Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/30

 HIBTORY OP BISHOP AUCKLAND. 18 meBsuage at Aukland. On the same day the Biahop appoints John de Burdon his keeper of the P&rk of Ankland for life. Wages, dd. per day. 20th April, 1373. The Bishop gives in ahns to William Shepledy, hermit, a piece of ground near the Wear, at the side of the highway leading from Aukland to Bynchestre and Newtoncapp, eighty feet in length and forty in breadth, npon which to build a hermitage, to hold for life. Bent, a penny. [This identical piece of property (now known as Jock's Bow), passed into the hands of a family of the name of '' Winter^' during thd reign of Charles the First, and continued theirs, in an imbroken possession, until about the year 1850, a period of upwards of two hundred years]. Dec. 28th, 1376. At Aukland. The Bishop threatens 'the greater excommunication, unless restitution be made, against certain unknown persons who had stolen a hawk of great value from Philip de Nevyle. June 24th, 1378. At Aukland. The Bishop threatens the sentence of the greater excommunication against some persons unknown, who had entered his forest of Werdall, and had carried off certain birds, called ^' merlions," and had destroyed divers nests of others, dbc., to the grave peril of their souls. The Bishop's throne in Durham Cathedral — a most elegant structure — ^was erected by Bishop Hatfield, on the south side of which its founder lies buried. On the tunic of the statue, which is erected over his tomb, are three richly embroidered shields : the two lateral ones contain the Bishop's own coat of arms, and on the centre one are embroidered the arms of England. The honour of bearing the arms of England in this manner is a proof of the high estimation in which this magnanimous prelate was held by his Sovereign, and was supposed to have been granted to him in consequence of the distinguished part he bore in the battle of Neville's Cross. From the account rolls of Richard Crosseby (who is styled clerk of the works), during the episcopate of John Fordham (1381-1388), we select the following interesting entries : — Paid to John Dogger, of Durham, for the horse of Giliot, my Lord's minstrel, by my Lord's order, 17s. 8d. To the archers of Durham going to Gateshede on foot with my Lord, by his command, 6s. Sd. The cost and expense incurred in making anew of a ^' were" on the south side of the river Were, from Newtonbridge to the west of " Seint Anne Grene :" — Thirty-six labourers employed. Cutting of " lez rices," cleaving of " lez pylee," &nd " le snyddyng'' of " yedders" in Birtley wood and in the park 400 piles in three " rawes," 3d. per day, along with ISd. thrice given to drink, 64s. For carrying stones, called '' lez cobles," to place upon the rice and stop out the Were, &a Sum total X8 IJd. Paid to a poor man sawing my Lord's wood, and having three of his fingers hurt by the falling of a log, that is to say, to a barber for healing the said fingers, of my Lord's charity, 20d. Two facts may be deduced from these records, viz., that there was a bridge over the Wear at Newton Cap previous to the present structure, which was built by the succeeding Bishop, Walter Skirlaw ; and, also, that the sloping hill now called "Wear Chare," and the overhanging gardens and fields to the west of it, and immediately behind North Bondgate, were then called "St Anne's Green." During the episcopate of Bishop Walter Skirlaw there seems little recorded in connection with the immediate history of Bishop Auckland, with the exception of the building of the above-named bridge, and the erection of a stone gateway which led to the manor-house ; but of these works no account roUs have been preserved Tradition, however, says that the name of the builder of the bridge was Sherley, and that he was a runaway apprentice. During the episcopate of Cardinal Thomas Langley (1406-1437), we find these important items, viz. : — Paid to the stewards of the church of St. Andrew Ankhmd, and the parishioners there, to build the bel&y of the said church, of my Lord's gift by my Lord's letter of warrant, and by the oath of Richard Bukley made upon the account, ^6 13s. 4d. Paid to William Bolton and his fellow-carpenters working upon the f eUing, lopping, squaring, and making of a wooden bridge, called the Pybrig, near the Bumneyln of Aukland, on the other side of the Oaunleto, of 3 ''jewelled and new '^ hachez" hanging upon the same for keeping the stock within the park. " Laborers^' 4d. per day, 39s. 4d. COST OF A "WABBAND" MADE AKXW AT AUKLAITD. Paid to John Catlinson, William Seme, and John Ronkton, and their fellows, working at the making of a new « warrand" on the south side of the " Wer," between the west end of the warrand made by William Forster of Aukland, and the west mill for the stopping of the water of Wer from the ''fleme" (dam) of the com mills there, £4 2s. 6d. Digitized by Google