Simonburn Parish, 1848

SIMONBURN (St. Simon), a parish, in the union of Hexham, N.W. division of Tindale ward, S. division of Northumberland; containing, with the township of Haughton and the chapelry of Humshaugh, 1,029 inhabitants, of whom 500 are in the township of Simonburn, 9 miles (N.W. by N.) from Hexham. This parish was formerly the largest in the county, about 33 miles in length and 14 in breadth, diversified with picturesque valleys, and bounded by the Roman wall on the south. In 1814 it was divided, pursuant to an act procured in 1811, into six parishes and rectories, the livings of all which are in the gift of the Governors of Greenwich Hospital, to whom the manor of the ancient parish belongs, and from whose funds the new churches were erected. The present parish comprises 13,372 acres, of which 2967 are arable, 9827 pasture, and 459 wood: the farms are principally for the dairy; the scenery is pleasing, the timber chiefly beech and ash, and the plantations fir. The substratum abounds with coal, and iron-ore was formerly obtained. The North Tyne river separates the parish from Chollerton. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £34. 6. 3. for the ancient parish, and in the gift of the Governors: the tithes have been commuted for £542, and there is a good rectory-house, with about 80 acres of glebe. The church, repaired and beautified in 1821, contains monuments to the families of Allgood and Ridley. At Humshaugh is a separate incumbency. Giles Heron left an estate, now let for £180 per annum, for teaching and apprenticing children, and affording relief to the poor. The castle here was entirely destroyed in expectation of finding some hidden treasure, but part of the west end was rebuilt in 1766. In 1735, a stone inscribed to Ulpius and Sabinus, Roman lieutenants in Britain, was found in taking down part of the rectory-house.