ORIGIN OF "HALL" NAME.ANCESTRY.
The HALL clan has a definite place in British history dating back 900 years, with several hundred years of Scandinavian and European history before that. In fact the HALL surname is most certainly traceable within the early recorded history of the Vikings whose ancient language,(allowing for district and dialectical variations) used the words "HAL","AL","HALE" and "HALL" to describe the long deep valleys of their mountainous terrain.(These valleys are still called "HAL" in Scandinavia, pronounced as "HAIL".) This explanation would also account for the noticeable number of " HALLS " (or dialect equivalents of the name) who came to England as conquering Normans. History also shows that these Normans were namely Danish-Viking people who were descended from the warriors who invaded France and settled in Normandy in the early 800's AD. Just two or three hundred years before this, however, the Anglo Saxons and Jutes from Northern Germany and Denmark began landing on the east coast of England. They liked what they found and as they subdued and assimilated with the early Celtic Briton tribes, they settled down and started farming. This progressed into permanent land and town development that became seven minor Anglo-Saxon kingdoms before 900 AD. Typical of the times, there were endless power struggles between early chiefs, and later, kings. There was also a conflict between paganism and Christianity, as recorded by the Venerable Bede. The Irish Celts brought Christianity with them in the 7th century AD, spreading broadly through North England and the Scottish Lowlands. Christianity prevailed, and the faithful built a particularly fine example of an early and historically influential monastery on the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne. It was here that St. Cuthbert lived and died, after an exemplary life, converting people to his faith. After the Battle of Hastings Duke William 11 of Normandy caused a drastic and irreversible change in the lives, the ways and the laws of the English people. Taking part, somewhere among the conqueror's cavalry army, either in 1066 or with the early reinforcements, rode some Hall warriors most likely named "De Hal". At least one of these Halls took part in the brutal subjugation of Northumbria in 1076. Northumberland still has its share of Norman sponsored abbeys and priories which are standing evidence of the Norman stamp of influence. In Elsdon, for instance, the Normans retained and used the old stone Saxon church of St. Cuthbert, staffed with Norman clergy, but they built a larger Norman style church over it in 1100. It still exists, with some major additions, made in 1400, but the distinctive Anglo-Saxon full semi-circular arches over the sanctuary, doors and windows of the west end have not been altered. To step inside the well preserved church of St. Cuthbert today is to step back nearly 900 years in time.
The churchyard contains many old Hall graves, but the significant place in Hall history must surely exist inside the Church itself where, for centuries, the Halls experienced the spiritual part of their lives. What is of singular importance is that within:
"four reigns since the Conquest, spanning less than 100 years, the distinction between the Norman conquerors and their English subjects was all but obliterated... In all classes mixed marriages became a commonplace and it was soon impossible to distinguish between a Norman and an English household. Norman solidarity and rather dull efficiency became welded to the lawless ebullience of the English."(1)
After a few generations, and that was not very long, the Anglo-Saxon ebullience came to the fore and there is no denying that the Hall clan had links with reiver raiding during the three turbulent centuries from the late 1200's till the late 1500's. The fact that they mixed raiding with their legal freeholder obligations to the Lordship of Redesdale, to provide armed riders within 30 minutes of the alarm call. In Redesdale it was not unusual for every man in a single troop of 30 or 40 horseman to have the Hall surname.
Redesdale was a hotspot of the English Middle Marches, (Border
area between England and Scotland.) with long established raiding routes crossing the border with Scotland.
The annual reiving season was at its height from Autumn through to late winter when food supplies were most needed and before the
reivers' mounts became too low in condition. It took great skill and daring to ride through the mountainous and frequently boggy,
roadless terrain, which concealed secret tracks and defiles through the tangled scrub.
Most naturally, reiving caused much clan, family and personal feuding which became widespread and bitter in the 1500's before it was outlawed and suppressed under James I. In the worst period, Sir Robert Carey, perhap one of the best English Wardens, reported;
"The country dare not kill such thieves for fear of feud. If they be foot loons (loose) and men of no esteem -- it may pass unavenged, but if he is of a surmane, such as Davyson,(Davidson) a Young, a Burne, a Pringle or Hall -- then he who killed or took him is sure himself, and all his friends (of his name) is like (ly) dearly to buy it, for they will have his life, or 2 or 3 of his Kinsman, in revenge." (2)
Interestingly, the reiver methods were part of the evolution of guerilla warfare, which was widely used in W.W.11.,"Cavalry Commandos" would be an apt description of the operational tactics, and although reiving clans did use blackmail and ransom, it was more of a Scottish practice than English. The words "blackmail", for extortion, "follow the fray" for raider interception and "redhanded" for being caught committing a criminal act, were all brought in|o the English language from reiving times. It was also a very deadly game, for example; " In 1569, the Scots killed Robert Hall of Monkridge, and likewise in 1583, John and Gabreil Hall of Colwell Hill, Thomas Hall of Overacres and Thomas Hall of Whitlees. "
(3)Searches through Northumberland records confirm that Redesdale was indeed the main Hall clan district up to the 1600's. The name Hall appeared for farms, peles and manors close to the main routes leading to and from Redesdale in parts of Central Northumberland. Among various Hall names are; Sir John Hall, priest (of Elsdon) - Overseers and Searchers of the Watches within all the fords, passages and other places of watch within the bounds and limits of Redesdale, John Hall of Otterburne, Thomas Hall of Monkridge. The Halls kept a close relationship with the Church of St. Cuthbert of Elsdon, holding various church offices from time to time.
During Queen Elizabeth's reign between 1560 and 1603 there was a decline in the clan power. Several revolts occurred and in 1569 the revolt was put down by her army. Her supporter, the Earl of Essex, described it;
" as this great example - several hundred executions by hanging were carried out amongst the common people of Redesdale." Ten Halls were amongst the first arrests. By 1604 a survey indicated that while some had lost land and position, they had kept the main fabric of their threatened clan society largely intact, and in a form to which modern people can relate.
Following Elizabeth's reign by King James I and as James VI of Scotland, he had long wanted to bring the borders under his full control. In the jury of freeholders during this duty, 15 were Halls from all parts of Redesdale. In all 50 freehold farms and 47 farms in common tenancy were held in the Hall names, although a few like William and Thomas held several farms in both groups.
The Hall name is besmirched in a legend, partly true no doubt, by a act in the early 1600's by three treacherous Halls of Girsonfield, who lured the volatile and brash Parcy Reed, a Keeper of Redesdale, to his violent death at the hands of the feuding thieves, Crosier. These Halls were banished, but the names suffered.
(4)During the 150 years up to 1760 the Hall clan probably suffered more downs than ups. Social and economic needs forced many of its members to move away to better themselves and only a few stayed behind to build up their properties within Redesdale itself.
REFERENCES:
(1) G.N.Taylor, unpublished MSc, Valley of the Fords: held at The Tower, Elsdon, Northumberland, 1984 Page 4.
(2) G.MacDonald Fraser, The Steel Bonnets: Pan Books, London 1971, Reprint edn, 1974, Page 141.
(3) Calender S.P.Foreign, London 1569-1571, Page 49, also from Book of Losses in the Middle Marches presented at Alnwick on 16th April 1586, and not redressed, Page 31.
(4) The legend was told in a ballad written by Robert White in 1844 called "The Death of Parcy Reed" which was republished in Northumbrian Minstrelry in 1882 and which has appeared in most border histories since then. The full version with music score appears in Frank Graham's Northern History Booklet No.53; Frank Graham, Newcastle onTyne,1976pp.7-8.