The Domesday Book is a record of the survey conducted in England in 1086 by officials of William The Conqueror so as to assess taxes etc. The Domesday Book contains a survey of almost all the lands in England. The survey was made by commissioners, who collected the information in each district from a sworn jury consisting of sheriffs, lords of manors, presbyters, bailiffs, villeins - all the classes, in short, interested in the matter. The extent, tenure, value, and proprietorship of the land in each district, the state of culture, and in some cases the number of tenants, villeins, serfs, etc, were the matters chiefly recorded. The survey was completed within a year. Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland, and Westmoreland were not included in the survey, probably for the reason that William's authority was not then (in 1086) settled in those parts. The original Domesday Book consists of two volumes, one folio and one quarto. It has been republished a few times, a perfect facsimile of the original being published in 1861-1865. Research Domesday Book
A grindstone is a cylindrical stone, on which sharpening, cutting, and abrasion are effected by the convex surface while the stone is revolving on its axis. They are made of sandstone, or sandstone grit of various degrees of fineness. Good stones are obtained in various parts of England, especially from the coal districts of Northumberland, Newcastle grindntones being especially famous. The Sheffield grindstone, traditionally used for grinding files and the like, is obtained from Hardsley, about 14 miles north of Sheffield. Artificial grindstones have also been successfully used. Research Grindstone
The Gunpowder Plot was a terrorist conspiracy formed in England in 1604, the second year of the reign of James I, by some Roman Catholics, to blow up the King and parliament in revenge for the severities against their religion that they had suffered by the government. The time ultimately fixed for the execution of the plot was the 5th of November, 1605, when parliament was to be opened by the king in person. The plot originated with Robert Catesby, Thomas Winter, and John Wright, and was at once made known to Guy Fawkes, a zealous Catholic, who had served in the Spanish army in Flanders, and to Thomas Percy, a relation of the Earl of Northumberland. These five were the original conspirators, but the plot was subsequently communicated to Sir Everard Digby, Ambrose Rookwood, Francis Tresham, Thomas Keyes, Christopher Wright (a brother of John), and to some Jesuit fathers and others.
The conspirators took a house next to the Parliament House, and their original plan was by digging under this house to undermine the House of Parliament. They latterly discovered, however, that there was a cellar right under the chamber of parliament, which was occupied by a coal-dealer. They at once hired this cellar, and filled it with gunpowder, faggots, and billets. The plot was discovered by means of a letter sent to Lord Mounteagle, a Catholic peer in favour with the court, who laid it before the secretary of state, Cecil. The letter was a warning couched in mysterious terms, not to be present at the approaching meeting of parliament. Cecil showed it to some of the council, and did nothing until the return of the king from a hunting party. On hearing the letter James at once worked out its meaning, and declared that it referred to gunpowder. This led to investigation and to the arrest of Fawkes in the cellar, where a hogshead and thirty-six barrels of gunpowder were discovered.
It generally thought that Tresham, the reputed author of the letter to Lord Mounteagle, had previously informed bis lordship of the plot, and that the sending and publication of the letter were merely intended as blinds. It seems also that Cecil, knowing the king's vanity, wanted to make him the discoverer of the plot.
Guy Fawkes was arrested at the scene, tortured and revealed the names of his co-conspirators, Catesby, Percy, and the two Wrights were killed while defending Holbeach House, in which they had taken refuge, against the sheriff. Sir Everard Digby was tried and executed at Northampton, Tresham died in prison., Rookwood, Winter, and others were arrested, confessions extracted under torture, and subsequently condemned at Westminster on the 27th of January 1606, and executed on the 30th and 31st.
There is serious doubt about the plot - it was for example too conveniently discovered in the nick of time, and the accused were not tried, but all confessed under torture, and it has been suggested that the entire plot was fabricated by the English authorities to discredit the catholic church and the Pope. Certainly following the alleged plot, persecution of the Catholics within Britain not only continued, but also increased in intensity. Research Gunpowder Plot
Guy of Warwick is an old English metrical romance, whose hero is an Anglo-Danish knight said to have been the son of Siward, baron of Walllingford, to have become Earl of Warwick, and to have slain in single combat the Danishgiant Colbrand, the Dun-Cow of Dunsmore, and the dragon of Northumberland, and many other wonderful feats. He is said ultimately to have become a hermit in Warwick. Research Guy of Warwick
The Bedlington Terrier is a British breed of dog first developed in the 1820s when Joseph Ainsley developed them crossing with Whippets to produce an active, playful huntingdog which is fast enough to hunt rabbits and hares as well as rabbits, and with a willingness to swim became a favourite with poachers. Their tenacious nature has also been utilized in dog- fighting circles.
The Bedlington Terrier derived its name from Bedlington, in Northumberland, having first become well known as a favourite among the miners of that place. It is a dog of moderate size, head rather long, with a light, silky tuft on top, ears hanging close to the cheeks, legs moderately long and strong, tail tapering to the point, which is almost bare; colour, dark blue, blue and tan, liver, liver and tan, sandy, or sandy and tan; courageous, intelligent and generally useful. Research Bedlington Terrier
The Bluefaced Leicester (HexhamLeicester, Bluefaced Maine, Blue-headed Maine) is an English Longwool breed of sheep and originated near Hexham in the county of Northumberland, England during the early 1900's. The breed was originally developed to use in the production of high quality crossbred ewes which were pastures in the neighbouring hills of the region. They originated from Border Leicester individuals selected for the blue face (white hairs on black skin) and finer fleeces. They are found primarily in Northern England, Scotland and Wales. The average weight for mature rams is approximately 115 kg with adult ewes weighing 80 kg. The wool is classed as demi-luster and fine. Research Bluefaced Leicester
The skunk (Mephitis) is a north and central American carnivorous mammal of the family Mustelidae. The skunk is slightly smaller than a domestic cat, and has a handsome black coat with two white stripes running along the back. The tail is long and bushy, measuring about 45 cm when the body is 60 cm long. The skunk's fur was formerly much valued in the furtrade, and at the start of the 20th century skunks were bred at a farm in Northumberland, England to supply the British furtrade. The skunk can emit an offensive odour, when annoyed, from the secretion of a pair of glands near the tail. Research Skunk
Abbreviations
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