I’m still working on the open question about the parentage of George Carr of Dotland in Northumberland. I’m trying to bring together all the disparate traces I have found over the months while trying to resist opening up new paths and getting lost in the woods.

I took a closer look at two wills from Carrs associated with dotland. The first is a will written by John Carr of Dotland Park on 17 Dec 1825, proved at York on 2 Sep 1831¹

I John Carr of Dotland Park in the County of Northumberland Husbandman now residing with my two sons George Carr and John Carr on their Farm at Dotland Park aforesaid do make publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say

First I will and order that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall be paid and discharged by my Executors hereafter named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease

And I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Dixon Widow the interest of one hundred and sixty pounds sterling during her natural life and from and after her decease I give and bequeath the said principal sum of one hundred and sixty pounds to her five children equally to be divided amongst them and in case of the death of any one or more of such children before he she or they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years without lawful issue I give and bequeath the share or shares of him her or them so dying to the survivors or survivor of them equally to be divided amongst such survivors if more than one survivor and in case any of my said daughter Mary Dixon’s children being under the age of twenty one years at the time of her decease the share or shares of him her or them then under such age shall not be payable or paid till he she or they shall have attained the age of twenty one years respectively and till such payment the interest of such share or shares shall be applied by my executors towards the maintenance or bringing up of such child or children under the age of twenty one years till he she or they respectively shall attain that age

Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Thomasin now the wife of Samuel Johnson the like sum of one hundred and sixty pounds to be paid to her at the end of twelve calendar months next after my decease with legal interest for the same from the time of my decease till payment thereof

And as to all the residue of my estate and effects I give and bequeath the same to my said two sons George Carr and John Carr whom I hereby appoint Executors of this my last will and testament

And I hereby revoke all former and other wills at any time heretofore by me made In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventeenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five John Carr [seal]

Signed sealed published and declared by the testator John Carr as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our hands as witnesses thereto - Jno. Bell + Thomas Bowman p.

This will mentions:

• George Carr, son, executor, from farm at Dotland Park
• John Carr, son, executor, from farm at Dotland Park
• Mary Dixon, daughter, widow
• Thomasin, daughter, wife of Samuel Johnson
• Jno. Bell, witness
• Thomas Bowman, witness

The second will is for George Carr, also of Dotland Park. This will was written 22 May 1769 and proved 13 Sep 1769 at York²

Carr - George Carr of Dotland Park in the County of Northumberland Farmer being of a sound and disposing mind and memory (praised be God for the same) I do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following

And first I will and order that my Body shall be interred at the discretion of my dearly beloved Wife Mary Carr and that all my just Debts shall be paid and discharged as soon as conveniently may be after my decease And I give and bequeath to my said dearly beloved Wife Mary Carr for and during the term of her natural life in case she shall be or being continue unmarried but not otherwise the Annual or Yearly Sum of Eight pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain free of all deductions to be paid her yearly and every year out of my personal Estate by four equal quarterly payments in every Year the first payment thereof to be made at the end of three Calendar Months next after my decease and to continue to be paid at the end of every succeeding three Calendar Months then after during her life subject to the contingency aforesaid

And it is my will that in case my said Wife Mary Carr shall happen to marry that then the said Annual or Yearly Sum of Eight pounds shall cease and determine and in such case I give and bequeath to her my said Wife Mary Carr the Sum of Forty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain

Also I give and bequeath to my said Wife Mary Carr one feather Bed and all as many Household Goods Bedding Cloathing Bedsteads and Curtains to be chosen by her and as many as will furnish her one Room

Also I give legate and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Wife of Thomas Hinsonn of the Cowgate near Newcastle upon Tyne to my Daughter Sarah Ord of Dalton Widow and to my Daughter Mary Wife of John Forster of Hartington Hale the Sum of fifteen pounds of like lawful Money of Great Britain to be equally divided among them and to be paid them at the end of twelve Calendar Months next after my decease but without any Interest for the same

And as to all the rest and residue of my Goods Chattels and personal Estate whatsoever (after payment of the Annuity and several Legacies given and bequeathed by this my Will and all my Debts and funeral Charges) I give legate and bequeath the same to my two Sons George Carr and John Carr equally to be divided between them and do make and ordain them my said Sons George Carr and John Carr Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke all former and other Wills at any time heretofore by me made either by word or writing In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty second day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and sixty nine. + George Carr.

Signed sealed published and declared by the said George Carr the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto George Forster. Jn. Bell.

This will mentions:

• Mary Carr, wife
• Elizabeth Hinsonn, daughter, wife of Thomas Hinsonn of Cowgate, Newcastle
• Sarah Ord, daughter, of Dalton, widow
• Mary Forster, daughter, wife of John Forster of Hartington Hale
• George Carr, son, executor
• John Carr, son, executor
• George Forster, witness
• Jn. Bell, witness

I believe the son, John, here is the John Carr who wrote the first will in 1825.

I also came across John Carr’s gravestone at Whitley Chapel near Hexham³, which was the church used by the Carrs of Dotland:

IN MEMORY OF JOHN CARR, of DOTLAND PARK, WHO DIED 9 JULY 1831 AGED 87.

AND OF THOMASIN HIS WIFE WHO DIED 15 JANY 1793, AGED 36

ALSO OF JOHN AND GEORGE THEIR SONS JOHN DIED 20 OCT 1844 AGED 58 GEORGE DIED 20 JUNE 1868 AGED 84

THEY ALL DIED AT DOTLAND PARK

This places John Carr’s birth in 1744, Thomasin’s in 1757, John junior’s in 1786 and George’s in 1784.

I believe Thomasin was Thomasin Davison.

John junior’s death certificate states his age as 60 not 58. He died at Dotland Park and the informant was John Johnson, also of Dotland Park.

I’m sure the sons John and George are those mentioned in the Poll Books and Electoral Registers I found last year.

The gravestone inscription is also is one of several mentioned on page 28 of Volume 4 of the History of Northumberland, in the section on Whitley Chapel:

In memory of Thomasine, wife of John Carr of Dotland park, who died January 15, 1793, aged 37 years. Mary, wife of George Davison of Marley Coatwalls, died April 25, 1795, aged 67 years.

In memory of John Carr of Dotland park, who died 9 July, 1831, aged 87. And of Thomasine, his wife, who died 15 January, 1793, aged 36. Also John and George, their sons. John died 20 Oct., 1844, aged 58. George died 20 June, 1868, aged 84. They all died at Dotland park.

In Memory of John Carr of Dotland, who died January 2, 1789, aged 57 years. Also Mary, his wife, died January 25, 1809, aged 77 years.

The burial place of Thomas and Ann Carr of Dotland. Hannah, their daughter, died May 8, 1829, aged 21.

In memory of George, son of Thomas Carr of Dotland, who died May 26, 1805, aged 5 years. Also Hannah, daughter of Thomas Carr, who died June 15, 1806, aged 2 years.

On page 29:

The stained east window is inscribed: To the glory of God given with £400 in trust for the poor in memory of Samuel and Thomasina Johnson, natives of this chapelry, by their son Thomas, who died at Sea House, Scremerston, Jan. 18, 1894, aged 74 years

This has a footnote:

20th April 1818, Samuel Johnson and Thomasine Carr married. Hexham Register.

On page 37 begins a description of Dotland and Dotland Park:

Lying to the south-west of Newbiggin are two of the most considerable farms in the Quarter, Dotland park and Dotland. The latter, which belongs to Mrs. H. A. Campbell and her two sisters, the Miss Claverings, has a well-built, grey-slated homestead, with a house built more squarely than is usual in the district, and is sheltered on the west by a plantation of ash and sycamore. It stands between the seven and eight hundred feet contour-line, forms a prominent feature in the landscape, and from its elevation commands a view on the north as far as the Cheviot hills. Some of the pasture fields have high curved ridges, due to the old system of ploughing by oxen. In a field to the south-east of the house are traces of extensive foundations marking the site of the ancient hamlet. The present farm has absorbed several smaller farms, including Dotland Fell-house, whose onstead¹ was burnt down some thirty years ago, and the Wagtail, of which only a wall is standing. The land has formerly been more wooded than it is at present.

Both estates are held as of the manor of Anick Grange, and were part of the endowment of Hexham priory from very ancient times, the township of Dotland having been given to the canons by Archbishop Thurstan. The property thus acquired was afterwards largely increased by Archbishop Gray. In 1226 the archbishop gave the priory 90 acres of land above, and 10 acres below Dotland, but reserved all essarts, or land newly brought into cultivation within Dotland. For these grants he received in exchange the forest of Akewood, on the north side of the Tyne. He also gave to the priory a mill on the stream between Dotland and Rowley (? the Ham burn), with moulter from the men of Eskinseles (? Eshells), and from all the men remaining on the archbishop’s essarts. On the same day (August 4th) Archbishop Gray granted to the priory 64 acres of land between Dotland park and the essarts of Tirsterl (? the Steel); and on the 31st August, 1229, he gave the priory 60 acres of land between Dotland and Torneley essarts, to buy the ferm of the mill of Dotland, and also 34 acres of land, for which they were to pay 11s. 4d. a year, or at the rate of 4d. an acre.

On the 9th of April, 1287, Archbishop Romayne granted the priory 35 acres and 1 rood of land in Dotland and 2 acres of waste, at a total rent of 12s. 5d. He also gave them 15 acres 3 roods of waste adjoining the grange of Dotland, in exchange for 15 acres 3 roods of arable land given by preceding archbishops. The priory at the same time received licence to enclose the new property.⁶ The object of Archbishops Gray and Romayne in these transactions seems to have been to encourage cultivation in these remote and waste districts through the agency of the priory. The scheme appears to have been successful, and at the dissolution, six tenants are recorded as holding land at Dotland, paying a total rent of 66s. 8d

Dotland park occupied a peculiar position in respect to the priory. It seems to have been formed about 1355, when Archbishop Thoresby granted a licence to the prior and convent to enclose their wood called Dotland park with a higher wall, and make it into a park. In 1547 the park was in the possession of the heirs of Sir Reginald Carnaby. It was probably a hunting lodge of the prior and canons of Hexham.² The present farm buildings contain some remains of the older establishment. The most interesting are three windows of fifteenth-century work, all of them blocked up apparently long since. Two of these windows are to be seen on the outside and one is to be seen only from the inside of the house. One of the former, a single light, is square-headed, with shields in the angles at the top bearing the saltire of Hexham priory; the other is a small pointed light. In the spandrels of the window of two lights, seen from the inside, is the monogram of Prior Smithson as it appears on the rood screen in the priory church. The present tenants state that when a garden was recently formed at the back of the house large quantities of bones were dug up, but it is not known whether they were human or animal.

At the death of Sir John Forster in 1602, Dotland house and park descended to his grandson, Sir John Fenwick. William Rowland, Henry Johnson of Hamburn-hall, James Dodd, John Sanderson, gentleman, and William Thirlwall, answered for Dotland, at the Manor Court in 1659; whilst four years later the owners were:

Dotland park, Mrs. Mary Fenwick, £13 6s. 8d.

Dotland town, Mr. William Rowland

Dotland town head and foot, Isabel Rowland, Mr. William Sanderson of Healey

The Hill, James Dodd and Barbara Fairbridge, William Thirlwall of Dotland

Dotland, etc., Thomas Humble at ye Hill, Albany Wade, Mr. Thomas Swinburn , Francis Errington ye town foot, Ann Thirlwall

A numerous and well-to-do family called Rowland were for many years owners, but there is not sufficient material to construct a pedigree. Thomas Rowland of Dotland married at Hexham, 30th March, 1626, Margaret Baxter of Greenridge. William Rowland, postmaster of Hexham, married Eleanor, daughter of John Taylor, and making his will on the 28th November, 1666, devised to his son John (baptised 16th February, 1657/8) two farms in Dotland, and another farm at the same place to his son Thomas. The Rowlands continued to hold their lands until the beginning of last century, for John Ord of Newcastle, making his will on the 30th March, 1726, devised, inter alia, to his son James, ‘my lands in Dotland, the Hill, Fogget, Smelting Sike, Wagtail, and Fenhouse, all in the parish of Hexham, lately purchased of John Rowland, senior and junior, and William Dodd.‘² The present owners of Dotland are Mrs. H. A. Campbell and her two sisters, the Miss Claverings.

A footnote refers to the will of George Carr we have already seen:

Dotland park was long tenanted by an offshoot of the Carrs of Slaley: George Carr of Dotland park, farmer, made his will 22nd May, 1769, and was buried at Slaley on the 9th August following; besides three daughters, Sarah Ord of Dalton, Mary, wife of John Forster at Hartington-hall, and Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Kirsop of the Cowgate, near Newcastle, he left two sons, George Carr and John Carr, both of Dotland park; the latter died at the age of 87, on the 12th July, 1831.