National Gazetteer (1868) - Eglingham

"EGLINGHAM, a parish in the N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 6 miles N.W. of Alnwick, its post town. The parish, which is very extensive, is situated near the river Alne, and includes the townships of Bassington, Beanley, New and Old Bewick, Brandon, Branton, Crawley, Ditchburn, Eglingham, Harehope, Hedgley, East and West Lilburn, Shipley, Titlington, and several small places. The river Bremish rises in the Cheviot hills, and, with numerous other streamlets, intersects the parish. Along its banks the soil is a rich gravelly loam, but towards the centre of the parish clay predominates, and in the S. and E. parts the land is unenclosed moorland, forming extensive sheepwalks. There is a fine sheet of water, called Kimmer Loch, covering nearly 10 acres. Coal, limestone, and freestone are abundant, and are extensively wrought in the western portion of the parish, where the land gradually rises to the Cheviot hills. In the township of Shipley is a chalybeate spring. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Durham, value £835. The church is a stone structure, dedicated to St. Maurice. It was rebuilt after the Restoration, having been destroyed, together with the chapels of Old Bewick, Worperton, West Lilburn, and Brandon, by the Scots during the Rebellion, and was enlarged by the addition of a transept in 1836. The chapel of Old Bewick was also rebuilt, but was unroofed by a gale of wind in 1760. The Presbyterians have a chapel at Branton. There are charities producing about £3 per annum, and parochial schools at Eglingham and Bewick. Major Robert Ogle is lord of the manor. At a short distance from the village are traces of Roman and British encampments, and remains of an old border tower."

"BASSINGTON, a township in the parish of Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 3 miles from Alnwick. The river Alne runs through the township,"

"BEANLEY, a township in the parish of Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 8 miles to the N. W. of Alnwick. It was the head of a barony held by the Earls of Dunbar, who had the power of inflicting capital punishment. On Hedgeley Moor stands Percy's Cross, a monument to Sir Ralph Percy, slain in battle against the Yorkists, in 1464. There are remains of an old encampment at Beanley plantation, supposed to be British. The Duke of Northumberland is the sole proprietor and lord of the manor."

"BRANDON, a township in the parish of Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 7 miles to the S. of Wooler. It is watered by the river Breamish."

"BRANTON, a township, in the parish of Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 8 miles to the S. of Wooler. There is a chapel belonging to the Presbyterians."

"EAST DITCHBURN, (and West Ditchburn) a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of the ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 621 miles N.W. of Alnwick. There was anciently a fortified tower here. The property once belonged to Admiral Lord Collingwood. R. Dand, Esq., is lord of the manor of East, and J. F. Carr, Esq., of West, Ditchburn.

"EAST LILBURN, (and West Lilburn) townships in the parish of Eglingham, Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 3 miles S.E. of Wooler. At the W. end of the village are some ruins of a chapel, and of a tower of the Lilburnes and Clennells, opposite the seat of H. Collingwood, Esq., the present proprietor. It is a meet for Lord Elcho's hounds.

"HAREHOPE, (or Hareup), a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 8 miles N.W. of Alnwick. In the vicinity are extensive earthworks, probably British.

"HEDGELEY, a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 8 miles N.W. of Alnwick, and 9 N. of Rothbury. It is situated under the Cheviots, near the river Breamish. On Hedgeley Moor a battle was fought in 1463 between the forces of Edward IV. and the partisans of Henry VI., in which Sir Ralph Percy was slain, in memory of whose bravery a stone pillar called Percy's Cross was erected on the spot. At Three-stone Burn is a Druidical circle of 10 stones, 38 yards in circumference. The land is chiefly arable, and the soil various. Hedgeley House is the principal residence."

"NEW and OLD BEWICK, townships in the parish of Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 7 miles to the S.E. of Wooler. In the neighbourhood are the remains of two ancient camps, both of a semicircular form-one situated on Bewick Hill, the other at Harup Burn. The former has a double vallum, and both are considered to be British works. There are some ruins of an ancient chapel near the village.

"NEW-BEWICK, a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 2½ miles N.W. of Eglingham. The township contains but one farm. A. J. B. Cresswell, Esq., is lord of the manor and sole landowner."

"SHIPLEY, a township in the parish of Eglingham, county Northumberland, 5 miles N.W. of Alnwick. It is wholly agricultural. The Earl of Tankerville and J. H. H. Atkinson, Esq., are lords of the manor."

"TITLINGTON, a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 6½ miles N.W. of Alnwick."

"WOOPERTON, a township in the parish of Eglingham, N. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 6 miles S.E. of Wooler, near the river Breamish."