 641 -1644.* 



The prior and convent of Durham had 

 also a deer park at Hedworth near New- 

 castle on Tyne, as early as the pontificate 

 of Bishop Farnham (1241-1249). The 

 new park seems alluded to in the last 

 cited charter between the Prior and the 

 Hedworths.* 



* Leland's Itin. vol. i. p. 73, fol. 79. 

 ^ Surtees's Durham, vol. iii. p. 3. 

 " lb. vol. ii. p. 373. 

 « lb. p. 81. 



In the northern parts of Durham an- 

 cient parks are marked in Saxton's Sur- 

 vey of 1576 at the castles of Hilton and 

 Lumley, at Beamish and Holmside. 'The 

 old park of Beamish,' -wtit^s Surtees, 'lies 

 on upland ground to the south of the 

 Team. In 1572 Queen Elizabeth granted 

 to Sir Henry Gate, Knight, the Manor 

 and Park of Beamish, and, in 1605, the 

 park as now impaled was sold to Sir 

 William Wray, Knight.* 



The manor and park of Lambton lie on 

 the Wear, to the north of Lumley. The 

 park, including the plantations, contains 

 nearly 1,200 acres. 



South of Durham, at the castle of 

 Brancepeth, were two parks, called the 

 East and West Parks. Nearer Bishops- 

 Auckland two others, at Bedborn and 

 Witton Castle. 



At Raby Castle, near Staindrop, were, 

 in Leland's time, three parks, ' whereof,' 

 adds the old topographer, 'too be plen- 

 ished with dere, the middle park hath a 

 lodge in it.'" 



At Barnard Castle were two ancient 

 parks, also noticed by Leland ; ' the one,' 

 he adds, 'is called Marwood, and thereby 

 is a chase that beareth also the name of 

 Marwood, and that goeth on Tees ripe up 

 into Teesdale." In 1602 a lease was made 

 of these parks by the name of Broad Park 

 and Colt Park, for twenty-one years, and 

 in 1635, the custodie of Teesdale Forest 

 and Marwood Chase was granted by the 

 Crown to Sir Hemy Vane, on his cove- 

 nant to discharge all the Keepers' and 

 Foresters' fees, and to restore the Game 

 there for his Majesty's disport.* 



' Surtees's Durham, vol. ii. p. 222. 



" Itin. vol. i. p. 86, fol. 92. 



' lb. p. 87, fol. 93. 



' Surtees's Durham, vol iii, p. 120. 



