Medomsley, County Durham: People and Places of 1879

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

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The Post Office Directory of Durham and Northumberland

by Kelly and Company

Published in 1879

MEDOMSLEY chapelry includes the townships of MEDOMSLEY and BILLINGSIDE, and a portion of the township of CONSIDE-CUM-KNITSLEY: it is 11 1/2 miles south-west-by-west from Newcastle, and 2 1/4 east from Ebchester station, in the Northern division of the county, west division of Chester ward, Lanchester union, county court district of Shotley Bridge, rural deanery of Chester, Durham archdeaconry and diocese, situated on the road from Shotley Bridge to Newcastle. The church of St. Mary Magdalen is an ancient stone building in the Early English style: it has a chancel, nave and south aisle, and will seat 300. The register dates from the year 1608. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, in the gift of the Bishop of Durham and held by the Rev. William Cockin, jun. M.A. of Wadham College, Oxford. There are here three collieries, an ironfoundry and brickworks. There is a small charity of about 10s. yearly value. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners exercise the manorial rights on Lanchester common. The principal landowners are the trustees of the late Anthony Surtees, esq. Lancelot John Hunter Allgood, esq. Miss Allgood, James Hunter, esq. Henry William Watson, esq. and the Consett Iron Company. The soil is light loam; the subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The area is 4,833 acres; rateable value £10,532; the population in 1871 was 1,924.

POST OFFICE.—William Taylor, receiver. Letters from Newcastle arrive at 8.40 a.m. & are dispatched at 3.30 p.m. week days only. Shotley Bridge is the nearest money order office. All letters should be directed Medomsley-by-Lintz-Green

National School, Henry Turnbull, master

CARRIER TO NEWCASTLE, tuesday, thursday & saturday

Billingside is a township 1 1/2 miles north from Lanchester, 11 south west from Newcastle, in the civil parish of Lanchester, in the postal delivery of Leadgate, and in the ecclesiastical parish of Medomsley. This township has but two farms, called East and West Billingside. Sir Henry A. Clavering, bart. is lord of the manor. Messrs. Hunter, Brooksbank and Allgood are the principal landowners. The area is 289 acres; rateable value, 1,055; the population in 1871 was 11.

Medomsley.

Cockin Rev. William, jun. M.A. [vicar], Vicarage

Horrocks Rev. Joseph [curate]

Surtees Mrs. Hamsterley park

Winter Thomas Stanley, Derwent Cote

COMMERCIAL.

Allison John, miller, Hamsterley mill

Ballentyne John Nichol, blacksmith

Bulmer Thomas, grocer, Derwent cots

Burnett John, shoe maker

Calvert Thomas, grocer

Carter Thomas, farmer

Charlton Michael, farmer, Punt house

Cuthbertson Ambrose, grocer

Davison Edward (Mrs.), farmer, Byreside

Hedley William Henry, viewer

Hunter Jas. farmer, Medomsley grange

Hunter William, farmer

Lovat Edward, beer retailer

Logan David, Hat & Feathers, Derwent cottages

Mace Samuel, Green Tree

Milburn John, butcher

Moffatt Robert, cartwright

Pickering William, farmer

Robinson William, Buck’s Head

Robinson William, grocer

Robson Joseph, farmer, South field

Shaw Anthony, farmer, Bunker’s hill

Simpson J. Elliott, farmer, High Bradley

Smith John, farmer

Smith Richardson, farmer, Sth. Bradley

Taylor William, builder & post office

Watson Thomas, smith, Pont burn

White George, grocer

Whiteley Joseph, shoe maker

Billingside.

Clarke George, farmer, East Billingside

Shotton Edwd. farmer, West Billingside