An Essay Towards a History of Hexham in Three Parts, Illustrating Its Ancient and Its Present State, Civil and Eccesiastical Economy,

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823 edition. Excerpt: ...little south of Corbridge, stretches away through Dilston Park, over Hexham Fell, within two miles of the town, thence to Old Town in Allendale, and meets the Maiden Way at Whitley Castle? How comes it, that, excepting the remains m the church, no urn, coin, brick, tile, or even the minutest evidence of the presence of the Romans, has ever been found at Hexham? To the valuable collections of Mr. W. H. Clarke, and the late Mr. Brunnen, where many very curious remains discovered in the neighbouring stations hold a conspicuous place, Hexham has afforded nothing Roman! Upon the whole, the most probable conjecture is that of Mr. Horsley, that, if Hexham has been occupied by the Romans at all, it could only have been by the vexillations of the cohorts, who were occasionally at Hexham while their legion was employed on the walL CHAP. II. STATE OF HEXHAM BEFORE THE COMING OF WILFRID--HIS YOUTH--HIS SUCCESS DURING THE REIGN OF OSWY--HE IS MADE PRIMATE OF NORTHUMBERLAND--SUCCESSION OF EGBERT AND ETHELDREDA--FOUNDATION OF ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH--DESCRIPTION OF ITS ANCIENT STATE--PROGRESS OF THE TOWN OF HEXHAM. The clouds of uncertainty and mere conjecture which involve the British and Roman periods of the history of Hexham are dispelled as we advance by the clear light of truth. The sandy and infirm foundations of surmise and probability lead at length to the broad way pointed out by the collected land-marks of well-founded and well-preserved tradition, and to the sure and certain ground of authenticated record and acknowledged history. There is perhaps no fact of early times, assuredly no fact of merely local importance, more clearly defined or copiously illustrated than the foundation, rise, and progress of the church of Hexham. A few British monuments...