tenants. The holders of them carried timber and millstones for Norton and Stockton Mills, and ground their corn at a thirtieth part mulcture. Whenever the bishop repaired or rebuilt his manor house at Stockton, they were to carry his timber for that purpose; and they were also to carry the bishop's wine from Tees and water into his cellar at Stockton, by virtue of their oath, and by tenure of the manor. All these services were compounded for 15s. 94d. The records contain notices of a few scattered freeholds. The Fulthorps and their descenants long continued to hold lands in Norton." The principal part of the property in this parish is still held by lease, or by copy of court roll, under the see of Durham. The principal copyholders are Hamilton Russell, Esq., John J. Hogg, Esq., William Grey, Esq., Thomas R. Grey, Esq., John Page, Esq., William S. Grey, Esq., - Sutton, Esq., John Fox, Esq., Thomas Fox, Esq., Mr. John Chapman, Mr. Arthur Strother, and Messrs. Owen and Ayres. The Bishop of Durham is lord of the manor.

The Village of Norton occupies a pleasant situation on the turnpike road between Stockton and Sunderland, about two miles north of the former place. At the north end is a spacious green, surrounded by houses. It comprises a post office, rural police station, an extensive tannery, and two breweries. Near the village there are two furnaces in course of erection by the West Hartlepool Iron Company, for the purpose of making pig iron. A number of market gardeners around the village supply it and the town of Stockton with the produce. In consequence of its healthful situation, Norton has long been a favourite place of residence with many of the professional gentlemen, merchants, &c., of Stockton.

The Church, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, stands on the highest ground in the village, towards the north, and was originally a cruciform structure, with a square central tower; but the south transept has been considerably shortened. It was repaired and restored in 1823, and will now accommodate about 850 persons. The south transept was anciently called "Pity Porch," from its being dedicated to Our Lady of Pity; and the north transept bore the name of "Blakiston Porch." The latter contains several monuments of that family, and possesses a small gallery, erected in 1854. This porch formerly contained a recumbent effigy, which is now placed on the south side of the chancel, and represents a knight in armour, with a rich canopy of tabernacle work over the head, the hands elevated, and the legs crossed, the feet resting on a lion. The church contains a fine painting of the recognition of Our Saviour by the two disciples at Emmaus, formerly an altar-piece in a Benedictine Convent, on the continent. On the south side of the chancel there is a neat stained-glass window, placed there in 1853. By papal rescript, Norton was made a collegiate church by Bishop Carileph, for the maintenance of the secular canons whom he had removed from Durham; and consisted, after 1227, of eight prebendaries, whose incomes were estimated, in 1291, at £6 per annum; but the total value in 1534 was £4 6s. 8d. each, or £34 13s. 4d. in the whole. The living is now a vicarage, in the deanery of Stockton, valued in the Liber Regis at £31 11s. 54d.; gross income £379. The parish register commences in 1574. Patron, the Bishop of Durham; incumbent, the Hon. and Rev. Francis N. Clements, B.A.

The Vicarage House is situated near the church, and is surrounded by fine plantations and gardens. The glebe consists of above 279 acres.

The Wesleyan Methodists and the Society of Friends have places of worship here.

The Grammar School. Certain lands in this parish, for the support of

the school, have been held under the see of Durham, on leases for three lives, at least since the year 1650. The dwelling-house, garden, and school-room, which are freehold, are occupied by the master rent free. These, with other property, producing an income of £38 15s. per annum, are enjoyed by the master, who, in respect of them, is required to teach six poor boys of the parish, appointed by the vicar, without any charge. There are at present fifty-five other boys attending the school, who pay for their instruction. William Robinson Bell, master.

Besides the Grammar School, there is a National School, and some respectable boarding and day schools.

While the wapentake of Sadberge was vested in the crown, Henry II. granted a weekly market to Norton on the Lord's-day. The necessity for this market may be surmised from the extent of the parish, which at that time included Stockton, Hartburn, and Preston.

Norton House is a handsome mansion. the property and residence of John Hogg, Esq., whose ancestors have long resided in the neighbourhood.

Blackiston is an ancient manor, occupying the north-western portion of the parish of Norton, and was granted, in 1093, by Bishop Carileph to the prior and monks of Durham. The estate was granted by the community to the family of Park, one of whom is mentioned as of Blackiston in 1264. It afterwards passed to a family bearing the local name, with whom it continued till 1615, when it was sold by Sir Thomas de Blackiston to Alexander Davison, merchant, of Newcastle, and is now possessed by G. F. H. Russell, Viscount Boyne. Of the old hall of the Blackistons, the only remaining portion is at present occupied by Mr. Joseph Wanless, market gardener.

Charities. John Thompson, by deed, 1st George IV., gave certain lands in the parish, producing £6 3s. per annum, in trust for the poor, and for upholding and maintaining the church at Norton. A field, near the village, containing about four acres, is now let for £14 a-year, which has for many years been carried to the account of the church-rate; and two other closes, containing together five or six acres, are let for £9, which is carried to the account of the poor-rate. - John Snowdon, by will, date unknown, gave to the vicar and churchwardens of Norton, £100 three-per-cent reduced annuities, the interest to be divided amongst four decayed housekeepers belonging to the parish. The dividends are paid over to the vicar and churchwardens, who divide the amount amongst five or more poor widows, a preference being given to those of shoemakers.

Eminent Men.--Amongst the many notabilities of Norton, we find the following:-Mr. Middleton, the celebrated navigator, who was first employed to find the north-west passage; Jeremiah Moore, Esq., who, according to Hutchinson, was taken, by means of his elder brother, into slavery, and, escaping from the hardships of that state, was pressed into the navy, in which he was serving in the Mediterranean, when his brother's death placed him in an independent position, after which he settled at Norton, and spent the remainder of his life in acts of benevolence; Anthony White, Esq., thrice president of the Royal College of Surgeons; and Thomas Baker, or, as he was more commonly called, "Potato Tom," who is said to have been the first to introduce the potato into the county of Durham.

POST OFFICE, NORTON: Sarah Robinson, postmistress. Letters arrive here from Stockton at 8 30 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 5 p.m.

Builders.

Crosby Anthony

Fletcher Henry(& plasterer) Fletcher Wm. & Sons (and

Redmarshall parish, comprising the townships of Carleton, Redmarshall, and Stillington, is bounded on the north by Grindon and Sedgefield, on the west by Stainton-le-Steeet and Bishopton, on the south by Elton, and on the east by Norton. The townships of Carleton and Redmarshall are included in the Stockton poor-law union, and that of Stillington in Sedgefield

union.

CARLETON township is the property of the Rev. Edward Davison, Robert Wardell, Esq., the trustees of the late Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., and Captain Ellis. The Bishop of Durham claims the manorial rights of the copyhold property, and the landowners of that held by freehold tenure. The area of the township is 1,453 acres, and its annual value £1,491. The population in 1801 was 99; in 1811, 105; in 1821, 140; in 1831, 183; in 1841, 157; and in 1851, 186 souls. The Clarence Railway extends into this township. Carleton was one of the places which had been seized and detained from the see of Durham by the "men of Northumberland," and of which restitution was ordered by the charter of Henry I. From Boldon Book we learn that there were twenty-three farmers here, holding twenty-six ox-gangs of land by the usual tenures. Under Hatfield's Survey, some of the services were commuted for money payments; but the drengage lands were held subject to suitable service till the reign of Elizabeth.

The Village of Carleton is about four miles to the north-west of Stockton.

REDMARSHALL township contains 956 acres, and the annual value of property assessed for the county rate in 1853 was £670. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 60; in 1811, 76; in 1821, 75; in 1831, 56; in 1841, 48; and in 1851, 76 souls. The first notice of Redmarshall that occurs is in a charter to Finchale Priory, in which Emma, Lady of Redmarshall, is mentioned. It afterwards became the property of the see of Durham, and was given by Bishop Beck to his brother, John Beck, who sold it to Thomas Moulton, from whom it passed to Sir Henry Lisle, Knt., lord of the manor of Wynyard. A third of the manor was subsequently held by the Langtons, Claytons, Merleys, Buckles, Places, Bromleys, and Spearmans; and in 1750, the trustees under the will of Gilbert Spearman conveyed it and a third of Claxton's Porch to John Tempest, Esq., of Wynyard, for £3,540, from whom it descended to the Marchioness of Londonderry. The principal proprietors, besides the Marchioness of Londonderry, are John Eden, Esq, George Hutchinson, Esq., and James Forster, Esq., each of whom claims the manorial rights of his own property.

The Village of Redmarshall is situated four-and-a-half miles north-west of Stocktou.

The Church, dedicated to St. Cuthbert, is a substantial stone building, consisting of nave, south porch, south transept, called Claxton's Porch, chancel, and square tower, and appears to have been erected about the 13th century. It underwent a series of improvements and restorations in 1845-6, at the expense of the rector, from designs furnished by his son, T. Austin, Esq., architect, Newcastle, who also provided designs and plans for the new rectory. On a broad altar tomb in Claxton's Porch, are two recumbent figures, male and female, of elegant alabaster work, but much defaced by time and neglect. The parish register commences in 1564. The living is a rectory in the deanery of Stockton, valued in the Liber Regis at £17 18s. 14d.; gross income, £365. Patron, the Bishop of Durham; rector, Rev. Thomas Austin, M.A.

The Rectory is an elegant building in the Elizabethan style, erected in 1845, at a cost of £1,000, principally defrayed by the rector. The glebe consists of rather more than six acres; and the rector is generally entitled to all tithes.

The School and teacher's house were erected by subscription in 1847, on land given by James Pallister, Esq., who also endowed the school with £10 per annum towards the support of teachers.

Charities.-Church Rents. - The churchwardens received 2s. 6d. from an estate at Stillington, 3s. 4d. from an estate at Redmarshall, and 4s. from two estates at Carlton, making a total of 9s. 10d. The origin of these pay ments, which were applicable to the repairs of the church, is unknown; and, of late years, nothing has been received for this purpose. Christopher Morpeth, by will, January 10th, 1640, gave to the poor of the parish a rent charge