Mr. Thomas Greenwell, Messrs. Straker and Love, George Wilkinson, John Whitfield, and others, contains 1,244 acres, and its annual value is £2,368 15s. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was, 121; in 1811, 120; in 1821, 154; in 1881, 97; in 1841, 435; and in 1851, 1,182. This is attributed to the opening of new coal mines. Charles Lyon, Esq., is owner of the mines and minerals of the common, while the other landowners claim those of their own property. The Village of Helmington Row, which has almost disappeared, was situated about four-and-a-half miles north by west from Bishop Auckland; but several rows of pit-houses have been erected for the workpeople employed in the extensive collieries of Messrs. Straker and Love. The coals, from these pits, are conveyed by the West Durham Railway to the shipping place at Middlesborough and West Hartlepool. Mount Pleasant, White Bottom, and Ratton Row, are new and populous villages in this township. The latter joins the village of Crook, at the stream which forms the boundary between this township and that of Crook. Near to it is a beautiful Catholic church, in the second pointed style of Gothic architecture, dedicated to our Blessed Lady Immaculate and St. Cuthbert. The foundation stone was laid on the 8th September, 1853, by the Catholic Bishop of Hexham, and it was opened on the 25th October, 1854. It is situated on the rising ground to the east of the village, and will accommodate about 800 persons. The interior decorations are in keeping with the style of the church. The high altar which is carved in Caen stone, is sur mounted with a beautiful stained-glass window of five lights, containing fulllength representations of the Blessed Virgin, St. John the Evangelist, St. Luke, St. Augustine, and St. Bernard. The total estimated cost of erection, including schools and presbytery, amounted to about £3,000, which has been raised by individual donations and voluntary subscriptions. Rev. Seton Rooke is the present priest. Bailey Richard, agent, Willington Colliery Bland George, shoemaker Craggs Robert, shoemaker Gray R. sawyer and grocer Grahain Joseph, victualler Rooke Rev. Seton (Catholic) Willington Colliery Thompson John STOCKLEY, a township, containing 1,342 acres, is situated about five-and-a-half miles west-south-west of Durham, near the source of the rivulet to which it gives name. Its annual value is £878. In 1801, it contained 89 inhabitants; in 1811, 62; in 1821, 103; in 1831, 57; in 1841, 53; and in 1851, 44. Part of the royalty of Wooley, in this township, belongs to John L. Smith, Esq., of Flass. Stockley appears to have always constituted a portion of the chief manor of Brancepeth. The principal proprietors are the Hon. G. F. H. Russell and Dr. Fenwick. A colliery has been recently opened here, by the owners of Whitworth and Merrington Collieries. Directory. The farmers are George Kirton, James Parkinson and Brothers, and George Pattinson. TUDHOE, anciently Tudhowe, is a township and village, the principal proprietor of which is Marmaduke C. Salvin, Esq. The area of the township is 1,699 acres, and its annual value £1,493 12s. 10d. Its population in 1801 was, 219; in 1811, 292; in 1821,298; in 1831,237; in 1841,327; and in 1851,400 souls. The Tudhoe Iron Works, situated at the southern extremity of the township, are the property of the Weardale Iron Company, who intend to carry on the works on a very extensive scale, having purchased 120 acres of land for that purpose. The company are erecting houses with considerable expedition, and when the works are complete it is expected they will afford remployment to about 1,500 persons. The Village of Tudhoe, so remarkable for its salubrity, is situated near the source of a brook, one mile south of the Wear, and five miles south-south-west from Durham. It contains several respectable residences, a wholesale wine and spirit establishment, three public houses, the usual tradesmen's shops, and a police station. The Tudhoe District Agricultural Society, established in 1851, has for its objects, to hold meetings for competition in ploughing, hedge-cutting, and draining, at which prizes are awarded to successful competitors; to give premiums for the best-managed farms, to agricultural labourers for bringing up their families without parochial relief, and to those servants who have remained longest in their situations; also to dhold shows of horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, farm produce, farm implements, &c., at which prizes are likewise awarded. Monthly meetings are held in the committee rooms, Tudhoe, for the discussion of subjects connected with agriculture. The Tudhoe Floral and Horticultural Society has its stated shows, and is carried on with great spirit. Both institutions are patronised by many of the neighbouring nobility and gentry. Here is a very good school, which was established several years ago by the principal inhabitants of the township. It is supported by the Rev. E D. Shafto, M. C. Salvin, Esq., the Weardale Iron Company, and the township. It is well attended, and efficiently conducted by Mr. John Lister. WILLINGTON, a township and village in this parish, comprises an area of 1,485 acres, and its annual value is £1,732 10s. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was, 169; in 1811, 185; in 1821, 221; in 1831, 216; in 1841, 258; and in 1851, it had attained to 965 souls. In the time of Cutheard, the second bishop of Chester-le-Street, this township was given to St. Cuthbert, by one Barnard, a monk, on his admission to the Convent of Durham. The family of Bowes had possession here, which afterwards became united to those of the Nevilles; but, by recent purchases, the last of which is from the Greenwells, the whole, except an estate belonging to Ralph John Fenwick, Esq., is now the property of the Russells, and others. The township includes eight farmsteads, and a large brick and tile manufactory. Willington, otherwise Sunnybrow Colliery, is worked by Messrs. Joseph and John Straker and Joseph Love. There is also a colliery at Page Bank, the royalty of which belongs to Dr. Fenwick of Durham; it is carried on by Messrs. Attwood and Co. The Village of Willington is situated on the north side of the Wear, and on the line of the great Roman Road, four miles north of Bishop Auckland. It comprises several public-houses and tradesmen's shops, with a number of dwelling-houses and cottages, the latter of which are chiefly situated at the western end of the village, and are inhabited by the workmen employed at the collieries. Here is a chapel belonging to the Methodist New Connexion, erected in 1845. There is also a school, which was opened in October 1851, and will accommodate upwards of 100 children. It is a neat and convenient building, erected by subscription, from designs by Mr. Stratton, on a site given by the Hon. Mrs. Hamilton Russell. In September 1854, the village was visited by the cholera, and 25 of its inhabitants fell victims to the pestilence. POST OFFICE, WILLINGTON.-R. Archer, postmaster. Letters arrive from Durham at 11 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 2 p.m. CATHEDRAL AND CASTLE PRECINCTS.-EXTRA PAROCHIAL. The precincts of the Cathedral and Castle are extra-parochial, not being included in any of the parishes into which the city of Durham is divided. The Castle and Cathedral have been already fully described at pages 131. 159, as well as the public buildings on the Palace Green, and the residences in the College of the various members of the Cathedral establishment. CROOK PAROCHIAL CHAPELRY. CROOK parochial chapelry is bounded on the north by the parish of Lanchester, on the north-west by Wolsingham parish, on the south-west and south by the parish of St. Andrew Auckland, on the south-east by the township of Willington, and on the north-east by the townships of Stockley and Brandon. It was formerly a township in Brancepeth parish, but by an order in council, bearing date January 18th, 1845, it was constituted a parochial chapelry. The area of the chapelry is 4,008 acres, and its annual value £6,399 10s. The population in 1801 was, 193; in 1811, 176; in 1821, 228; in 1831, 200; in 1841, 588; and in 1851, the chapelry contained 3,946 inhabitants. This great increase of population is attributed to the opening of new coal mines. The township of Crook and Billy Row was formerly a member of the manor of Brancepeth. By an act of parliament, passed in 1764, the common attached to this township, and containing upwards of 1,500 acres, was divided amongst those persons who had the right of common, in proportion to their rental. Provision was at the same time made for the preservation of the manorial rights to the lord of the manor, and of the royalties to Farrer Wren, Esq. The principal proprietors at present are the Russells of Brancepeth; R. D. Shafto, Esq., M.P. of Whitworth; George H. Wilkinson, Esq.; Ralph Walters, Esq.; and others. A large portion of the township is occupied by "Pease's West Collieries," which produce excellent coking coal, known in the market as "Pease's West." There are numerous coke ovens, and many others are in course of erection. The coals and coke are transmitted by the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which here consists of four lines of rail, to the various depôts on the line, and to the drops at Middlesborough: some are also sent by Darlington to the York and North Midland lines, for the interior of the country. The Messrs. Pease have also established an extensive firebrick manufactory, in which steam power has been introduced to expedite the operations. The township is intersected by the Crook branch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which has a station at the village. The Village of Crook is situated five-and-a-half miles north-north-west of Bishop Auckland, and ten miles south-west-by-west of Durham, a portion of it extending into the township of Helmington Row, in the parish of Brancepeth. It was formerly of little importance, but of late years it has risen rapidly, in consequence of the extensive collieries of Messrs. Bolckow and Vaughan, and J. Pease, Esq., in the immediate neighbourhood, and now contains twelve inns, several public-houses and beer-shops, with the mechanics' and tradesmen's shops necessary for the supply of a numerous and industrious population. A police station, with a lock-up attached, was erected in 1853. The Church, situated near the eastern extremity of the central area of the village, is a neat Gothic structure, consisting of nave and chancel, with a bell turret at the western gable, and was erected in 1840-3. It is dedicated to St. Catharine, and will accommodate upwards of 400 persons. The living is endowed with an ecclesiastical grant of £60 per annum, and the tithes, which, in 1850, were valued at £68, but have now declined to about £65 per annum. There is no glebe house, though an offer of a grant of £300 has been made for that purpose, without having as yet been responded to. Patron, R. D. Shafto, Esq., M.P. The Rev. W. Sandford is incumbent. Here are two chapels belonging respectively to the Wesleyaus and Primitive Methodists. The latter is a fine commodious edifice, erected by subscription in 1847, and possesses sittings for about 400 persons. Attached to it are day and Sunday-schools, which are well attended. A new Catholic church has been recently opened in the adjoining township of Helmington Row. The Parochial School, a neat and convenient building, was erected a few years ago by subscription, to which Messrs. Pease and Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co., liberally contributed. It is generally well attended, and is under the superintendence of a master and mistress. The Roman Catholics and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, have day and Sunday schools attached to their respective places of worship, and there are also private schools. The Crook Mechanics' Institute was founded in 1848, and the present building was erected in 1851, at a cost of upwards of £200. It possesses the usual appliances of similar institutions, classes, lectures, and a library, the latter containing between 500 and 600 volumes. The Hamlet of Billy Row is situated about a mile north from Crook. A new school house is now in course of erection here, the foundation stone having been laid, on July 2nd, of the present year, 1855, by Joseph Pease, Esq. Woodyfield Collieries, the royalty of which belongs to George H. Wilkinson, Esq., are on the west of the village, and are carried on by Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co. Whitelee and Old Roddymoore Collieries are the property of Ralph Walters, Esq. Charities. For charities see Brancepeth parish. POST OFFICE, CROOK.-Ralph Dickenson, postmaster. Letters arrive from Darlington at 8-30 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 5 p.m. Campbell Peter, saddler Boot and Shoemakers. Brass John Dodds Thomas Lax George Lax Joseph Jackson Charles Moore Richard Tallantire Joseph Butchers. Addison Thomas Farmers. Emerson John Jobling Thomas Rippon Jonathan Nichol James G. surgeon Field and Whitelee Collieries Willans George & John Grocers. Bell Joseph, (and hosierand Boddy Ralph, (and draper Cowen Joseph Dale Thomas, (& tea dealer) Dickinson Ralph Dixon Thomas Elgie John Elliott Thomas Forman R. Gowland John (and provision Dickenson M. dealer) Humble Richard Sewell T. Thompson Thomas (and provision dealer) Walker John Wilson James (and draper CONVEYANCE, per the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Crook-Robert Kipling, station master. Hutchinson Jonathan McLachlin James |