During the 13th/14th centuries the Scots invaded England on numerous occasions, pillaging and killing local people as part of their disputes with the English monarchy. So bad was this period that the local population fell, to such an extent that the social economies almost entirely collapsed. The local vicar in 1337, Robert de Herrington, complained to his patrons that his Parish of Dalton was wasted and depopulated by the effects of the Scottish war. In Dalden there used to be fifteen husbandmen who had draughts, paying oblations and tithes of sheep and other animals, together with fifteen cottagers who paid tithes of lamb, wool, hens and other small items. This number was now reduced to five poor inhabitants who possessed no stock plus six householders in a state of beggary, unable to pay anything to the vicar. The vicar, who had discharged his duties to provide hospitality beyond his possible means,was very old and exclaimed, "Dig I cannot, to beg I am ashamed." The Prior and Convent of Durham extended to their ancient vicar an augmentation of forty shillings to be received annually during his life.
During the same period, another catastrophe was to devastate the populous of Europe - in 1347 The Black Death arrived from China, This plague was devastating and wiped out, within a week, more than 75 percent of the communities it ravaged, even animals and birds were affected. As infected air was thought harmful, popular remedies included the carrying of sweet-smelling nosegays and the burning of spices and herbs indoors.
All in all, this was not a good time to live in Dalton-le-dale, never the less, our ancestors persevered and the community recovered and began to grow. In 1363, smoke pennies were assessed at 3/4 d, an indication of recovery, as this was a charge made to those households with a hearth!