Lowick Parish, Northumberland, 1855

LOWICK PARISH

LOWICK parish comprises the townships of Barmoor, Bowsdon, Holborn, and Lowick; and is bounded on the north by Islandshire, on the west by Ford, on the south by Doddington and Chatton, and on the east by Belford. Its area is 12,526 acres, and its population in 1801, was 1,382; in 1811, 1,519; in 1821, 1,799; in 1831, 1,864; in 1841, 1,941; and in 1851, 1,941 souls. The soil consists chiefly of a loamy clay, and the surface presents a bleak and monotonous appearance. There was a new colliery opened here, in 1854, called Licker Colliery.

BARMOOR is a township and village, the property of the Marquis of Waterford, and Francis Sitwell, Esq. The manor of Barmoor was formerly possessed by the Muschampe family, but in 1630, it passed from them to the Cookes, and afterwards to the Fipps family, becoming ultimately the property of the present proprietors. THE VILLAGE of Barmoor is situated one mile west of Lowick. At this village the Lords Marchers of the northern counties assembled in 1417, with an army of 100,000 men, to chastise the Scots for attacking and dispersing a body of English near Roxburgh. The Scots, who had just passed the borders, retired on hearing of the approach of this formidable array. About a mile west of Barmoor is a remarkable hill, called the Watch Law. The name imports that it has been used as an exploratory, to observe the motions of the enemy, and to alarm the country by a fire-beacon. BARMOOR CASTLE, the seat of Henry Heathcoate, Esq., is a stately and elegant structure, situated in the midst of beautiful plantations, a little to tbe west of the village.

BOWSDON, a township and village, the property of John Majoribanks, Esq., Coldstrearn; Henry Gregson, Esq., Low Linn ; and William Lowrey, Esq, Barmoor. THE VILLAGE of Bowsdon is situated two miles north-west of Lowick. As some workmen were levelling a barrow about a quarter of a mile north of this village, in 1800, they found two urns inverted upon broad flags, which appeared to have been partially burnt. Previous to this another funeral urn was turned up by the plough at Bowsdon Hollins.

CARRIER to BERWICK. W. Fish, on Saturdays

HOLBORN is a township and village, the property of John Joliffe Tuffuell Esq, Essex, and was for many generations possessed by a family that bore the local name. The population of the township, in 1851, was 160 souls. THE VILLAGE of Holborn is situated at the southern extremity of the parish, two and a half miles south of Lowick. LAVERICK LAW is a hamlet in this township, two miles south of Lowick.

DIRECTORY. James Sinton, vict. The Horse ; and the farmers are Ralph Chisholm, Holborn Grange ; James and William Bone, Laverick Law; Mansfield Gray, West Farm; George Havery, and miller, Holborn Mill ; and Joseph Patrick.

LOWICK is a township and village in the parish of the same name, the property of Sir Edward Haggerston, Ellingham; James Glieve, Esq., Ord; and Henry Jackson, Esq., Lowick. The population of the township in 1851 was 949 souls.

THE VILLAGE of Lowick occupies a centra[ position in the parish, and is situated nine and a half miles south of Berwick. The number of its inhabitants in 1851, was 720 souls. THE CHURCH, a neat edifice, rebuilt in 1794, contains 500 sittings and the parish register commences in 1718. The living is a perpetual curacy in the archdeaconry of Lindisfarne and deanery of Norham, rated at £11 10s.; gross income, £150. The patronage is vested in the Dean and Chapter of Durham; Rev. George Jenkinson, incumbent, for whom the Rev. John Caswell, B.A., officiates. Here is a SCOTCH PRESBYTERIAN CHAPEL capable of accommodating about 800 persons. The congregation attached to this place of worship forms one of the oldest dissenting congregations in England, being originally formed by the Rev. Luke Ogle, minister of Berwick, who, having resigned his charge there in 1661, in consequence of the Act of Uniformity, retired to his paternal estate at Bowsdon. The nucleus of a congregation was first privately formed, and afterwards a chapel was erected where Barmoor Castle now stands, but the congregation having considerably increased, it was considered requisite to build a larger chapel, which was accordingly erected at Lowick, about 1741, and having become much dilapidated, the present commodious chapel was built by subscription, in 1821. Rev. William Hownam, minister. THE ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN CHAPEL is a wooden structure capable of accommodating 400 persons, Rev. John Fraser, minister. THE NATIONAL SCHOOL is a neat stone building, erected in 1842, and possesses sufficient accommodation for 120 children. Matthew Wilson, teacher. There are also three other schools in the parish.

POST OFFICE, LOWICK, Charles Coulter, postmaster. Letters arrive at 12-30 noon, from Berwick, by horse post, and are despatched at 7-80 p.m.

CARRIERS to BERWICK, Jas. Fattie and William Smith, on Wednesdays and Saturday