Alwinton In The 16th - 17th Centuries

The Umfravilles died out in the male line in the mid 15th century and their Coquetdale holdings passed to the Tailbois baronial family. In 1546, Elizabeth, the Tailbois heiress, and her husband, Thomas Wymbysh, conveyed the lordship of Redesdale and with it that of the ten Towns to the crown in exchange for land elsewhere.

The border survey conducted by Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Ralph Ellerker in 1541 had recommended that the crown take control of these lordships to ensure better security in these districts.

However the reality of royal lordship was to be less beneficial, with the government increasingly unwilling to expend the sums necessary to ensure security and the 16th century was a time of increasing tension on the borders. Military service was expected of the customary tenants and freeholders of the border townships, whilst their rents remained low in compensation.

On some occasions in the first half of the century, garrisons of regular troops were also stationed in the villages. Thus 12 soldiers were billeted on William Browne of Alwinton, in return for 2s. 8d a head, in 1524.