1 m. W., on the opposite side of the little river Tippalt, and S. of the Rly., is the grey ruin of Blenkinsopp Castle, to which a farm-house has been added. The border fortress was built in 1339, and was the ancient abode of the family (now represented by the Coulsons), which bore its name. In 1542, "the tower of John Blenkenshope" had already fallen into decay, and it was afterwards deserted for Bellister. Tradition tells of a Bryan Blenkenshope, who swore that he would only marry when he found a lady with a chest of gold so heavy, that it would require 12 men to carry it into his castle; that he did find her, but that she learnt to hate him, and hid her gold away in a secret part of the castle, which she never disclosed. Now, "the White Lady of Blenkinsopp" is supposed to appear, and vainly endeavour to guide mortals to the treasure she took so much pains to hide in her lifetime.] m. S. of Haltwhistle, on the opposite banks of the Tyne, on an artificial mound, shaded by huge sycamore-trees, are the ruins of Bellister Castle, one of the usual Border towers, with a manor-house added at one side of it. This was long a residence of the Blenkinsopp family. [W.m. is Wyden Scar, where the river has worn away the hill into an abrupt cliff. There is a fine view towards Crossfell and the other Cumberland hills, with the castles of Blenkinsopp and Thirlwall in the valley of the Tippalt, and Featherstone with its woods and castle in the valley of the Tyne. From this point there is a beautiful walk along the river to Featherstone Bridge. The woods on rt. are Pinkies Cleugh, a subject of one of Mother Shipton's prophecies, which asserted that when three boys with two thumbs on each hand should be born at Pinkies Cleugh, the third should hold the reins of two kings, while they con tended together. Strange to say, in the cottage whose dismal ruins remain on the hillside, two of the fourthumbed boys have already been born: what will happen when the third comes remains to be seen. In the haugh below a number of oak coffins were found in the bog earth. Some of them are preserved in the neighbouring castle.] [The course of the Tyne changes at Haltwhistle. Its lower course from hence to Newcastle is entirely from W. to E.; above this it descends from the hills in the S. of the county in a course directly from S. to N. A branch rly. to Alston Moor, chiefly used for the mining traffic, crosses the Tyne by a handsome stone-bridge just below Haltwhistle, and ascends the 1. bank of the river to 66 3 m. Featherstone Stat. Rt. is Featherstone Castle] (Wallace Hope, Esq.), a picturesque building, consisting of an ancient square tower with two turrets, to which a modern castellated mansion has been added, including a gallery 60 ft. long. The castle was in the hands of Thos. de Fetherstonhaugh, 1 Ed. I., and was in good reparation" in 1542. In 1651, Timothy Fetherstonhaugh was taken prisoner and beheaded for fighting in the royal cause at Worcester, and his estates were confiscated. The house contains some fine pictures by Reynolds and Gainsborough. It has a Gothic chapel (51 ft. by 21), to which has been added a mausoleum for Lady Jane Hope, d. 1829. 66 The name was probably derived from the fact that the original castle was built for defence on the hill top, where were 2 stones called Fether Stones,"-afterwards it was moved to the meadow, whence the addition syllable of "haugh.' Below the castle, the river is crossed by a bridge of a single lofty arch. Nearly opposite is Glen Cune (Glen in a corner), where is a miniature waterfall, called Bishop's Linn, from Bishop Percy, who first drew attention to it. Above Featherstone, Hartley Burn, a considerable streamlet, flows into the Tyne. Greenscheles-Cleugh, a little higher up the river, is remarkable for the murder of Nicholas Featherstonehaugh on that spot, Oct. 24, 1530, by William Ridley of Unthank, Hugh Ridley of Howden, and others; an event which was made the source of the strange ballad of Surtees, which he pretended to have taken down from the recitation of an old woman of 80, mother of a miner on Alston Moor, and which Sir Walter Scott inserted, under that impression, in his Border Minstrelsy,' and in the notes to Marmion,' even interweaving one stanza with the poem itself. The historical and contemporary evidence of the persons alluded to in the ballad was the chief cause of the deception : "Hoot awa', lads, hoot awa', Ha' ye heard how the Ridleys, and Thirlwalls, and a', Ha' set upon Albany Featherstonhaugh, And taken his life at the Deadman's shaw? There was Willimoteswick, And Hardriding Dick, And Hughie of Hawden, and Will of the Wa', I canno' tell a', I canno' tell a', And mony a mair that the deil may knaw. The auld man went down, but Nicol, his son, Run away afore the fight was begun; And he run, and he run, And afore they were done, There was mony a Featherston gat sic a stun As never was seen since the world begun. I canno' tell a', I canno' tell a', Some gat a skelp, and some gat a claw; The railway crosses the Tync before reaching 44 m. Lambley Stat. Here a small Benedictine convent was in existence before 1190, but the Scots under Wallace in 1296 "consumed the house of the holy nuns of Lambley, and all the country round, in horrible fire."-Knighton. The ruins, which stood on the 1. bank of the river, have been completely washed away by the tide. Just beyond Lambley, the Glendue Burn is crossed. 1. is Knaresdale Hall (from the brook Knare), which once stood in the midst of a forest abounding in red deer. In the churchyard is the quaint epitaph of Robert Baxter, 1796: "All you that please these lines to read, That laid that poison there for me." 8 m. Slaggyford Stat. Rt. Opposite the church of Kirkhaugh is Whitley Castle, an ancient Roman station, measuring 150 yds. by 128. On the W. are 7 ditches, and on the N. 4. Further N. are the But they gar'd the Featherstones haud their remains of a Hypocaust. Many in jaw, Nicol, and Alick, and a', Some gat a hurt, and some gat nane; Ane gat a twist o' the craig, Ane gat a dunch o' the wame; And syne ran wallowing hame. Hoot, hoot, the auld man's slain outright! Lay him now wi' his face down:-he's a sorrowful sight. Janet, thou donnot, Thou gets a gude-man afore it be night. scriptions and relics have been found here. Here the Rly. crosses the Gildersdale Burn and enters Cumberland, before reaching 13 m. Alston Stat., the capital of the lead-mining district. Inn: Lowbyen. The Ale Burn and the Hudgill Burn Caverns, in the limestone-rock, on the border of the co. of Durham, may be visited from hence.] 431 m. Greenhead Stat. 1m. N.W. | pistols Meg had abstracted the charge, replacing it with tow, and then sending three ruffians to follow and attack him, is told in the notes to 'Guy Mannering.' on the W. bank of the Tippal Burn, 66 44 m. Close to the roadside is Mumps Ha,' or Beggars' Hall (Mumpers mean Beggars), the house where Dandy Dinmont is represented (in Guy Mannering') as telling the news of Ellangowan's death to Meg Merrilies. It was formerly a publichouse, kept by Meg Teasdale, who is said to have drugged her guests to death that she might rob them. She was buried in Upper Denton churchyard (May 1777), aged 98, with epitaph, "What I was once fame may relate, Some say that the Meg of the novel was Margaret Carrick, mother of Margaret Teasdale, who d. Dec. 11, 1711, aged 66, and is commemorated on the same tombstone. A deep pond on the rt. of the road is shown as the place where Meg disposed of the bodies of her victims, and a phosphorescent light is still believed to float nightly over its waters. The story of the escape of " Fighting Charlie of Liddesdale," from whose [Dur. & N.] 45 m. The Rly. crosses the Poltross Burn and reaches Rosehill Stat. An omnibus here meets the trains for Gilsland Spa, in the rocky valley of the Irthing, which separates the two counties (Cumberland and Northw umberland). The excellent hotel on the hill above is much resorted to by Northumbrians for the benefit of the sulphuric spring. Charges by the day: 78. 6d. 1st class; 5s. 6d. 2nd class; 38. 3rd class. On the opposite bank of the Irthing is Wardrew Spa ROUTE 15. HEXHAM TO KIELDER, BY CHOLLER- (WAVERLEY LINE). 32 m. On leaving Hexham the rly. turns abruptly to the rt., and crosses the Tyne by an iron bridge, just below the point where the North and South Tyne are united. N Bishop Percy, who first drew attention to it. Above Featherstone, Tak up the Hartley Burn, a considerable streamlet, flows into the Tyne. Greenscheles-Cleugh, a little higher up the river, is remarkable for the murder of Nicholas Featherstonehaugh on that spot, Oct. 24, 1530, by William Ridley of Unthank, Hugh Ridley of Howden, and others; an event which was made the source of the strange ballad of Surtees, which he pretended to have taken down from the recitation of an old woman of 80, mother of a miner on Alston Moor, and which Sir Walter Scott inserted, under that impression, in his Border Minstrelsy,' and in the notes to Marmion,' even interweaving one stanza with the poem itself. The historical and contemporary evidence of the persons alluded to in the ballad was the chief cause of the deception : - "Hoot awa', lads, hoot awa', Ha' heard how the Ridleys, and Thirlwalls, ye and a', Ha' set upon Albany Featherstonhaugh, And taken his life at the Deadman's shaw? There was Willimoteswick, And Hardriding Dick, And Hughie of Hawden, and Will of the Wa', I canno' tell a', I canno' tell a', And mony a mair that the deil may knaw. The auld man went down, but Nicol, his son, Run away afore the fight was begun; And he run, and he run, And afore they were done, There was mony a Featherston gat sic a stun As never was seen since the world begun. I canno' tell a', I canno' tell a', Some gat a skelp, and some gat a claw; But they gar'd the Featherstones haud their jaw, Nicol, and Alick, and a', Some gat a hurt, and some gat nane; Ane gat a twist o' the craig, Hoot, hoot, the auld man's slain outright! him now wi' his face down:-he's a the sorrowful sight. bridget, thou donnot, below ay my best bonnet, is a gude-man afore it be night. eminence above the Tyne, backed by ranges of distant hills. The castle itself is a very fine relic of temp. Edw. I., built in an oblong square, 100 ft. by 44; and it is peculiarly interesting, from the walls having been left in their rough original state, without any of the smoothing of modern reparation. The row of arches, which is visible all round the external walls, has given rise to the idea that the building was conventual before it was a castle; but it is more probable that they were merely inserted to give additional strength to the walls, as was the case in many Norman castles. The walls for the most part are 8 ft. thick, and the recesses for the windows have arched ceilings. Four newel staircases lead to the roof at the 4 angles of the building. In the upper story is a large room, probably the baron's hall, but modernized 60 yrs. ago. In one of the lower rooms a beautiful E. E. arch, with nail-head ornaments, has been built into the wall. It has evidently been placed there since the building of the castle, as part of the mouldings have been cut away to allow of its fitting its present situation probably it was brought from the chapel, of which the ruins (60 ft. by 24) still remain in the grounds. Documents exist in the Public Record Office which prove that, in the time of Alexander III. of Scotland, Haughton was the residence of a Swinburne who was treasurer of Queen Margaret, by whom letters were addressed to him here. The Widdringtons resided here in 1567. The banks of the river are here richly wooded, and of great beauty. Its waters abound in salmon, and a trout weighing 43 lbs. was caught here in 1862 by the present proprietor, and is preserved in the castle. Anglers should be careful not to be overtaken by the rapid floods called spates, which are common in Northumbrian rivers. The ruined Papermill, on the 1. bank of the Tyne, is |