Witton Gilbert, County Durham: People and Places of 1879

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

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The Post Office Directory of Durham and Northumberland

by Kelly and Company

Published in 1879

WITTON GILBERT is a parish and station on the Durham and Lanchester branch of the North-Eastern railway, including the small hamlets of FULFORTH and FINDON HILL, and the township of SACRISTON, with EDMONDSLEY, 3 miles north-west from Durham and $5\frac{1}{2}$ south-west from Chester-le-Street, and occupies a pleasant situation in a warm, sheltered valley on the road from Durham to Lanchester, in the Northern division of the county, western division of Chester ward, Chester-le-Street union, county court district of Durham, rural deanery of Chester-le-Street, and archdeaconry and diocese of Durham. The church of St. Michael, an ancient stone building in the Norman style, was taken down (with the exception of the chancel) and rebuilt in 1863; the present building is of stone, in the Early English style, and consists of chancel, nave and north aisle. The register dates from the year 1570. The living is a rectory, yearly value £332, with residence and 25 acres of glebe land, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Durham, and held by the Rev. Cuthbert John Carr, M.A. of University College, Durham. The National school is endowed with £10 yearly; a Sunday school is held in the schoolroom. The Methodist New Connexion have a chapel here. There are charities to the amount of £4 yearly. Here was formerly a small hospital for lepers; Witton Hall now occupies the site. The chief landowners are the Dean and Chapter of Durham, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the Earl of Durham, and the University of Durham, each of whom claim manorial rights, but there are several small freeholders. The soil is sandy and gravelly and loamy; the subsoil, gravelly and sandy. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, turnips and potatoes. The area of the parish is 2,535 acres; rateable value, £11,034; and the population in 1871 was 2,708.

Parish Clerk, John Marley.

POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & Savings Bank.—William Craggs, sub-postmaster. Letters from Durham arrive at 8.30 a.m.; dispatched 5 p.m.

INSURANCE AGENTS:—

Royal, J. W. Craggs

Sovereign Life, J. Wilson

National School, James Wilson, master; Mrs. Nancy Wilson, mistress

Railway Station, John Robson, station master

Carr Rev. Cuthbert John, M.A. Rectory	Dobson Jane (Mrs.), cowkeeper	Laidler Thomas, farm bailiff to Elliott & Hunter
Clark Arthur Champneys	Eggleton John, shopkeeper	Lawson John, farm bailiff to Robert A. Barrell, esq. Snyperley farm
Fleetwood Rev. Charley Henry Hardy [curate]	Evans Evan, Glendenning Arms	Linsley Thomas, blacksmith
Graham John, Findon cottage	Fowler John Suggitt, farmer, Earl's ho	Middleton George, mason
Stapyton Henry, J.P. Snyperley house	Green Cuthbert, butcher	Parkin John, farmer, Findon hill
Adamson George, Travellers' Rest	Greenwell George, Odd Fellows' Arms	Paxton William, blacksmith
Barrone Mary (Mrs.), Three Tuns	Hall Ralph, wheelwright	Peacock Christopher, farmer, Bear pk
Bell Margaret (Mrs.), farmr. Witton hall	Hodge Margaret (Mrs.) & John, grocers & drapers	Scarborough John, Black Lion
Carter Nicholas, farmer	Holmes Francis, farmer	Wearmouth Abraham, farmer
Chapman Thomas, Three Horseshoes	Holmes Samuel, farmer, Findon hill	Webster William, painter
Clark Arthur Champneys, surgeon	Holmes Thos. Robert, farmer, Hartside	Willis Robert, butcher
Craggs John William, grocer	Jopling William, brick & tile maker	Wilson John, Grey Horse
Cumming Thomas, cowkeeper	Lawson Thomas, butcher