Stanhope Parish, 1848

STANHOPE (St. Thomas the Apostle), a small town, a parish, and the head of the union of Weardale, in the N. W. division of Darlington ward, S. division of the county of Durham; containing upwards of 9,000 inhabitants, of whom about 2,000 are in Stanhope-Quarter, 5¾ miles (W.) from Wolsingham. Stanhope Park is remarkable in history as the place where, on the incursion of the Scots in the reign of Edward III., that monarch encamped his forces; and on an eminence to the west of the village might formerly be seen the remains of an ancient fortress demolished by the Scots upon that occasion. The parish is divided into four quarters, including six townships. These quarters are, Newlandside, which contains 3,816 acres of inclosed land, and a common, named Bollihope, of 7000 acres; Stanhope quarter, which comprises 3,725 acres inclosed, and 7,200 common; Park quarter, which has 12,326 acres of land inclosed, and 500 common named Sunderland; and Forest quarter, which consists of 8,124 acres inclosed, and 11,876 common. The village is situated on the northern side of the river Wear; and near its western extremity is Stanhope Hall, an ancient mansion regularly defended by a curtain, formerly the residence of the family of Featherstonhaugh, to whom the manor belonged. With the exception of that part of the parish on the banks of the river, the country is rugged and mountainous, exhibiting, however, in parts, much picturesque beauty, diversified with waterfalls, and rocks and caves of limestone fringed with natural wood.

The district is rich in minerals. Lead-ore is wrought upon a very extensive scale, in some works near the Wear, belonging to T. W. Beaumont, Esq., and to the London Lead Company; the vicinity also abounds with ironstone and limestone of excellent quality. Of the produce of Mr. Beaumont's mines, a tenth part belongs to the Bishop of Durham, and a ninth to the rector of the parish. The terminus of the Pontop and South Shields railway for the conveyance of goods and mineral produce is within a mile of the town: extensive limekilns have been erected; and large quantities of lime are forwarded by the railroad to the northern parts of the county, together with a portion of the lead smelted in the district, and some ironstone. Coal is obtained from Medomsley in return, but not to any great extent. A market was granted to the inhabitants by charter of Bishop Langley in 1421, but it has been discontinued; fairs are held on the Wednesday before Easter, the second Friday in September, and December 21st, the last for cattle. Petty-sessions for the division take place every month; and a court baron occurs occasionally at Frosterley.

The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £67. 6. 8., and in the patronage of the Bishop of Durham, with a net income of £4660: the glebe comprises 220 acres; the predial tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £700. The church, which is situated on a slope to the north of the town, has a tower of great thickness, which was probably used as a keep in former times: the nave has round pillars supporting circular arches; the chancel is large, with oak stalls. At Rookhope is a chapel of ease, built by the late Bishop Barrington. Two oratories, one at Eastgate and the other at Frosterley, where divine service is performed every Sunday, have been built during the incumbency of the present rector; and at Heatherycleugh and Weardale are separate incumbencies. There are meeting-houses for dissenters in various parts of the parish. The union of Weardale, of which the workhouse is at Stanhope, comprises four parishes, and contains a population of 10,174. In the Park quarter is a small camp, evidently of Roman construction; and a Roman altar, said to have been found on Bollihope, is preserved in the rectory. Among the incumbents of the parish have been, Bishop Butler, whose celebrated Analogy of Religion is said to have been composed in this retirement; and Dr. Phillpotts, Bishop of Exeter. Viscount Hardinge, the late governor-general of India, and his gallant brother, Captain Hardinge, who fell in action in the East Indies, were brought up at Stanhope, of which their father, the Rev. George Hardinge, was rector.