Lynesack and Softley, County Durham

 Enjoy a glimpse of history about Little Stainton in County Durham, England, UK.

The Post Office Directory of Durham and Northumberland

by Kelly and Company

Published in 1879

LYNESACK and SOFTLEY form a township of St. Andrew Auckland parish, but made a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1850: it is 9 miles south-east from Wolsingham and 7 from Barnard Castle, and bounded on the south by the river Gaunless, and on the north by the Linburn: it is in the Southern division of the county, north-western division of the ward of Darlington, union and county court district of Auckland, petty sessional division of Barnard Castle, rural deanery of Darlington (south division), archdeaconry and diocese of Durham. The church of St. John, erected in 1848, is a stone building in the Early English style, and consists of chancel, nave and vestry, with bell turret and 1 bell. The register dates from the year 1846. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Durham, and held by the Rev. William Morton, M.A. of Glasgow University. The Primitive Methodists have a handsome chapel here, built in 1876; the old chapel is now used as a day school; the Wesleyan Methodists have also a chapel, built in 1878, and there is a Free Gospel chapel. The parish contains extensive collieries; owing to the development of these the population has lately much increased, and is now (1879) supposed to be about 2,500. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor. The principal landowners are the Duke of Cleveland, Henry Edward Surtees, Frank D. Johnson, the trustees of the late William Bacon, esqs. Mr. Stevens Walker, the Butterknowle Colliery Company and the Woodland Colliery Company. The area is 5,946 acres; rateable value, £9,138; and the population in 1871 was 1,386. The area of Lynesack parish is 4,234 acres; population, 1,451.

Letters through Darlington, arrive at 11 a.m. dispatched at 2.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Cockfield.

CARRIER.—George Robinson to Sunderland (viâ Barnard Castle), on wednesday, returning on saturday

SCHOOLS:—

National, Robert Fielding, master; Mrs. Alice Fielding, mistress

British,

Hagger Leases (infants’), Miss Martha Fielding, mistress

Woodland Colliery, Joseph Morton, master; Miss Bright, assistant mistress

Primitive Methodist, Mrs. Sanderson, mistress

Brass James

Devey Thomas Valentine

Firbank Mrs. John

Hardy Mrs. Edge house

Hardy Mrs. Rose cottage

Morton Rev. William, m.a. [vicar], Vicarage

Robson John Skelton, Copley edge

Rodway Edwin Augustus

COMMERCIAL.

Alderson Caleb, farmer

Atkinson John, coal owner

Barningham Christopher, grocer. & drapr

Bates Thomas, farmer & carter

Beetham Joseph, farmer

Bell John, blacksmith

Blackett John, farmer

Blackett John, joiner

Blackett John, Malt Shovel

Blackett John, Surtees Arms

Blackett Walker, blacksmith

Blackett William & Ralph, builders

Brown John, Sun inn

Butterknowle Colliery Co. coal proprietors (John Skelton Robson, manager)

Devey Thomas Valentine, surgeon

Dowson Henry, coal owner & farmer

Dowson John, grocer & draper

Dowson Martha (Mrs.), Black Swan

Dowson Thomas, watch maker

Firbank William, blacksmith

Gill John, farmer, Crane row

Hall John, Edge House inn

Haseltine John, Diamond inn

Henderson Hannah (Mrs.), shopkeeper

Heslop Robert Peverell, farmer

Hodgson John, farmer

Hopper Thomas, farmer

Johnson George, farmer

Kellett Jonathan, Dog Tray

Lamb Mary (Mrs.), Stag’s Head

Lamb Robert William, miller

Lowther Edw. & Son, grocers & drapers

Marr James, farmer

Maughan Robert, farmer

Mennell John, Old Engine

Moffatt John, grocer & draper

Parkin William, farmer

Parnaby Thomas, stone mason & bulldr

Raine William, Three Horse Shoes

Richardson John Thorp, grocer & draper

Richardson Joseph, joiner & farmer

Robinson George, carrier

Robinson George, miller

Rodway Edwin Augustus, surgeon

Simpson John, landowner & farmer

Simpson Parkin, butcher & stone mer

Simpson William, farmer

Skepsey George, butcher

Snaith Stephen, tailor & farmer

Stephenson Jonathan, farmer & grocer

Tate John, farmer

Taylor Ralph, engineer to the Woodland Colliery Co

Teasdale William, grocer & draper

Todd Joseph, farmer

Weston John, blacksmith

Wild Henry, butcher & farmer

Wild Thomas, farmer

Wilkinson Hugh, farmer

Wilkinson Thomas, farmer

Wilkinson Thomas, joiner

Woodland Colliery Company, colliery owners (Anthony Metcalfe, manager), Crake Scar colliery