The Ligger (possible Civil War camp)

A map of circa 1730 lists field names East Liggers and The Liggers, and a plan of 1736 shows a large open area called "The Ligger" which was bounded by the line of Hadrian's Wall to the south, and by the boundary with Throckley Fell to the north. A mid-18th century plan of Throckley shows two large fields called East and West Leagure, and on a later plan of 1769 these had each been divided into two fields called North-East Ligger, South-East Ligger, North-West Ligger and South-West Ligger. A map of 1781 shows that North-East and South-East Liggers had been further divided into two fields each. This fieldname evidence suggests that part of the area may have been briefly occupied by the Scottish army under General Leslie before the Battle of Newburn Ford in 1640 (see HER ref. 1297). This corresponds with contemporary accounts, and it is possible that the name "The Ligger" and "Leagure" is a corrupted reference to this being part of the site of the Scottish army's encampment or leaguer, before Newburn.