Middle Marches
from an article by George Clark
In the turbulent days of Northumberland's history, the time of the border raids, it was found necessary to constitute particular governors to guard and defend the borders; these were called Lords of the East, Middle and West Marches. At the same time, every man possessed of great wealth was obliged to provide a castle or kind of fortress for his own safety. Heddon's part in these watches is given in:
The Order of the Watches upon the Middle Marches by Lord Wharton in October 1552.
The overseers of these watches were Martin Fenwick, Clement and Thomas Rede of Heddon. Of those surnames listed in the Muster Roll in 1538, only two, Bartley and Hill's descendants appear in the first church registers which commenced in 1656. A movement of population had taken place, and during this interval, three prominent families had settled in Heddon: the Fenwicks, Cresswells and Barkas. Other surnames appearing are Collins, Archer and Peascod. One of the earlist gravestones in the churchyard bears the name of John Peascod, who died 12 May 1730. The wills of William Middleton 1578, Gerard Fenwick 1584, Anne Cresswell 1614 and Thomas Cresswell 1621 appear in the probate registry at Durham.
Anne Cresswell was buried in the church. The Cresswells were related to the Fenwicks of East Heddon and lived in a house just east of the churchyard which was rebuilt in 1821. This is probably the house now called Garden House. About a quarter of the township of Heddon was farmed by the Cresswells but are said to have been ruined by horse-racing leaving their farm let to Matthew Robson from North Tyne.
The will of Gerard Fenwick, dated 17 March 1584 makes many bequests, one: "To the poor of Heddon Parish, 4 bolls of rye". The inventory to the will is a curious one and amounts to £123 4s 0d including £82 15s 0d lent out by hime to over 100 of his neighbours making him appear as a sort of money lender or country banker.
The Fenwicks of Heddon were as numerous as their clansmen of East Heddon. Thomas Heddon died in 1691, Martin Fenwick in 1709. Both were married three times, leaving many descendants. Only William Fenwick is recorded as being buried in the churchyard, all other were buried in the church. ('in the quire').
Isabel Oxley was prosecuted in 1633/4 by Thomas Reed, clerk of Heddon, for blasphemous words delivered to George Fenwick. She also delivered some to Thomas Reed. She was buried 12 December 1666.
It is not clear how the boundaries of Wards originated but the Rate Book of 1663 shows that the vicarage grounds and the Glebe land formed isolated portions of Castle Ward in the midst of Tindale Ward. Like Cumberland, Westmorland and County Durham, Northumberland was divided into administrative units called wards instead of hundreds or wapentakes, as in southern counties of England. Wards were areas originally organised for military purposes, each centred on a castle an became units for election. The six townships of Heddon Parish were taken from Tindale Ward and added to the West Division of Castle Ward from 1st January 1830, by order of Quarter Sessions.
As in more recent years, when many industries and trades suffer from depression so it was 300 years ago when the wool trade was undergoing such recession. In order to help the wool trade, it became an offence to bury in any shroud etc. not made of wool under a penalty of £5. An affidavit to this had to be made either to a magistrate or to the officiating priest. There are a number of entries in parish registers showing these burials and affidavits dated 1679-1682. The price of a burial place (called a 'lair' or 'lare stall') within the church was two shillings for an adult over 16 years and one shilling for anyone younger. The lair stones are the flat grave-stones on the church floor.
Also to be seen in the parish registers is evidence of the poverty which abounded in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. There are a number of references to 'a wandering Scotch collier', 'a poor beggar', 'a poor begging widow' and a 'poor old soldier' who were either baptised or buried in Heddon between 1689-1706.
Interestingly, between the years 1685 and 1738 Heddon appears to have been a popular place for weddings of persons from outside the village from as far away as Warkworth and South Shields. These marriages all appear to have been of widowed women taking second husbands. Perhaps having at wedding in Heddon could escape the limelight in their own parish
The first Parish Books were started in 1671. The parish churches of England must have been asked to contribute to the cost of building St Paul's Cathedral in London as there is an entry dated October 1678 'for the building of St Paul's Church in London, ye sum of one pound two shillings and eleven pence.'
Ecclesiastical discipline was strictly enforced during the seventeenth century. People were excommunicated for non-attendance at church or for not bringing a child to baptism and there were a number of persons excommunicated in Heddon between 1673 and 1681.
A census of the parish by Vicar Armstrong in 1754 shows that there were 175 families with 754 'souls' and 13 Presbyterians. The parish consisted of the village of Heddon together with the hamlets of Close House, Houghton, High Seat, Whitchester, Loudside, Eachwick, West Heddon and East Heddon. He also wrote that 'at this time there was not so much as one Papist, nor a Dissenter of any other denomination, but Presbyterian.' However, in September 1780 in a letter to the Bishop of Durham, he wrote that there were three men and three women in the parish who were Papists, or reputed Papists.
The Rev. J.A. Blackett became vicar in 1830 and compiled an elaborate register. In 1899 the names of the inhabitants of Heddon village were recorded: one family had thirteen children and another of a carpenter who had six bound apprentices living in his home. Of the occupations given, there were two tailors, two dressmakers, two shoemakers, a number of weavers, laundresses, farm workers, pitmen, quarrymen, carpenters, blacksmiths, a cattle-dealer, a bailiff and four shop keepers. Heddon must have been a prosperous village at that time. There are other amusing remarks shown alongside some of the names, such as 'wild lad', 'very wild lad', 'idle boy' and 'a wild lazy lad'. Some things never change.
The Order of the Watches upon the Middle Marches by Lord Wharton in October 1552.
- The watch at the head of 'Weltonburn-Inning' and 'Nesbit-dyke' was to be set with two men of the 'Inhabitors of Heddon Thorklaye' (Throckley), 'Est Hedwin', 'Haughton' and the Close (Close House) and two more men from them to be set nightly at the 'Holl-Banks' by 'West-Oustone'.
- Tthe inhabitors of Eachwick furnished their quota at 'Stannerden-ford'.
- those of Whitchester on the Wall at 'Welton-burn'.
The overseers of these watches were Martin Fenwick, Clement and Thomas Rede of Heddon. Of those surnames listed in the Muster Roll in 1538, only two, Bartley and Hill's descendants appear in the first church registers which commenced in 1656. A movement of population had taken place, and during this interval, three prominent families had settled in Heddon: the Fenwicks, Cresswells and Barkas. Other surnames appearing are Collins, Archer and Peascod. One of the earlist gravestones in the churchyard bears the name of John Peascod, who died 12 May 1730. The wills of William Middleton 1578, Gerard Fenwick 1584, Anne Cresswell 1614 and Thomas Cresswell 1621 appear in the probate registry at Durham.
Anne Cresswell was buried in the church. The Cresswells were related to the Fenwicks of East Heddon and lived in a house just east of the churchyard which was rebuilt in 1821. This is probably the house now called Garden House. About a quarter of the township of Heddon was farmed by the Cresswells but are said to have been ruined by horse-racing leaving their farm let to Matthew Robson from North Tyne.
The will of Gerard Fenwick, dated 17 March 1584 makes many bequests, one: "To the poor of Heddon Parish, 4 bolls of rye". The inventory to the will is a curious one and amounts to £123 4s 0d including £82 15s 0d lent out by hime to over 100 of his neighbours making him appear as a sort of money lender or country banker.
The Fenwicks of Heddon were as numerous as their clansmen of East Heddon. Thomas Heddon died in 1691, Martin Fenwick in 1709. Both were married three times, leaving many descendants. Only William Fenwick is recorded as being buried in the churchyard, all other were buried in the church. ('in the quire').
Isabel Oxley was prosecuted in 1633/4 by Thomas Reed, clerk of Heddon, for blasphemous words delivered to George Fenwick. She also delivered some to Thomas Reed. She was buried 12 December 1666.
It is not clear how the boundaries of Wards originated but the Rate Book of 1663 shows that the vicarage grounds and the Glebe land formed isolated portions of Castle Ward in the midst of Tindale Ward. Like Cumberland, Westmorland and County Durham, Northumberland was divided into administrative units called wards instead of hundreds or wapentakes, as in southern counties of England. Wards were areas originally organised for military purposes, each centred on a castle an became units for election. The six townships of Heddon Parish were taken from Tindale Ward and added to the West Division of Castle Ward from 1st January 1830, by order of Quarter Sessions.
As in more recent years, when many industries and trades suffer from depression so it was 300 years ago when the wool trade was undergoing such recession. In order to help the wool trade, it became an offence to bury in any shroud etc. not made of wool under a penalty of £5. An affidavit to this had to be made either to a magistrate or to the officiating priest. There are a number of entries in parish registers showing these burials and affidavits dated 1679-1682. The price of a burial place (called a 'lair' or 'lare stall') within the church was two shillings for an adult over 16 years and one shilling for anyone younger. The lair stones are the flat grave-stones on the church floor.
Also to be seen in the parish registers is evidence of the poverty which abounded in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. There are a number of references to 'a wandering Scotch collier', 'a poor beggar', 'a poor begging widow' and a 'poor old soldier' who were either baptised or buried in Heddon between 1689-1706.
Interestingly, between the years 1685 and 1738 Heddon appears to have been a popular place for weddings of persons from outside the village from as far away as Warkworth and South Shields. These marriages all appear to have been of widowed women taking second husbands. Perhaps having at wedding in Heddon could escape the limelight in their own parish
The first Parish Books were started in 1671. The parish churches of England must have been asked to contribute to the cost of building St Paul's Cathedral in London as there is an entry dated October 1678 'for the building of St Paul's Church in London, ye sum of one pound two shillings and eleven pence.'
Ecclesiastical discipline was strictly enforced during the seventeenth century. People were excommunicated for non-attendance at church or for not bringing a child to baptism and there were a number of persons excommunicated in Heddon between 1673 and 1681.
A census of the parish by Vicar Armstrong in 1754 shows that there were 175 families with 754 'souls' and 13 Presbyterians. The parish consisted of the village of Heddon together with the hamlets of Close House, Houghton, High Seat, Whitchester, Loudside, Eachwick, West Heddon and East Heddon. He also wrote that 'at this time there was not so much as one Papist, nor a Dissenter of any other denomination, but Presbyterian.' However, in September 1780 in a letter to the Bishop of Durham, he wrote that there were three men and three women in the parish who were Papists, or reputed Papists.
The Rev. J.A. Blackett became vicar in 1830 and compiled an elaborate register. In 1899 the names of the inhabitants of Heddon village were recorded: one family had thirteen children and another of a carpenter who had six bound apprentices living in his home. Of the occupations given, there were two tailors, two dressmakers, two shoemakers, a number of weavers, laundresses, farm workers, pitmen, quarrymen, carpenters, blacksmiths, a cattle-dealer, a bailiff and four shop keepers. Heddon must have been a prosperous village at that time. There are other amusing remarks shown alongside some of the names, such as 'wild lad', 'very wild lad', 'idle boy' and 'a wild lazy lad'. Some things never change.
