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start of Cumberland |
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Page 198:-
with reliefs [h], urns, copper vessels, trinkets, and
snakestones [i], the relief of the Victory VIC. AVG. and the
Capricorn and Pegasus [k].
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Castra Exploratorum
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Horsley puts here CASTRA EXPLORATORUM [l]. The rev. Mr.
Graham's house stands on the site of the station, on a
rising ground washed by the Esk; and the country round him
is a creation of his own. From a barren wild it became as
rich as the rest which environed it. By the irruption of
Solway moss, 1769, a tract worth £.400. a year was
reduced to a bog. This estate passed from the Stutevilles to
the Wakes, and was granted as debateable land by James I. to
Francis Clifford, earl of Cumberland, who sold it to
Nicholas Graham, master of the horse to the duke of
Buckingham, and of the prince's party in his Spanish
journey. He was left for dead at the battle of Edgehill, but
survived to 1653. His grandson George was created by Charles
II. viscount Preston in the kingdom of Scotland, and being
convicted of treason for attempting to escape to James II.
in France, was pardoned, and died 1695 at Nunnington, his
estate in Yorkshire, where he was succeeded by his grandson
Charles; who dying without issue 1739, was succeeded by his
two aunts, coheirs of William. Catherine surviving was
married to William lord Widdrington, and dying 1757 without
issue, devised the estate to the rev. Robert Graham, M.A.
second son of her uncle William Graham, dean of Carlisle and
of Wells, owner 1775 of this vast tract of country, and
rector of the two churches of Asthurst and Kirkandrews upon
Esk [m]. He died, and was succeeded by his son sir James
Graham. A writer in the Gent. Mag. LV. 844. observes that by
draining, manuring, and planting, this worthy gentleman
improved his estate in 16 years from £.2000. per
annum, to £.10,000. and even £.13,000
per annum, so that if his son pursues his plan it
will amount to £.20,000 per annum clear. He
first drained and improved 1000 acres, then erected villages
of eight or ten houses, with a number of acres to each, and
let them to his industrious married neighbours rent free for
one or two years or more till they could pay, besides
erecting churches and inns, and a very handsome commodious
house for himself, where the most liberal hospitality
presided.
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Esk. r.
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Esk, River
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"Eske defluit in Eskam at Letheldale."
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Lidel.
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Liddel Strength
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"Lithel was a moted place of a gentleman called Sir
Walter Seleby, the which was killed there, and the place
destroyed in king Edward III's time, when the Scotts went to
Durham [n]."
Liddel's Strength, or the Mote, a strong
entrenchment, with a double ditch two miles south-west (sic)
of Netherby, small, or rather circular, on a steep and lofty
clay cliff above the river Liddel, commanding a vast
extent of view, has at one end a very high mount, in the
middle the foundation of a square building, perhaps the
praetorium. It is defended by a sort of half moon, with a
vast foss and dike [o]. It was stormed by David II. king of
Scotland. Sir Walter would have compounded for his ransom,
but the Conqueror, after causing his two sons to be
strangled before his face, ordered his head to be struck off
[p].
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Border service.
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Border Service
Lords Warden of the Marches
Border Laws
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"The Border service against the Scots as distinct from the
military service throughout the kingdom is as antient as the
distribution of the several seignories and manors among the
Norman adventurers by William the Conqueror, or his grantee
Ranulph de Meschines. And the tenants of the several manors
were obliged, on firing of beacons, or other warning, to
attend their lord in the service of the borders at their own
expence, which attendance might be prolonged to 40 days.
According to the value of their respective tenures, some
were obliged to serve on horseback, and others on foot, with
the proper accoutrements. Hence there were nag
tenements and foot tenements, the owners whereof
were obliged to furnish their stipulated number
respectively, on pain of forfeiting the estate to the lord.
Within the manor of Bew castle they seem to have been all
nag tenements; for in the reservation of a heriot
there is a reservation for the riding horse kept by the
tenant for the lord's service according to antient custom."
"But the regulation of the borders by distinct laws under
the rule of lords wardens of the marches seems to have
commenced in the reign of Edward I. when he affected the
sovereignty of Scotland. Hostilities then became inveterate.
The Scots ill brooked a claim frivolous in itself, and
supported the violence. Happy indeed had it been for both
kingdoms if Edward, bad as his cause was, had finally
prevailed. It would have spared much blood, treasure,
misery, and desolation, which ensued, and, as experience has
at length instructed, instead of two jealous, wrangling,
contentious neighbours, distiguished by no natural boundary,
would have made us many ages sooner one grreat, opulent, and
flourishing kingdom."
"The first lord warden of the marches of whom we have any
authentic account was Robert de Clifford, lord of
Westmoreland, and hereditary sheriff of the same, who was
made the king's captain and keeper of the Marches in the
north towards Scotland, 1296, being then about 23 years of
age. The laws of the march or border laws 1246, given by
bishop Nicolson [q], are an evident forgery. The power of
the lord warden was varied as according to circumstances,
but was in general very great. He was to punish all offences
against the truces between England and Scotland, take
cognizance of all hostile acts, hold warden courts and
sessions in the West Marches, as well within liberties as
without, levy fines for breaches of the truce, inquire after
all who should practice with the enemey, hear, discuss, and
determine all plaints, pleas, and debates, according to the
law and custom of the parts of the Marches and dominions
aforesaid, and at the cost of the subjects set and appoint
watchmen to give notice against the incursions of the Scots,
muster all fencible men between the age of 16 and 60 for the
defence of Carlisle and Berwick, and agree to abstinences of
war between both nations for weeks or months. He had under
him two deputies, or substitutes, two warden serjeants, and
other officers. His appointment was 600 marks per
ann. for himself, and his two deputies, i.e. for them
£.10. per ann. and the warden serjeants each
40s. per ann. [r] He had a council, who were to
enquire
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[h]
Ib. pl.vi. and iii. Pennant's Voyage to the Hebrides, p.73.
Pl.vi. and P.xviii. of the Tour of 1769.
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[i]
Ib. pl.viii. p.74. His first is Horsley's l. his second
Horsley's xlix.
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[k]
Horsl. 260. Cumb. xxxii.
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[l]
P. 409.
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[m]
Burn, II. 464-9.
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[n]
Lel. VII 69.
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[o]
Q. if Stothara at Isurium be like this. See p.60.
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[p]
Burn, II. 471. Pennant, 74.
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[q]
Border laws, p.1.
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[r]
Q. Elizabeth's commission to Herny lord Scroope of Bolton,
a.r.5.
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into
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gazetteer links
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-- (roman fort, Netherby)
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