Troughend Hall

[Trish]

Troughend Hall was a "mansion" built in the Scots farmhouse style by Elrington Reed in 1758. It was located on the Reed estate -- Troughend -- which, today, is just off the A68, near Otterburn or about 16 miles from the Scottish border.

Apparently the house was still standing in 1923. I don't know what happened to it after that. Probably it was in ruins by then and was demolished or burned to the ground. At one time, there was a pele tower at Troughend [its existence was recorded in 1415] but it disappeared long ago.

I need assistance with two things:

1. I'd love to find a photograph or drawing of Troughend Hall if one exists. Elrington Reed's son, Elrington Jr., sold the estate, lock, stock and barrel after his father's death. Up until this time, Reeds had lived at Troughend for over 800 years.

2. Can someone tell me what Troughend, the town [or village?], looks like today? Are there many old buildings? Is it quaint-looking or quite ordinary? What is the main industry in the area? -- that sort of thing.

Any suggestions or advice very gratefully received...

Trish
Toronto, Canada

[Jo Simpsons]

This link may help you

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/hotels/dunnshouses.html
At the very end of the page there is quite a good write up on it
Jo:)

[Trish]

Jo,

I appreciate your looking up the Dunns Houses Farmhouse B&B link for me. That site actually clued me in to the one-time existence of Troughend Hall a year or so ago. I even e-mailed Jane who runs the B&B with her partner and she kindly answered but didn't -- or probably, more accurately, couldn't -- offer up any additional information.

One of the questions for which I will probably never have a definite answer is why Elrington Reed Jr. would sell the family estate held by his ancestors for so many centuries. Most likely, he was forced to sell to pay off debts. Or he lost it to his creditors and they sold everything. He was only in his twenties at the time.

Anyway, I just thought maybe, somehow, somewhere, there's a image of some sort of Troughend Hall, either an early drawing or painting or a photograph from the late 1800s/early 1900s.

Thanks for your help!
Trish

[Jo Simpsons]

http://www.a2a.org.uk
Have got some references for Troughend, there's alink to Northumberland records office where they are held. That may help?
Sorry for saying what you already knew :o
There's also a good write up, you may have seen it, about the death of Percy Reed
http://www.borderreivers.co.uk/Selections/Parcy%20Reed.htm
I hope you get some photos or a sketch,
Jo :)

[Geoffers]

[Troughend Hall was a "mansion" built in the Scots farmhouse style by Elrington Reed in 1758. It was located on the Reed estate -- Troughend -- Apparently the house was still standing in 1923.]

Have you tried the Francis Frith Collection? They have a website where you can view smallish images and purchase full-scale images online - you might be lucky

Geoffes
Charlbury. Oxfordshire

[Trish]

...sounds like a 60s rock band, doesn't it? :cool:

Oh, Jo, please don't apologize for taking the time to try and help me! I really do appreciate it. Contacting the Northumberland records office is an excellent idea and I will follow up. Looks like they have a few records on the Reed family during the reiving era. :o

I have seen the write up on Percy/Parcy Reed. Somewhere online is the music to go with the ballad but I've lost track of it. I've tried to shoehorn poor old Percy into the Troughend lineage at an appropriate spot but I just can't take it back that far [c1500s]. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

Thank you very much again!
Trish

[Trish]

Have you tried the Francis Frith Collection?
Wow. Thank you for this! I didn't find Troughend listed on the site, unfortunately, but what a find. I got lost in there looking up different places. I haven't been to Northumberland -- not yet, anyway -- so it's great to be able to see how various towns looked in the past.

Much appreciated,
Trish

[Guy Etchells]

It doesn't answer your question but there is an interesting snippet in the Archive CD Books cd - History of Northumberland - 1811 Volume 2(Reference #0712) Archive CD Books (http://www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_788.html)

TROUGHEND
Is seated on the west side of the river’Reed, about five miles west of Elsdon. It was the seat of the ancient family of the
Reeds, and was possessed by John Reed, Esq. in the reigns of King Edward VI. Queen Mary, and in the 10th Queen Elizabeth.

It was sold by by Mr Eltrington ‘Reed to his relation, the late Christopher Reed, Esq. of Chipchace ; previous to which the estate had been much improved by enclosures and planting.

The resident population of Troughend township, in 1801, was 393 ; and the money raised by the parish-rates in 1803,
was £245 10s. 5d. at Is. 6d. in the pound.

Cheers
Guy

[Trish]

Thanks, Guy! This is very useful information.

I just now took a quickie refresher course in the history of the British monarchy [courtesy of Google]: Edward VI reigned from 1547 to 1553, Mary from 1553 to 1558 and Elizabeth I from 1558 to 1603. So it follows that John Reed was around during the period 1547 to 1568.

My guess is that Percy or Parcy Reed [of "The Death of Parcy Reed" ballad fame] was the "laird of Troughen'" before John Reed -- maybe in the early half of the 16th century, when reiving activities were still in full swing. If I recall correctly, in the ballad, Parcy calls out farewells to his wife, his brother John, his daughter Jean and his 5 young sons as he's expiring. It's pure speculation, of course, but maybe Parcy's eldest son was also named John, maybe the same John who lived at Troughend from 1553 to 1568?

Thanks again for your help -- much, much appreciated.

Trish

[Guy Etchells]

1855 Whellan's Directory - Northumberland(Reference #0062) Archive CD Books (http://www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_680.html) shows on page 674

Throughend Hall, the ancient residence of the Reed family, is now occupied by Messrs. William and Henry Thompson.

This directory also has some interesting information about the REEDs of Chipchase on page 798, including a nephew Christopher SOULSBY, who assumed the name REED, and married the eldest daughter of Francis BLAKE, Esq. of Twizell.

Cheers
Guy

[Trish]

Once again, thanks so much, Guy. I've seen the name Christopher Soulsby Reed elsewhere and wondered how Soulsby tied in with Reed. So I appreciate you solving that little mystery for me!

I've also come across information that says the Chipchase Reeds were not connected to the Troughend Reeds and other sources that say the two families were related. My guess is that there's a connection somewhere.

Another puzzler: after the supposedly true incident which brought to life the ballad, "The Death of Parcy Reed", local folklore has it that the dastardly Halls of Otterburn were chased out of Redesdale for their role in Parcy's untimely demise [c. 16th C]... all Halls, apparently. Yet, I know the Reeds married Halls after that -- Halls who lived near Otterburn. Oh well. I like the story, true or not -- it adds colour!

Thanks, again.
Trish

[Jo Simpsons]

I have been following this and finding it so intriguing although I had no interest myself! Mind I often go off on a tangent. Even to looking on the census and finding the "names" Reed, Hall, Crozier etc still in the area of Troughend in 1881. There are some photos of Otterburn Tower and a write up on it's history and
In the early eighteenth century Reginald Hall of Catcleugh purchased the Tower and added ‘ a square building of the Scots farmhouse style, not unlike the Troughend Hall which was built about the same time’.
http://www.otterburntower.co.uk/html/history.html
Also found some references
"The Reeds of Cragg are decendents of the elder branch of the Reeds of Troughend who state they hold grants from the crown prior to the conquest."
" as early as 1400 Thomas Reed, of Redysdale, occurs in the county records"
"his decsendant Ellrington Reed, Esq of Troughend, built the present mansion in 1758 , wich, with the estate, was sold in 1764 by his son, Ellrington Reed, Esq to a gentleman of his name but no relation whatever."

I'll send you the pages, it will be easier than writing it out!
Jo

[Trish]

Jo, thank you so much for your interest. I am just opening the pages you've sent me now. I tried to get into them earlier today but my e-mail system shut me out. [I can't really complain since it's free.]

You're right about Reeds still abounding in the area... I think the name is a pretty common one in Northumberland. I had not seen the photo of Otterburn Tower before -- it's now a country house hotel? It would be fascinating to visit the area and stay there.

I have seen references to the Reeds of Cragg but have no idea exactly where they fit in with the Reeds of Troughend. I guess holding "grants from the crown prior to the Conquest" would take things back to before 1066 -- this fits in with a 18th or 19th C plaque in Elsdon Church which refers to the existence of the Reeds at Troughend for over 800 years.

Thank you again, Jo. You've given me some new bits and pieces to work with.

Truly appreciated,
Trish