St John Lee Parish, 1855

ST. JOHN LEE PARISH

ST. JOHN LEE is a parish, comprising the townships of Acomb (west), Anick, Anick Grange, Bingfield, Cocklaw, Fallowfield, Hallington, Portgate, Sandhoe, and Wall. It is bounded by the parishes of Thockrington, Chollerton, Simonburn, Warden, Hexham, Stamfordham, and Corbridge, and forms part of the liberty of Hexhamshire. It is about seven miles in length, by four in breadth, and comprises an area of 15,090 acres. Population in 1801, 1,802; in 1811, 1,910; in 1821, 1,952; in 1831, 1,962; in 1841, 1,947; and in 1851, 2,073 souls. The soil of this parish is very rich, and the surface both varied and beautiful. Coal and lead are found in large quantities, and the district is well watered by the Northern branch of the Tyne, and intersected by the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway.

ACOMB (WEST) is a township and large straggling village, the property of Thomas Butler, Esq., of Brunton, Simon Mewburn, Esq., of Aeomb, Rowland Errington, Esq., of Sandhoe, and Thomas Dodd, Esq., of Riding. The township contains 2,745 acres of land, and its rateable value is £3,618. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 532; in 1811, 529; in 1821, 533; in 1831, 523; in 1841, 571; and in 1851, 635 souls. This manor was formerly the property of the priors of Hexham, and a favourite retreat of St. John of Beverley. On the dissolution of the priory it became Crown property, and we find it, in 1724, possessed by the Coatsworth family, from whom it passed in 1754, to James Jurin, Esq., who died in 1762. It was for many years the seat and property of John Hunter, but is now possessed by the gentlemen above- mentioned. ST. JOHN LEE CHURCH is situated on a bold and woody headland, on the north side of the Tyne, in this township, one mile north of Hexham, It is a small but ancient structure, dedicated to St. John, of Beverley, and though it has been many times repaired, still it has no pretensions to architectural elegance. The living, a perpetual curacy, with the curacies of St. Mary's and St. Oswald's, in the archdeaconry of Northumberland and deanery of Hexham, is valued in the Liber Regis at £6 13s. 4d.; gross income £301. Patron, T. W. Beaumont, Esq. ; incumbent, the Rev. Charles tee, M.A. The parish register commences in 1664. THE VILLAGE of West Acomb is situated on the southern declivity of an eminence one mile and three quarters north of Hexham. Here is a school, which is supported by subscriptions, aided by a grant from the Committee of Council on Education. Mr. William Green, teacher. In the neighbourhood of the village is a good cornmill, worked by Mr. Lewis Hetherington.

CHARITIES. Ursula Mountney, in 1680, left a rent charge of £2 10s. per annum, to the poor of this parish; and Robert Andrews in 1764, bequeathed a rent charge of £1 10s. yearly, to the poor not receiving relief, or such as should be in sickness in particular parts of the parish. M Vernol, in 1771, left a rent charge amounting to £10 per annum, for St. John Lee Parish School.

DIRECTORY

POST OFFICE, ACOMB, Robert Robson, postmaster. Letters are received here and despatched to Hexham, at 5 p.m.

Carrier - John Little; to Newcastle on Saturdays, and Hexham on Tuesdays.

ANICK is a township and village, comprising 451 acres, the property of several owners, and its rateable value is £1,045. The population in 1801, was 161; in 1811, 169; in 1821, 166; in 1831, 163; in 1841, 146; and in 1851, 148 souls, At Hexham Bridge End, a hamlet in this township, there is an extensive brewery, for which Mr. Thomas Loraine is agent. THE VILLAGE of Anick is pleasantly situated one mile and a half E.N.E. of Hexham.

ANICK GRANGE township is situated one mile and a half east by north of Hexham, and its area, including that of Fallowfield, and Hallington townships, amounts to 2,220 acres. The number of its inhabitants in 1801, was 30; in 1811, 35; in 1821, 43; in 1831, 26; in 1841, 40; and in 1851, 40 souls. The rateable value is £700. It is the property of W.B. Beaumont, Esq., and is occupied by Mr. William Brown.

BINGFIELD is a chapelry, township, and hamlet, the property of William H. Clarke, Esq., and others. The township comprises an area of 2,047 acres, and its rateable value is £1,814. Population in 1801, 91; in 1811, 109; in 1821, 111; in 1831, 98; in 1841, 111; and in 1851, 125 souls. There is a mineral spring in this township, in which it is said neither fish nor worms can exist. At Erring Bridge, in this township, there is a day school with an endowment of £10 per annum, for which ten poor children are instructed without payment. Thomas Stokoe, teacher. THE HAMLET or Bingfield is situated on an eminence six and a half miles N.N.E. of Hexham. Here is a Chapel of Ease under the parish church of St. John Lee, with which the living is united. It is dedicated to St. Mary. DIRECTORY. Thomas Carr, shopkeeper; Thomas Hall, tile layer; Thomas Stokoe, schoolmaster, Erring Bridge End; and the farmers are William Coulson, Grindstone Law  William Potts, Robert Robson, John Hobson, Toddridge; Thomas Scott, and George Stevenson.

COCKLAW is a township and village in this parish, the property of Rowland Errington, Esq., of Sandhoe. The township contains 3,666 acres, and its rateable value is £3,246. The number of inhabitants in 1801, was 183; in 1811, 197; in 1821, 199; in 1831, 188; in 1841, 172; and in 1851, 183 souls. THE VILLAGE of Cocklaw is five and a half miles north of Hex-ham, and contains considerable remains of Cocklaw Tower, the principal seat of the Erringtons, from 1372 to 1567. ERRINGTON is a hamlet in this township, five miles north by east of Hexham.

FALLOWFIELD is a township and hamlet, consisting of one farm, in the occupation of Robert and Mark Benson, and the property of Sir Edward Blackett, Bart., of Matfen. The rateable value is £820, and the population in 1801, was 94; in 1811, -; in 1821, 93; in 1831, 70; in 1841, 74; and in 1851, 50 souls. At a short distance south of the Roman Wall, in this township, is a long range of rocks, one of which, called Written Cragg, has inscribed upon it in deep and legible characters, " PETRA. FLAVI CARANTINI" the Crag of Flavius Carantinus. This inscription was first noticed in the Archaeologia Eliana, but no historical inference can be drawn from it. THE HAMLET of Fallowfield, situated three and a half miles north by west of Hexham, consists of a small cluster of cottages inhabited by the workpeople employed in the coal and lead mines in this township. The principal inhabitants are Robert and Mark Benson, farmers.

HALLINGTON is a township and hamlet, the property of Rowland Errington, Esq., of Sandhoe, and J. Atkinson, Esq., of Newbiggin. The area of the township is returned with that of Anick Grange, and its rateable value is £1,208. Population in 1801, 128; in 1811, 144; in 1821, 129; in 1831, 120; in 1841, 105; and in 1851, 106. This was formerly a manor belonging to the priors of Hexham. Here is an eminence, called the Mote Law, having a square entrenchment upon it, where fires were kindled to alarm the country, in time of war or invasion.

CARRIER.-George Hardwick, to Newcastle, on Saturdays

PORTGATE township is situated three and a half miles north by west of Corbridge, and contains 690 acres of land, the rateable value of which is £585. The number of its inhabitants in 1801, was 29; in 1811, 29; in 1821, 33; in 1831, 29: in 1841, 18; and in 1851, 32 souls. Rowland Errington, Esq. is lord of the manor and owner of the soil. This township is said to derive its name from affording a passage through the great Roman Wall, near to where the Devil's Causeway branches from the Watling-street. The site of the wall and fosse has, at this place, been levelled and cultivated. Here is a coal mine, the shaft of which was sunk in 1849. It is worked by Mr. Thomas Hall, who is now (1854), sinking another shaft in this township. This mine produces coals of excellent quality. The principal resident is Charlton Todd, farmer, Portgate House.

SANDHOE is a township and pleasant village, the property of Rowland Errington, Esq., William Cuthbert, Esq., Mrs. Crawhall, and others. The township contains 1,648 acres, and its rateable value is £1,922. The population in 1801, was 198; in 1811, 199; in 1821, 180 ; in 1831, 240; in 1841, 273; and in 1851, 280s souls. THE VILLAGE of Sandhoe is two miles north-west of Corbridge. BEAUFRONT, a little to the south-west of the village, is the seat of William Cuthbert, Esq., J.P. It is a magnificent mansion, and when viewed either from Hexham or Corbridge, has a noble appearance, having long and elegant fronts surmounted by figures representing the various heathen deities. The lawn, plantations, and gardens are very extensive, and are said to have cost, in improvements alone, upwards of £20,000. This estate was anciently possessed by the Carnabies, from whom it passed to the Erringtons, coming ultimately to the present proprietor. SANDHOE HOUSE, the seat of Rowland Errington, Esq., J.P., and STAGSHAWE HOUSE, the residence of Mrs. Mary Crawhall, are also very elegant structures. STAGSHAWE BANK is partly in this township, and partly in that of Corbridge. On this extensive common fairs are held twice a year, the first for the sale of horses, horned cattle, etc., takes place on the Saturday preceding Whitsunday. The second, which is a pleasure fair, takes place on the 3rd and 4th of July. There are also two "Wiste" fairs held on the 5th of August and the 24th of October,- the first for the sale of lambs, and the last for the sale of ewes. At one extremity of Stagshawe Bank, at a place called the Fences, near Halton Castle, are the kennels of the Tindale Hounds, the property of the leading sporting gentlemen of the county. Major Bell is master, and William Nevard huntsman. WOODHEAD is a hamlet on the Beaufront estate, two miles north-east by east of Hexham.

WALL ls a township and pleasant village, the property of Thomas Butler, Esq., and the Messrs. Clayton of Chesters Hall. The township comprises an area of 1,623 acres, and its rateable value is £2,161. The population in 1801; was 356; in 1811 -; in 1821, 465; in 1831, 495; in 1841, 437, and in 1851, 474 souls. W.B. Beaumont, Esq., is lord of the manor. Here is an excellent freestone quarry, the products of which are in great request for building and other purposes. It is worked by Mr. Thomas Hall. THE VILLAGE of Wall is situated on the Alnwick-road, about four miles north by west of Hexham. In its vicinity stands a Chapel of Ease, dedicated to St. Oswald, who, when about to attack the Britons; under their perfidious king Ceadwalla, ordered a cross of wood to be formed, and fixed on the site now occupied by the sacred edifice, when, turning to his army, he exclaimed, "Soldiers, let us bend our knees, and beg of the true and living God to pro-tect us from the insolence and ferocity of our enemies, for he knows that out cause is just, and that we fight for the salvation of our country." At his command they knelt down to pray, from prayer they rose to battle, and victory was the reward of their piety and valour. Ceadwalla was slain, and his invincible army was annihilated. In memory of this event the monks of Hexham raised a chapel upon the spot which the cross had occupied. Many relics of antiquity have been found, at different periods, in this neighbourhood.

POST OFFICE, WALL.-Thomas Scott, postmaster. Letters arrive from Gunnerton, at 8-30 a.m., and from Hexham at 3-30 p.m.; they are despatched to Hexham at 9-30 a.m., and to Gunnerton at 3-30 p.m.