Egglestone, 1848

EGGLESTONE, a chapelry, in the parish of Middleton-in-Teesdale, union of Teesdale, S. W. division of Darlington ward, S. division of the county of Durham, 6 miles (N.W. by N.) from Barnard-Castle; containing 617 inhabitants. The chapelry is bounded on the south by the river Tees, over which is a handsome bridge; and comprises an area of 7,920 acres. The surface is pleasingly diversified, rising gradually from the river, near which it is richly wooded; the trees diminish in number as they recede from the bank of the Tees, and disappear towards the summits of the hills in a vast tract of moorland abounding in grouse, where numerous trunks and branches of pine-trees are found imbedded in the soil, apparently vestiges of an ancient forest. The soil near the river is extremely rich; in other parts generally clay, alternated with beds of sand, and veins of stone. Lead and iron ore are found in abundance, and vestiges of iron-mines are frequently discovered, some of which bear internal evidence of having been wrought by the Romans; mines of lead have been in operation since the time of Henry VI., and the London Lead Company have established works here, in which from 60 to 70 persons are employed in smelting the ore raised from various lead-mines in Teesdale. Egglestone Hall is a handsome mansion, erected on the site of a former structure by William Hutchinson, Esq., uncle of the present proprietor. The chapel, which is situated within the demesne of the Hall, is an ancient structure in the Norman style, consisting of a nave and chancel, in which are several monuments to the Hutchinson family; the nave was enlarged and newly roofed about the commencement of the present century. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Rector of Middleton, and has a net income of £100. There is a place of worship for a congregation of Wesleyan Methodists.