that a party of marauding Scots on one of their forays passed by the Priory without discovering it in its leafy bower; and so overjoyed were the monks at their escape that they incautiously rang the bells by way of showing their delight.  The Scots, who had passed out of sight but not out of hearing, immediately returned on their tracks, and, guided by the joyful peal, reached the Priory, sacked the buildings, and then set them on fire.  It may well be that the tragedy occurred at both places, on different occasions.

Farther eastward down the Coquet are two places pre-eminently noted as centres for the sport for which the river is famed above all other Northumbrian streams, though some of them are worthy rivals.  These two places are Weldon Bridge and Felton; the old Angler’s Inn at the first-named is a favourite rendezvous of the fraternity of rod and creel.  Fishermen have long known the fascination of these two places, and I quote from the “Fisherman’s Garland” two stanzas written by two enthusiastic anglers in praise of them.  The writers are Robert Roxby and Thomas Doubleday.

  “But we’ll awa’ to Coquetside,
  For Coquet bangs them a’;
  Whose winding streams sae sweetly glide
  By Brinkburn’s bonny Ha’!”

  Written in 1821

  “The Coquet for ever, the Coquet for aye! 
  The Woodhall and Weldon and Felton so gay,
  And Brinkburn and Linden, wi’ a’ their sweet pride,
  For they add to the beauty of dear Coquetside.”

  Written in 1826

Felton, a charmingly placed little village, on the banks of the river where they are overhung by graceful woods, and diversified by cliff and grassy slope, stands just where the great North Road crosses the Coquet.  By reason of this position it has been the scene of one or two events of historical interest, notably those connected with the “Fifteen” and the “Forty-five.”  On the former occasion, the gallant young Earl of Derwentwater, with his followers, was joined here by a band of seventy gentlemen from the Borders, and they rode on to Morpeth to proclaim James III.  And thirty years later, the soldiers of George II. passed over the bridge from the southward, led by the Duke of Cumberland, and pressed on towards the Scottish moor where they dealt the final blow to the Stuart cause at Culloden.  The interesting old church at Felton, dating from the thirteenth century, is well worth a visit.  After leaving Felton behind, the Coquet enters on the most marked windings of all its winding course, until, when it enters the sea at Warkworth Harbour, just opposite Coquet Island, it has contrived to lengthen out its journey to a distance of forty miles.