The Government's Response

The Government was sure that the Northumbrian Catholics had been responsible for the 1715 Rising and was determined to punish them and to ensure they would be stripped of their power



The Commission

The Commission clearly intended to be thorough in its work.



The Large Estates

The three richest Northumbrian Catholic estates, those of Derwentwater, Widdrington and Collingwood, were the principal targets of the Commission.



Jacobite Resistance after the '15

The 'Battle of Ryton' was the greatest triumph the Northumbrian Jacobites had in the aftermath of the rebellion, but it was not the only act of Jacobite resistance carried out in the years following the Rising.



The Large Estates


The three richest Northumbrian Catholic estates, those of Derwentwater, Widdrington and Collingwood, were the principal targets of the Commission. With Derwentwater and Collingwood dead, Widdrington under sentence of exile, and Charles Radcliffe in exile, the government felt their estates were ripe for picking.

Collingwood's entire estate was sold in 1719 for a bargain price, and the family lost these lands for good. However, in 1724, Collingwood's widow gained a grant from the profits of the purchase of nearly £10,000 to support herself, her children and her brothers. The estates of the Radcliffes and Widdringtons need closer consideration.