TOW Law, to the west of Durham, has a name which reminds us just how anarchic the North-East used to be.

The second part, “law”, or “hlaw” as our ancestors would have called it, meant simply “hill”. But the first element, “tow”, comes from the antique English word “tot” or “look-out”.

Tow Law was then the “Look-Out Hill” and even a brief reconnoitre of the local landscape shows that it was chosen intelligently. Tow Law stands on high land and sensibly faces towards the dangerous north, the source of most problems in Geordie history.

It is also isolated – there used to be nothing but a farmhouse here. Modern Tow Law was the creation of the blast furnaces placed in the locality by the Weardale Iron Company in the 19th century.

The name was first recorded in the 15th century when it was known as Tollaw. But, make no mistake, it certainly dates back far further, to one of the Dark Age Northumbrian warlords who would have set up this strong point to make sure that enemies did not enter his territory unannounced.

The band of watchers stationed on the Look-Out Hill would have stared down through the fog and rare sunshine waiting nervously for approaching warriors, ready to run, at a moment’s notice, to a pitch beacon with flame.

And for those who lived below, smoke from Tow Law meant only one thing: the invasion had begun. Scots, Strathclyders, Picts or Galwegians were on their way to take slaves and cattle from the English.