In July 1934 Mr. Laverick, of Willington Quay, donated this mattock to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle. It is said to have been found here, but its precise findspot is unknown. The implement is "made out of the basal portion of an unshed red deer antler", weighs c. 850 gr, and is 290 mm long. It has an oval shafthole 30 x 25 mm between the stumps of the brow and bez tines, and its beam has been truncated obliquely to form a cutting edge. It appears to show two distinct wear patterns, "possibly related to different episodes of use", and is a fine example of an "antler-base mattock". Though antler-base mattocks had a broad time range, being in use from the Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age, a radiocarbon date of 3880 +/- 80 Radiocarbon Years before Present for this example shows that it was clearly post-Mesolithic. It is also considered possible that it may have come in a load of ballast sand from the Thames.

NCH appears to say that the 1318 survey of the Middleton lands in Hartley "contains...the earliest known mention of Brereden, a manor-house or fortified dwelling, built, in all probability, by the Middletons, of which all trace has vanished, though the name survives in that of Brierdean farm. Brereden may be assumed to have occupied a site near the present homestead where the dene is crossed by a field-road leading from Monkseaton to Hartley". "The last mention of the old hall, or, more probably, the earliest reference to the farm which superseded it, is to be found in Sir Ralph Delaval's estate book, under the date of 1613, where it is termed "Bryerden house". Dated C14th.

There is supposed to have been a chapel, dedicated to St. Mary or St. Helen, on the island, associated with which was a graveyard. Tomlinson (1889) sited this cemetery on the east side of the house, where there was a lawn which could not be built on because it was consecrated ground. He added, a bit contradictorily, that 7 skeletons had been disturbed during recent alterations to the inn, and more were found in the building of St. Mary's lighthouse. The latter were removed to Seaton Delaval churchyard. Craster quotes 2 references from the Earsdon parish register, one - a woman buried in St. Ellen churchyard in 1603 - in support of the dedication to St. Helen, and the other - a man buried at Bateshill (Bates Isle) "within ye walls of ye chappell" in 1680 - as the latest burial. Both were from Hartley. Tomlinson suggests rather vaguely that the latest burials were 18th century.

Though the evidence is poor, there is a strong tradition of a medieval chapel on Bates or St. Mary's Island. In the 18th century the chapel was in ruins, and "I know not its history".(1) 1st ed. OS recorded only "the supposed site of St. Mary's Chapel", and Tomlinson (1889) confirmed that every trace of the chapel had long since gone. In spite of this, in 1909 Craster wrote "The chapel was dedicated to St. Helen; its erroneous ascription to St.Mary being perhaps due to traditions of the Lady-light, also called St. Katherine's light, which was burnt within it. The light had an endowment of five shillings rent, and was perhaps burnt continuously, though whether for devotional or humanitarian reasons is doubtful. A lighthouse, built upon the rock in 1898 by the Trinity House of London, has destroyed all traces of St. Helen's chapel, of which the ruins were still traceable within living memory". He also quotes a reference in the Earsdon parish register to a burial in "St. Ellen churchyard" in 1603.

Though the shrunken medieval village of Hartley lies in Northumberland, at (NZ 342 758), the southern half of its township, roughly between the Seaton Burn in Holywell Dene on the north to south of Brierdene Burn on the south, lies in North Tyneside. Ridge and furrow exists, or has existed, in several places, notably (1) NZ 341 755, wide and curved, now (1992) damaged by the new sewer, Hartley West Farm; (2) NZ 348 748, ploughed out in 1991/2, Hartley East Farm; (3) NZ 332 747 and (4) NZ 327 746 on either side of Crow Hall Farm with, in (3), the apparent remains of a building; (5) NZ 346 738, south of Brierdene Burn; (6) NZ 335 740, around Brierdene Farm. A prominent boundary bank separates Hartley from Holywell, between the Bee Hive Inn, NZ 329 734, and Holywell Dene, NZ 325 747. The open fields were enclosed, and divided into farms, in the early C17. Post medieval ridge and furrow is visible in the non civil parish of North Tyneside as earthworks, cropmarks and levelled earthworks. Some elements appear to be no longer extant on the latest (1988) Ordnance Survey vertical photography.
Alison Deegan - Blocks of medieval and/or post medieval ridge and furrow and post medieval narrow ridge and furrow is visible as earthworks on historical and recent air photos. These remains are located along in the fields that flank the south bank of Seaton Burn and the fields to the south of Crow Hall Farm. Those remains to the west and south of have been levelled, those to the east survive as earthworks.

Milneton is listed in Richard I's confirmation of their properties to the prior and convent of Tynemouth in 1189, and Hugh de Milneton in 1264, and his son William in 1291, both did homage for this holding to the abbot of St. Alban's. The name appears in lists of the priory's property in the C13 and C14, sometimes coupled with Sheles, but does not occur after 1392. NCH: "Milneton lay near North Shields, and perhaps took its name from Tynemouth windmill on the eastern bank of the Spital dene... Tynemouth...has swallowed up the tiny township of Milneton, of which the insignificance may be gauged by the entry against it of 4d for cornage, the average assessment of the neighbouring townships being ten times that amount". Dated C12th.

In 1922 R. Blair exhibited to the Antiquaries a sword which was then in his possession, and which he said had been dredged from the Tyne "Between Kings Meadows island and the High Level Bridge, more than fifty years ago". In 1923 it was donated to the Society from his estate. The blade and part only of the hilt plate survive. Surviving length 542 mm (21.5 ins), max width 32 mm, thickness of blade 6 mm. Two rivet-holes survive on the handle. This piece has not been published by Cowen, or Challis and Harding.

In 1892 T.J. Bell of Cleadon Hall exhibited to the Antiquaries a bronze sword "purchased in South Shields, but probably taken from the river".(1) In 1931 Parker Brewis speculated that it had probably been dredged from the Tyne for "Mr. T.J. Bell...bought such things from the Tyne dredger men, and the blade...is bent and scored as if by a dredger bucket".(3) The mention of South Shields led Cowen to locate its discovery in "the lower reaches of the Tyne", and Miket to conjure up a grid ref just off the Lawe. The sword lacks all the tang and part of the butt, so has a minimum length of 6oo mm (1 ft 11.5 ins), is 1 1/8 ins wide at the centre of the blade, 2 1/8 ins wide next to the handle. The blade is bent; there are 6 rivet-holes in the butt. Hallstatt C sword.

Dredged from the Tyne(2), a little below Newcastle in the same place as SMR 767(9), near Tyne Bridge(10), in 1885(12), but first published in 1881(1). In other words, its discovery is not well recorded, and Miket's grid ref (given above) is his usual random selection of numbers. It was eventually donated to the Society of Antiquaries by the then Tyne Improvement Commissioners.(2) It is described by Cowen thus: "An elegant piece in brilliant condition, lacks the tip. Semi-circular notch in upper edge of pommel-piece is little more than the enlarged lower half of a peg-hole". The sword is 694(10) or 700(12) mm long, and has once been in two pieces. The handle is pierced by 7 rivet-holes, 4 on the butt and 3 on the handle. It is similar to, but slightly longer than, SMR 767 "with which it has more than once been confused". Evans, for instance, attributes it to the Greenwell Collection.

Said to have been dredged from the Tyne below Newcastle(4) and is variously located, the grid ref being Miket's, the second map no. the OS choice. Date of recovery is not recorded. As it is now in the British Museum as part of the Greenwell Collection it had presumably passed through the Canon's hands, though he does not seem to claim it in his lecture to the Antiquaries.(1) The sword is 692 mm (27.5 ins) long, 31 mm (1.25 ins) max width, with a blade 7 mm thick, i.e. a trifle shorter than SMR 768, with which it has more than once been confused. There is a wide V-shaped cleft in the end of the pommel- piece, and the handle is pierced by 8 rivet-holes, 4 on the butt, 3+1 on the handle, the last being on the pommel-piece "below, and quite separate from the point of the cleft - a unique feature". Hallstatt C sword, class c. Complete.