Bedlington Palace

Description

Boldon Book confirms the presence of a hall (aulam) for the bishop and of courts in Bedlington in the late 12th century. The location of the hall and the courts is uncertain although the site formerly known as Demesne Field to the west of St Cuthbert's church would seem a likely candidate. An article in the Morpeth Herald for April 2nd 1954 mentions a local tradition of remains in this area, including 'fine arches and human bones' on land where the infant school formerly stood. The veracity of the stories, of course, is open to question, but they are of considerable interest. The presence of human bones might imply that the churchyard of St Cuthbert's once extended further to the west, or the existence of another ecclesiastical site. No location for a medieval leper hospital, known to have existed in Bedlington, has been established, but its central location within Bedlington in Demesne Field, suggested within the newspaper article, would seem unlikely. Between 1209 and 1216, King John visited Bedlington on four occasions: He held discussions there with King William of Scotland in 1209 before they proceeded to Norham for further negotiations; John returned to Bedlington on his way south from Norham and he again visited in 1213. In 1216 he stayed for two days at Bedlington during the war against the Northern Barons who burnt Morpeth, Mitford, Alnwick and Wark to impede his campaign against them (Wallace 1862, 134). The frequent visits show that there was suitable accommodation for king and retinue (Wallace 1862, 131), quite probably the bishops' residence. (Northumberland Extensive Urban Survey)