HERIOUN

From this adventurer sprang the warlike race of Heron, so celebrated in Border feud and Border minstrelsy. In 1100, they possessed by grant from Henry I., the Barony of Heron in Northumberland, and in 1166, exactly a century after their Norman ancestor set foot in England, Jordan Hairun is named in the 'Liber niger Scaccarii', amongst the knights then enjoying great estates in the north. In the reign of henry III., the marriage of William Heriun, Governor of Bamborough Castle, with the daughter and heir of Odonel de Ford, transplanted the family to the lands of her inheritance and there - at Ford Castle - they continued in high repute for several generations, William Heron of Ford being summoned to parliament as a Baron in 1371. To the contests between Percy and Douglas, the Herons were arrayed under the banner of the former, and at the memorable Battle of Otterburn their chief, Sir William Heron, fought with distinguished bravery. The Ballad of Chevy Chase erroneously ranks him among the slain

Thear was slayne with the Lord Perse,
Sir John of Agerstone,
Sir Roger the Hinde Hartly,
Sir William the bolds Hearone.

The history of the Herons and their achievements in all their various lines, would fill a volume: here we must content ourselves with enumerating some of the more distinguished branches: next in importance to that of Ford, were the Herons of Prudhoe, the Herons of Chipchase, the Herons of Cressy, and the Herons of Newark-upon-Trent.

--(This name appears on the Battle Abbey Roll).