HISTOBY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. 35 place, as it gradually widens as we approach its other extremity. Opposite to Durham Chare the houses are placed back a few feet, and, again, at the entrance to what is called " Great Gates," we find another extension in width. Forty years ago, Newgate-street contained many very old and dilapidated buildings, covered with thatch, which remained uninhabited for yeara Since that time they have been rebuilt, and have now become of great value. The ground on which the New Town Hall and the surrounding buildings are erected, will be noticed when treating of the chapel of St. Ann. In the Market-place, in a line with Fore Bondgate, and about fifty yards in fi-ont of the Talbot Inn, stood what was commonly called the "Cross," but which was really a Market-house, with one or two shops attached. The appellation of Cross had been given to it, no doubt, from the circumstance of its occupjdng the site of the Old Cross, which, in Catholic times, was to be found in the most public place in almost every town and village in the country, and more especially near ecclesiastical residences, or religious establishments, such as were the College and Castle of Auckland.* This building was pulled down at the time of the re-building of St. Ann's Chapel, about the commencement of the present century ; and a substitute for it was made in the lower part of the tower of that structure. Tradition says that a portion of the stones of the Old Cross were used in the building of that time-worn erection which stands on the top of an eminence in the Park, to the south-east of the castle, called the " Temple ;" and from an examination of the materials of which it is built, it is evident that they belonged to some former building. The streets above noticed, viz., the three Bondgates,the Market-place, Silver-street, and Newgate- street (with the exception of a few houses in Gib Chare and Wear Chare), constituted the whole of Bishop Auckland, down to about the year 1830 ;t and the sites now occupied by Tenters-street (with those behind and diverging from it). Corn-close, Brougham-place, South-terrace, Flintoff- street, &c., with the sites of the Iron Works and Gas Works, were all meadows. The ground on which Tenters-street is built was formerly used for putting up " tenters," for the purpose of hanging up linen to bleacL Corn-close is, also, sufficiently significant of its former usa But we are anticipating, and must go back to the olden times again. That the '* Town Head"f (as the upper part of High Bondgate was formerly called) and Bridge End formed important parts of the town in early times, may be judged from the fact, that each portion contained a public- house. They were, also, subsequently celebrated, as well as Jock's Row (the place before mentioned, as having been given by Bishop Hatfield to William Shepledy, the hermit), as being the residence of a numerous tribe, supposed to have been of Gipsy extraction, who, from these centres of seldom-inhabited homes, issued forth to vend their mugs, brooms, ^and other commodities. One branch of that tribe was known by the name of Cunningham. They are said to have adopted other means, besides the above, of procuring a livelihood, not quite so creditable to their characters. They made frequent excursions into the surrounding counties, both north and south, for the ostensible purpose of selling their wares, and always returned home well laden. One member of this singular family was called " Midnight Beaver Cunningham,"§ a name
- Crosses were erected in Market-places, fta, with a view of giving persons an opportunity of paying pnblic homage to the Beligion
of Christ Cmcified, and to inspire men with a sense of morality and piety amidst the ordinary avocations of life. oi cne mgnt neverend Fatner in Ubnst, JobD, Btsbop ot Uurbam, beloi, at l5isnop A.ncuaaa vne laia ucwiDer, lu, ^u»rit» xl., mnuzv Bowes, steward. To the Court came Anthony Hodgson, and did snit and service to the Lord for a burgage in Fenkle-street, and E' I to the Lord for a tine lOd." The author has also in his possession a onrions deed of feoffment (given to him by John Frond, .), of the gift by Lindley Wren, Esq., of Newton Cap, to his son, Charles Wren, of Binohester, of a house situated in Fenkle-street z which was then in the oocnpation of Ann Wren, widow. This document will be found transcribed in full in the history of Newton Cap. t The upper, or extreme western part of High Bondi;[ate, was sometimes styled, in those days, " Little London," and is frequently ao called in the Parish Registers. § Another family of those wanderers was called " Patterson," and in the Baptismal Registers of St Andrew's, dated Jannary 7th, 1802, we find an evident corruption of the above curious cognomen : *' Enishtbevus Pattersoii, second son of George Patterson, tmker, native of this parish, by his wife, Elizabeth Vasey, native of Wolmngham.'^ Digitized by Google
