Knarsdale was/is not a nuclear town in the same sense as Alston, but a parish extending along part of the River South Tyne valley between Haltwhistle and Alston. Sadly a Google map can be quite misleading, because very few landmarks are recorded; however, if you are in UK and have access to Bing maps, there is an Ordnance Survey detailed map option which shows Merryknow a mile or so south west of Knarsdale Town Green (enter "Knarsdale, Northumberland").
To see the extent of Knarsdale parish the southern boundary runs roughly along the route of the Thornhope Burn and the Barhaugh Burn - Thornhope, Williamston in Knarsdale parish, Lintley farm in Kirkhaugh parish. In the north the main road A689 takes a west (left hand) turn at Lambley. The parish boundary runs roughly along the Glendue Burn a couple of miles south of Lambley - Eals in Knarsdale parish, Whitwham and Tows Bank in Lambley parish.
Merryknow today is, I believe, a couple of buildings occupied by a single family, but in the 1700s there were a few families together, mainly Wallis and Walton, with the occasional mention in the parish transcript of Parker, Moor and Bell.
Alston parish registers begin 1701. There is no extra information recorded for your Bells ...
Thomas Bell of Aldston buried Jan 23 1754 (probably 1755, as the record appears displaced)
Ann Bell of Alston buried Jan 4 1764
A word of warning ... You will have found that the name Bell is very common in the area, so although I have quite a lot of Bells in my own database I hesitate to comment on an isolated query without knowing the ancestral route by which you have reached the family at Merryknow. Any Bells at Merryknow may not actually be connected with Bells in Alston. Sorry I have not tracked your previous Forum messages, but be sure to extend your research "sideways" as well as direct line, in order to be sure you have the right family line.
Hope that helps.
Kath
