I learnt something today, which confirms the adage one is never too old to be newly educated. For my birthday Julie bought me this lovely 1837 map of Northumberland. Given it's nearly 200 years old it's in super condition. It shows how early this is as there are only two short railway lines showing. However what intrigued me more was a little table denoting areas of Northumberland locally administered by the Country of Durham. This was Northamshire, Islandshire, Bedlingtonshire and Monk's House. I'd never heard of this before. After some research I discovered the Palentine of County Durham held enclaves going back to early Medieval times. I well knew of the powerful Prince Bishops who were effectively a self governing state within Britain, but I thought this was centuries ago. I'd not realised that until a parliamentary act was passed in 1844, the Counties (Detached Parts) Act, Durham administered areas in both North Yorkshire and Northumberland. You have to give it to Durham, it was a real player in our history of the British Isles. I was born in County Durham and used to dismiss it as a second rate county compared to Northumberland and North Yorkshire but over time I've realised how central this northern powerhouse was.
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