T ow n .
W h i t b y .
p. 25.
T he Sa m e .
A fte r P e r c y .
p. 26.
The town is large, built in form of a crefcent, on the Tides of a
fteep hill ; from whence the name, (which fhews it to have exifted
in Saxon times,) Scearburg, or the burg on a fear or cliff. Beneath the
fouth fide of the caftle, is a large ftone pier, (another is now building)
which flielterç the fhipping belonging to the place.
In 1394, prodigious fhoals of herrings appeared off this port,
which ôccafioned, a vaft refort of foreigners, who bought up,
cured the fifh, and exported them, to the great injury of the natives;
to prevent which the king iffued a proclamation, direited to the bailiffs
of St. Hilda's church, requiring them to put a flop to thefe
practices *.
At this place was held, before King Ofwy, the celebrated cbntro-
verfy about the proper feafon for keeping of Eajler. Archbifhop
Colman fupported one opinion from the traditions the Britains had of
the example of St. John the Evangelift, and Wilfrid on the contrary
drew his argument from the pradlice of St. Peter, on whom the catholic
church was founded, and to whom were committed the keys of
heaven. Ofwy demanded of Colman, whether this was true ; who
confeffed it was. Then fays his majefty, “ I will never contradiél
“ the porter of heaven, leaft I fuffer by his refentment, when I apply
“ for admiffion -f.” .
To whom the lordfhip was given by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chefler,
nephew to the Conqueror.
* Rymer'i Foedera, V II. 788.
•f Bede, Ecclef. Hill. lib . III. c . 25.
This
This priory was alio embattled or fortified in 1375, by permiffion G isborough.
of Edward III. Its revenue, according to Speed, was 712/. 6s. 6d.
according to Dugdale, 628I, 3s. 4d.
But the Chronicle of Metros, p. 1 9 0 . affigns a more rational caufe, O f the b u r n in g
by faying, that the Barons of the country deftroyed both their own OF Morpeth.
towns, and the {landing corn, in order to diftrefs the king then on his
march to punifh their revolt.
The caftle was feated on a fmall eminence. The remains are little M or pe th c as t le .
more than the gateway tower. This fortrefs was built by William
Lord Grayftock, in the year 1358. It appears to have been entire
in the days of Leland-, and at that time in poffeffion of Lord
Dacres *, who derived his right from his marriage with Elizabeth
Baronefs of Grayftock. In the time of Queen Elizabeth it was conveyed
to the'family of the prefent Earl of Carlijle, by the marriage
of a daughter of Thomas Lord Dacres with Lord William Howard of
Naworth -f\
Between Morpeth and Felton, on the right fide of the road, ftands C ockle tower.
Cockle tower, an ancient border houfe of the larger fize, fortified as the p' 3*‘
fad neceffity of the times required. Mr. Grofe tells us, that in the
time of Edward I. it belonged to the Bertrams of Mitford, perfons of
much property in this country.
* Leland, Itin. VII. 62.
•f Wallis, II. 299.
J He was born in the reign o f Henrj V I II . died in 1568.
At