the Huttons, for 24,000. The Huttons obtained it as a marriage portion with one of the Bowes. The great oaken. stairs in the present mansion were added by Andrew Robinson Stoney Bowes, Esq. who was closely besieged here for some days after he had stolen Lady Strathmore from London.

BARNARD CASTLE

Is situated on the southern acclivity of an eminence, rising with a steep ascent from the river Tees. Its name, and probably ori gin, are derived from a formidable castle erected on the summit of a rock on the west side soon after the Conquest, the ruins of which cover an extensive plot of ground. The whole district appears to have been originally called Marwood, and to have be longed to the Wapentake of Sadberg; consequently it remained free from the palatine jurisdiction of the Bishop, till the annexation of Sadberg to this See. Marwood also appears to have been the name of an ancient town about half a mile from Barnard Castle, of which there is no other trace than an old building, said to have been the church, but now used as a barn.

The town is populous, and extends in length about a mile; it possesses one of the largest corn markets in the north of England; but the Market-Cross, Tolbooth, or Town House, and Shambles, are very inconveniently situated, being in the very middle of the way. In this respect, perhaps, as well as by the indifferent paving, the inhabitants appear to have had reference to a charter bestowed by Hugh Baliol, who, after allowing them to use their own ovens, granted to each of its Burgesses "capere viam ante ostium suum pro domibus suis edificaudis et fumum colligere in via ante ostium, usque mediam viam." The Market-Cross itself is a neat free-stone building, open at the sides for popular accommodation. The Church, or rather Chapel, Barnard Castle forming part of Gainsford parish, offers nothing remarkable but an ancient base bell, said to have been brought from Eggleston Abbey, and an octagonal font of black marble, having on four sides, devices, apparently symbolical of the Trinity; and on the other four, shields

inscribed

inscribed with Saxon characters in cyphers, expressing its dedication Pater Filius et Spriritus Sanctus. The houses are disposed in several streets; and under the late act, were returned at 312; the inhabitants at 2166; including the other parts of the township. The laboring class are chiefly employed in the manufacture of Scotch camblets, or tammies, and in the tanning and stocking businesses. Of late years, the woollen trade has greatly declined, through the rise of the cotton branches.

BARNARD CASTLE was founded by Bernard, son of Guy Baliol, who came into England with the Conqueror, and on whom William Rufus bestowed the forests of Teesdale and Marwood, and the rich lordships of Middleton and Gainsford, with all their royal franchises, liberties, and immunities. Bernard, son of the former Bernard, granted the inhabitants free burgage: this was confirmed, with additional liberties, by his son and successor, Hugh Baliol, in whose time Alexander, King of Scotland, made an irruption into England, and having subdued all the fortresses in Northumberland for Lewis of France, came before the Castle of Bernard; when Eustace de Vesey, brother-in-law to Alexander, being on a reconnoitering party, was killed by an arrow from a cross-bow; but it does not appear that the Castle was assailed. John Baliol, the next possessor, founded an hospital, which survived the Dissolution, and still receives three alms-women. chieftain was the successful claimant to the crown of Scotland; which was awarded him by Edward the First. In his time the franchises and privileges of this liberty, and its independence of the palatinate, were pretty distinctly ascertained.

This

On

* By various records it appears, that here were an itinerant judge to dispense justice; a chicf bailiff of the liberty; a constable of the castle; a forester; and a porter of the castle, with separate fees; and coronet for the liberty, appointed by the lord. The Bishop or Durham had also an escheator; but this was not till the reign of Philip and Mary. Spearman, in his Enquiries, says, “that Robert de Clitheroe, and John de Sapy, successively exercised the escheatorship of Barnard Castle, by grant from the crown " The lords of the liberty had anciently divers knights fees, wardships, marriages, and reliefs there; and had the goods of the neif, or native, which they frequently took into their hands.

They

1. On the subsequent defection of Baliol, his estates were claimed by Bishop Beck as of the jure regalia of his palatinate; but King Edward, to humble the proud Prelate, and at the same time to abridge the overgrown power of a subject, seized the palatinate; and when it was restored to the See, it was found mutilated and abridged of many of the privileges it had gained by the forfeitures of Baliol and Bruce. Bishop Godwin informs us, that Beck made considerable reparations in this Castle during the time it remained in his possession. Edward, still determined to mortify the Bishop, and abridge his power, gave the Castle, and its members, to Guy Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, in whose family it continued for five descents. It afterwards came to the Crown; and Richard the Third took great delight in the place, and contributed much to its establishment; his cognizance appearing not only in the walls of the Castle, but in several parts of the town. On his death, Henry the Seventh came into possession, and it has been a Crown domain ever since. The Castle, honor, and privileges, with the parks, lauds, and appurtenances, were purchased by an ancestor of the present Earl of Darlington; and King Charles the First, 1640, granted to Sir Henry Vane, sundry privileges annexed to his manor of Raby, and honor of Castle Barnard. William the Third, in 1699, created the latter a barony: it is now the second title in the Earldom of Darlington.

Mr. Hutchinson describes the remains of the Castle as covering about six acres and three quarters of ground: the parts of chief strength stand on the brink of a steep rock, about eighty perpendicular feet above the Tees, on the north-east corner of the principal area, commanding a most beautiful prospect up the river. The

They had free warren and chace, with extent of large moors and wastes, in which they had the soil, mines, quarries, and other perquisites, from whence they made the grant before specified. They had the rturn of writs and warrants awarded thither, so that no officer or minister should enter there, but by writ of de non omittas: also, "markets and fairs, pillory, &c. &c. and that none should keep ale-houses within that liberty, without the licence of the steward in open court, for which there was a yearly rent of brew-farm, asciently paid to the lord." Hutchinson's Durham, Vol. III. p. 239.