Know Your Parish

ROTHBURY, NORTHUMBERLAND

June Watson

For more than a century after the Norman Conquest, upper Coquetdale remained in the hands of the Crown until, in 1205, King John granted his manor and forest of Rothbury to Robert Fitz-Roger, Baron of Warkworth. This grant included all the rights and privileges of the manor. The Fitzrogers of Warkworth, who eventually assumed the surname of Clavering from their manor of Clavering in Essex, held Rothbury until 1332 when John de Clavering, the last Clavering baron of Warkworth, died without an heir. The barony was then granted by Edward III to Henry de Percy, second Lord Percy of Alnwick, since which time the manor has continued in the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland being also Lords of the manor of Rothbury.

In remote valleys such as Upper Coquetdale, old names die hard, and family names that have been in the parish for centuries are still found today. The names of the Duke of Northumberland's tenants in Rothbury in 1569 were Thomas SWANNE, Willims MAWEVYN, Robts TEYLOR, Edwardus DYTCHEN, Rogerus GRENE, Cuthbertus BETTYMAN and Georgius CARR, most of whom held a few acres of land with a house. Towards the middle of the 17th century freeholders began to appear in Rothbury; the rentals and rates of 1663 show the Duke of Northumberland as the largest landowner, but there were three other freeholders - Henry POTT, Thomas OGLE, and George GIBSON.

In the late 18th century Rothbury was described as a poor town of two streets, which were not paved and the houses were mostly thatched with heather. The "Three Half Moons" was the principal inn where public meetings, courts of justice, and excise sittings were held. Under its roof the ill-fated James Radcliffe, third Earl of Derwentwater, slept on the night of 6 October 1715, having marched from Greenrig on the North Tyne to Plainfield Moor in Coquetdale at the head of a small band of Northern Jacobites. The little army spent the night in Rothbury before proceeding next day to Warkworth, and on towards ultimate defeat at Preston some five weeks later.

The political leanings of the inhabitants of Upper Coquetdale had been mostly Royalist during the Civil War; evidence if this can be found in the Parish Church Vestry books. Seventy years later, a large part of the Catholic gentry of Northumberland supported the Jacobite Rising of 1715; among them were Lord Widdrington and his two brothers, Charles and Peregrine, William Shaftoe of Bavington and his son John, and several Ordes, Forsters, Riddles, Thorntons, Claverings and Scotts. James Radcliffe, Earl of Derwentwater, and William Gordon, Viscount Kenmure, who had commanded the forces raised in the Scottish Borders, were beheaded on Tower Hill on 24 February 1716, the only members of the nobility to die for their part in the ill-fated Rising.

In the centre of the village green stood the old Market Cross, which was erected in 1722 and became the centre of the commerce of the district. It was demolished in 1827 by the freeholders of the village who considered it to be in a dangerous condition. Many mourned its loss and an old woman composed a rhyme in memory of the Cross which not only records its destruction but preserves the names of several old Rothbury families. The following two stanzas gives the names of many of the freeholders who were at the time threatened with legal proceedings for removing the cross: - "Ye ancient inhabitants mourn for the loss of that venerable pile, I mean Rothbury Cross, Where oft in my childhood I happy did play with youthful companions, long since away. There were the Grahams, and the Milburns, the Storers and Storeys, The Clennels, the Snawdons, the Todds, and the Dores, The Matthews, and Mavins - that's just half-a-score; Believe me, dear neighbours, there are very few more." A new market cross now marks the spot and was erected on 2 August 1902, to the memory of Lord and Lady Armstrong of Cragside - of munitions fame - who had contributed much to Rothbury and who had helped to preserve the impressive countryside surrounding the village. The Cragside home of the Armstrong’s, with its beautiful grounds full of rhododendrons, is now in the care of the National Trust, and still attracts visitors from all over the world.

The earliest surviving parish register of All Saints Church; Rothbury begins in 1658 and runs to 1724. It is obviously a home-made book, consisting of 105 leaves of hand-made vellum bound in brown parchment. It contains a variety of items, vestry meeting minutes, excommunications, church collections, a short history of Rothbury and a list of Rectors. There is an entry on the first page of the register to the effect that "this register was revised and placed in order by John Shotton (for many years curate) from old rags of rotten paper". After the middle of the 18th century the registers became much scantier in detail and of much less interest.

The old church stands high above the rippling River Coquet and in the churchyard are headstones and memorials worthy of more than a passing interest. There are memorials to many well known characters such as Walter Mavin "the Coquet Angler", whose headstone depicts the hills, streams and wildlife of Coquetdale and of course the Armstrong Family.

Today Rothbury is a charming country town, with farming and forestry still the main occupation of its inhabitants. The population of the town in 1871 is quoted as 2,750 and by 1971 this figure had only risen to 2,800. Much of its historical interest remains to attract visitors. West of Rothbury is Tosson Tower, the ruin of a pele tower which once belonged to the Ogles. It was one of a line of towers extending from Harbottle to Warkworth as a defence against the marauding Scots. Still in a good state of preservation is nearby Brinkburn Priory, founded in the reign of Henry I and once the home of the pious Augustinian or Black Cannons. After the dissolution of the monasteries, Brinkburn was granted to John, Earl of Warwick, and has since belonged to various notable families.

As most of the land was owned by the Duke of Northumberland, many valuable records are in his private collection at Alnwick Castle and are unfortunately not available to the public. However, one particular document was recently loaned to the Northumberland County Record Office and a photocopy may now be consulted there. Entitled "Special Report of the State of Cottages held immediately under His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, 1866", This document (reference number NRO M/48) lists the state of all the cottages under the Duke's ownership, the details of the occupants, and the conditions under which the families were living, and covers the villages of NEWTOWN, HOLLINGHILL, HESLEYHIRST, ROW (or RAW), LEE WARD, PAUPERHAUGH, ROTHBURY AND MOUNT HEALEY. Another interesting source on the topography of Rothbury is "Upper Coquetdale" by David Dippie Dixon "History of Northumberland", Vol XV., which can also be consulted at Woodhorn.

Editors Notes

Rothbury, All Saints: Records of baptisms 1653-1916, marriages 1653-1965 and burials 1653-1970 are available at Northumberland Collections Service at Woodhorn. Bishops' Transcripts for the period 1760-1831 are deposited at Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections, Palace Green, Durham City http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#c=1309819;w=179;p=imageBrowser

The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes records for this for this parish.

Boyd's Marriage Index includes marriages 1653-1812. Transcripts of baptisms 1653-1812, marriages 1658-1812 and burials 1654-1812 are available in the Local Studies Departments of Newcastle http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/librarylocalstudies and Gateshead Local Studies Library http://www.asaplive.com/Local/home.cfm

A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Rothbury (microfiche TN83) is published by the Northumberland and Durham FHShttp://www.ndfhs.org.uk/Sales/prices/NI_48.html

and are also available in book form at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Department. http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/librarylocalstudies

Thropton, All Saints (Roman Catholic): Records of baptisms 1769-1840, marriages 1772-1821 and deaths 1797-1839, Thropton Presbyterian Church, Baptisms 1799-1847 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. A transcript covering the same periods is available at Newcastle Local Studies Dept. Births/baptisms 1769-1840 and some marriages are included on the IGI. Rothbury (Roman Catholic) - Baptisms 1724-1811.Rothbury (Congregational) - Births/baptisms 1840-1906, marriages 1894-1903 and burials 1894-1904.

A transcript of baptisms 1840-1856 is available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.) http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/librarylocalstudies

Early Wesleyan Methodist chapels in this area belonged to Alnwick W.M. Circuit. Records for 1791-1837 can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service and are included on the IGI

Online resources

An historical, topographical, and descriptive view of the county of Northumberland http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-RtNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA56&dq=eneas+mackenzie+rothbury&lr=&as_brr=1

The history of the rebellion in 1715 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uWQFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA28&dq=rothbury&lr=&as_brr=1

Poll book Northumberland Coquetdale 1826 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nIEHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PT42&lpg=PT42&dq=poll+books+northumberland+rothbury+athey&source=bl&ots=F6iEQv4OkN&sig=9J2xZ3MB66RzIleSFwL5XUhSuHs&hl=en&ei=6ZVsSrjwA6DMjAe90syqCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

Keys to the past www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N13475

Northumberland communities http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Rothbury.htm

North East of England History http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/Rothbury.htm