Great Isle, County Durham

To the south-west of Bradbury is the tract of land called The Isle, inclosed by the River Skerne and its tributaries. The house called Great Isle, now a farm-house, was for centuries the residence of the lords of Bradbury and The Isle. A survey of the 16th century describes it as containing 'a fayre hall … a fayre chymney, with one chaymer above covered with slayte, a fayre parloure, well syled and in good case of glassinge, and on it a great chaymer covered with slayte, a lobbye … a galerye covered with leade … a goodlye barn and stables.' A dove-house belonging to the manor is mentioned in 1471 and 1567. A water-mill existed in 1471 and two water-mills in 1636.

A History of the County of Durham: Volume 3. Victoria County History, London (1928).