If raising Jon at Winterfell was such an unusual decision by Ned, what would a more conventional course of action have looked like? Sending baby Jon to be fostered with a bannerman? Never even taking him back North?

Never taking him back North – indeed, not even acknowledging him – would be the most common solution, but for an honorable man like Ned, sending him to be fostered would be the most likely. And we have other examples of Northern lords doing just that – Halys Hornwood sending his acknowledged bastard Larence Snow to foster with the Glovers at Deepwood Motte.