EGLINGHAM, a parish in the northern division of
COQUETDALE ward, county of NORTHUMBERLAND, convprising
the townships of Bassington, Beamy, New Bewick,
Old Bewick, Brandon, Branton, Crawley, Eglingham,
Hareup, Hedgeley, East Lilburn, West Lilburn,
Titlington, and Wooperton, and containing 1440 inhabitants,
of which number, 184 are in the township of
Eglingham, 7 miles (N.W.) from Alnwick. The living
is a -vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Northumberland
and diocese of Durham, rated in the king's books at
£23. 3. 1., and in the patronage of the Bishop of Durham.
The church is dedicated to St. Maurice. The
river Bremish and several bournes rise in the Cheviot
hills, and run through the parish. There is a lake
covering ten acres, called Kimmer loch; also a spring
of strong-vitriolic water. In the eastern and southern
parts of the parish are extensive moor lands. Coal,
limestone, and freestone are obtained here. There are
British and Roman encampments, and the ruins of an
old border tower, in the parish. Percy's cross, on the
road between Whittingham and Wooler, was erected on
the spot where Sir Ralph Percy fell, in the battle of
Hedgeley Moor, in 1463; at some distance from which
is Percy's leap, where two stones commemorate an extraordinary
leap which he took when closely pursued by
the enemy.