POST OFFICE, SHADFORTH: John Thursby, postmaster.-Letters arrive from Durham at 10.25 a.m., and are dispatched thereto at 2.50 pm. Blenkinsop Rev. R. G. L., M.A. incumbent, Parsonage Brown John, joiner and blacksmith Cutter John, grocer and draper, Ludworth Fraimes Edward, painter and glazier LUDWORTH COLLIERY, Thornley Coal Com pany proprietors Miller Philip, assistant overseer, Hare Hill Thompson John, land agent for Thornley Thursby John, tailor Wallace William, boot and shoe maker Farmers. Alderson Israel, Cassop Smithy Miller Thomas and William, Hare Hill Robinson Joseph, High Croft House Inns and Public Houses. Black Horse, John Carter Queen's Head, Wm. Lonsdale, Ludworth SHERBURN, a township comprising the hamlets of Sherburn Hill and Old Sherburn, contains 1,303 acres, and its rateable value is £4,052. In 1801, the number of inhabitants was, 252; in 1811, 259; in 1821, 285; in 1831, 337; in 1841, 1,946; and in 1851, in that part of the township retained in Pittington parish, there were 855 souls. This township is said to derive its name from the Shire (clear) burn, which formed the northern boundary of Queringdonshire. We find by the Boldon Book, that lands were formerly held at North Sherburn by Ulkill, and that Christian, the plasterer, and others held South Sherburn. In the sixteenth century the family of Pearson held freehold property here. Sherburn subsequently became the property of the Tempests, and Mowbrays. Sherburn Hall and estate were purchased of Thomas Hopper, Esq., in 1827, by John Pemberton, Esq., and is now in the ocupancy of Mrs. Pemberton. The lord of the manor is the Bishop of Durham, who is also the principal landowner. This township is intersected by the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, which has a station here. Here is a stone quarry and extensive collieries. The Village of Sherburn is situated about three and-a-half miles east by south from Durham, and contains five public houses, five farmsteads, and a few shops. Sherburn Endowed School is a handsome stone building situated at Old Sherburn. It was erected by Arthur Mowbray, Esq., in 1804, and rebuilt by Mrs. Pemberton in 1848. The schoolmaster is allowed £16 per annum, viz.:-£4 from the Bishop of Durham, £8 from Lord Crewe's Charity, and £4 from Mrs. Pemberton, who also gives £5 per annum towards the Sunday School. For the £16 just mentioned twenty-four children are educated at the nominal charge of one penny per week. The average number of pupils in attendance is about sixty-five. Thomas B. Brown and Mrs. Ann Brown, teachers. Sherburn Hill is a large and populous village, in the township of Sherburn, situated about half a mile north-west of Shadforth. It occupies the crest of a lofty hill, and possesses two chapels, belonging respectively to the Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, several public-houses, and the customary tradesmen's shops. Sherburn Hill Boys' School was erected by Lord Durham, in 1834, and is attended by about eighty boys. John Tait, master. Sherburn Hill Girls' School was erected by the Rev. R. G. L. Blenkinsop, incumbent of Shadforth, in 1845. It is a handsome stone building, and is attended by about eighty girls. Harriet Milne, mistress. Sherburn Reading Society, situated at Old Sherburn, was established in 1850, and now possesses upwards of 200 volumes of standard works in the various departments of literature. It is also supplied with the local and other papers. Rev. E. Hallgarth, president; Edward Bell, secretary and treasurer; Francis Carter, librarian. Atkinson Jno. shoe maker, Old Sherburn Bamlet Geo. sen. vict. Bay Horse, West Sherburn Barolet Geo. jun. butcher, West Sherburn Brown Benjamin, butcher, Sherburn Hill Brown Thomas, master, National School, Carter Francis, butcher, Old Sherburn Eylesberry Thomas, dealer in hay & straw, Old Sherburn Garr Ralph, tailor, Old Sherbarn Hope Geo. boot & shoe mkr. Old Sherburn Hill Liddle Jas. vict. Blackbird, Sherburn Hill Morris John, blacksmith, Old Sherburn Pickering Wm. grer. & drpr. Sherburn Hill Tait John, master, Sherburn Hill School Todd Miss Harriet, Old Sherburn Walker Mr. Edward, Old Sherburn Wannop Rev. Thos.N.curate, Old Sherburn Young John, corn miller, Sherburn East Mill SHERBURN HOUSE. - EXTRA-PAROCHIAL. SHERBURN HOUSE OR HOSPITAL gives name to an extra-parochial place, which comprises an area of 730 acres, and its rateable value is £1,776 16s. 8d. Its population in 1801 was, 80; in 1811, 56; in 1821, 67; in 1831, 59; in 1841, 86; and in 1851, 34 souls. The Hospital has usually been considered one of the most interesting and picturesque objects in the county, although modern improvements and alterations have in a great measure detracted from the architectural beauty of the building. It was founded by Hugh Pudsey, bishop of Durham, about the year 1184, for the reception of 65 lepers, with a master and other officers, and dedicated to Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lazarus, and his sisters Martha and Mary. The hospital was destroyed by the Scots; but was afterwards rebuilt by Thomas de Hessewell, who was master of the institution from 1330 to 1339. The master's house, being in a very dilapidated condition, was taken down in 1833, and a modern mansion erected on its site. Of the ancient buildings, the chapel is the only portion now remaining. The hospital is situated in a sunny vale on the east side of Sherburn Water, about two miles south-east of the city of Durham. The buildings form an oblong quadrangle, and enclose an area of about an acre. The side next the road contains the entrance lodge, and a lofty wall of ancient date extends along the remainder of the front; on the second, or upper side, stands the master's house; the third is occupied by the chapel and the dwellings of the inmates, who also occupy tenements on the fourth side. The chapel occupies the south-east angle of the square, and contains some interesting specimens of Norman and early English architecture. It consists of a nave, chancel, and a west tower. The eastern window is filled with stained glass; and a modern screen separates the nave and chancel. The latter is stalled for the use of the brethren. This wealthy institution continued to be regulated and governed by the statutes formed by its benevolent founder, till the time of Bishop Langley, when the buildings were for some years neglected, and the funds appropriated to private emolument; but this perversion of the charity was loudly complained of, and the bishop issued a commission, dated September 4th, 1429, directed to William Chancellor, his temporal chancellor, and others, "to visit and examine the dilapidations in the hospital erections, and to inquire of the abuses of the charity." Upon the commissioners reporting the miserable condition and poverty of the institution, the bishop applied to Pope Eugenius IV. for redress, and obtained from his holiness a commission to make new rules and ordinances for the better government of the institution. In these regulations it was ordered, that the master shall be in priest's orders, and that he shall keep four chaplains, four clerks, or singing men, and two boys, with thirteen poor persons as chanters. They also direct, that in remembrance of the original foundation, two lepers shall be received into the hospital if they can be found, but to be kept apart from the rest of the brethren. From this last proviso, we may infer, that the leprosy was at that time almost eradicated in England. In the year 1585, an act was passed for the incorporation of this hospital, under the name of "The Master and Brethren of Christ's Hospital, in Sherborne, near Durham, in the county of Durham," with a perpetual succession and common seal. By this act the number of brethren was increased to thirty, to be nominated, with one exception, in favour of the owners of Thornley, by the master, who was to be appointed by the bishop, having no cure or charge of souls elsewhere. From the period of incorporation, till 1819, there had at no time been more than fifteen in-brethren, and sixteen out-brethren; but in that year Bishop Barrington ordered a new wing to be erected, containing fifteen apartments, for the out-brothers, so that the whole might be accommodated within the building. Those who, from having wives, could not comply with the rules of the resident brethren, were to receive £20 a-year for life; but none are in future to be appointed who are not single or widowers. The annual income at the time of the Charity Commissioners' report amounted to $1,894 38. 54d.; while the annual expenses were £1,373 4s. Great and important changes are about to be effected in the management of this institution, which will go far to render it more generally useful. Here is a colliery belonging to the Earl of Durham. Hansel John, corn miller and farmer Thompson John farm bailiff, Sherburn Ho. Wearmouth James, farmer, Byers Garth SHINCLIFFE PARISH. SHINCLIFFE and OLD DURHAM, formerly part of St. Oswald's parish, Durham, were constituted a separate and distinct parish in accordance with the provisions of the act 58th George III., chap. 45; and its boundaries were defined by an order in council, dated July 13th, 1831. The boundary of this parish commences at the bridge over the river Wear, between the city of Durham and the village of Shincliffe, from which it ascends the river southward along the division between the township of Shincliffe and Houghall, including on the west side of the river two fields, belonging to farms in Shincliffe, from the latter of which, called the Island, it crosses the river to the point on the south side, where the township of Shincliffe joins the chapelry of Croxdale, from which it passes eastward along the division, between Shincliffe on one side and the Butterby and Tursdale estates on the other, till arriving at the road from Durham to Sedgefield, it crosses that road and proceeds eastward, and then northward along the division between Shincliffe and Whitwell House farms, till arriving at the junction of two small rivulets, it ascends the latter in an eastern direction by the same division to where Whitwell House lands meet those of Sherburn Hospital; then going on from Durham to Hartlepool, it turns northward, and descends to the river Pitting, which it follows westward to the commencement of the boundary between the parishes of St. Oswald and Sherburn, along which it ascends northward to the junction of these two parishes with St. Giles, whence it proceeds along the division between Old Durham and St. Giles Moor, and descends to the river Wear at the north extremity of Old Durham estate, and thence follows the river southward to the bridge of Shincliffe whence it commenced. THE TOWNSHIP OF SHINCLIFFE comprises an area of 1,303 acres, and its annual value (inclusive of Croxdale and Butterby), is £4,324 10s. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was, 244; in 1811, 282; in 1821, 367; in 1831, 302; in 1841, 1,187; and in 1851, 1,175 souls. This township was granted to the church of Durham by Bishop Carileph, and the greater portion of the property is still held under the dean and chapter of Durham. There are two collieries in the parish, one in this township and one at Old Durham. The Village of Shincliffe is situated on the south side of the Wear, one mile and a half from Durham, and is sheltered on three sides by the rising grounds which skirt the river valley. It contains a brewery and several public-houses; and in its vicinity is a station on the Durham and Sunderland Railway, which proceeds to Houghall and Croxdale. Shincliffe Bridge crosses the river Wear about one mile to the south-east of Durham, on the Stockton road. The old bridge having been condemned by the county surveyor as being too narrow and out of repair, the present structure was commenced in June, 1824, and opened in September, 1826. It consists of two flat elliptic arches, of sixty feet span each, and a causeway arch at the Shincliffe end twenty feet in width. The cost to the county for this undertakiug was £7,056 7s. 5d. The Church, which is an unpretending structure in the early English style, dedicated to St. Mary, was consecrated by the bishop of the diocese on August 5th, 1851. It was erected from the designs of Mr. Gorge Pickering, at a cost of £1,600, and consists of nave, chancel, and north aisle, with a tower at the west end, containing three bells. The dean and chapter have given £50 towards the erection of a spire, in addition to £300 previously contributed to the church; and various sums from private individuals have been promised for the purchase of a peal of bells. The interior decorations are in good taste, the pews are all open, and one-half at least are free and unappropriated. The pulpit, baptismal font, and reading desk, are in harmony with the rest of the building, and the softened light which streams through the stained windows adds much to the impressiveness of the edifice. The subjects represented on these windows are the Baptism, Crucifixion, and Ascension of our Lord, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Return from Egypt, Christ blessing little children, Mary at the feet of Jesus, Moses with the Tables of the Law, and Christ bearing his Cross. The benefice is a vicarage in the deanery of Chester, and in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Durham. The original endowment was £5 per annum, augmented with a money payment in lieu of the small tithes of the parish; and to which additions have been made from time to time through the kindness of the patrons. The first and present vicar is the Rev. Isaac Todd, M.A. The Vicarage is pleasantly situated on the south side of the church. The National School is a neat stone building, erected by the vicar in 1842, at a cost of £300, and will accommodate about 80 pupils. Edward Henville, master. Old Durham, situated about three quarters of a mile to the east of Durham, is supposed by Hutchinson to have been occupied by the Saxons prior to the foundation of the present city, while Mr. Cade supposes it to have been a Roman station, and others have concluded, from the name, that there was a town here previous to the erection of the present city. A ford formerly crossed the river to Old Durham, but it is now impassible. "A little verging to the west of Old Durham House," says a recent topographer, "is a level plot of ground, immediately opposite to Maiden Castle Scar, and separated from it only by the course of the river, on which Cade has, says Surtees, with great appearance of probability, fixed the site of a Roman camp. position is guarded by the Wear on the north, and on the south and west the Sherburn beck answers the purpose of a fosse. On the only dry side, nearest to Old Durham, vestiges of trenches and earthen ramparts may still be traced. Induced by the easy command of water, and by the rich surrounding pasturage, it may be easily conceived that the Romans should fix The |