Land Ownership Summary

The early days of the site are difficult to pin down but a couple of books have helped to outline the situation: Dodd's 'History of Northumberland Vol. XII' (1926) and 'Nature's Engraver' by Jenny Uglow, her 2006 life of Thomas Bewick.

Early documents talk of the Umfraville's of Prudhoe Castle. Stockdale's survey of 1586 mentions tenants owning 40 acres at the south of Prudhoe called 'Back of the Hill'. Possible our site. In 1622 William Orde talks of improvements to the land and a rent paid to the Earl of Northumberland. In the mid 17th century William Fenwick of London held much land in the area and in 1649 began to negotiate with tenants and freeholders for the division of the common fields. Frances Orde of Prudhoe Castle was also involved in the negotiations which weren't realised until the late 1650s. (Dodd)

Throughout this time the region was more interested in battles with Scotland than alliances with London and the land ownership was under constant flux due to fighting. The area suffered from the reiver raids and in the Civil War. Religious loyalty also played a major part and the Catholic families suffered as in the case of John Fenwick of Bywell who was executed in 1696. (Uglow)

William Fenwick died in 1679 and the family connection with Prudhoe had ended by 1715. This is possibly the point at which the land left the ownership of the Fenwicks and passed to the Ord(e)s. A 1675 Hearth tax record has Mr W. Orde liable for four hearths although. At some point our site appears to have become part of the Hunstanworth estate which in 1720 passed from John Ord of Fenham, Newcastle to his son Ralph. Ralph died unmarried and passed his land to his brother Robert. Robert held a number of high profile posts in his life and when he died in 1778 his estate passed to his only son John.

John Ord died on 6th June 1810 and his estate passed to his nephew Robert Capper of Garston Hertfordshire (and at some point of Newbiggin near Blanchland). Robert died in 1851 and was succeeded by his only son the Reverend Daniel Capper of Lyston Court, Herefordshire. It seems that in the 1860s the Reverend Daniel was breaking up his estate and it may be (despite the 1895 Tithe map) that he sold to Liddell's coal company.