ELWICK HALL
Ailewic (xii cent.); Elwyk (xiii cent.); Ellewyk
(xiv cent.).
The parish is bounded by Elwick on the north
and Dalton Piercy on the north-east, both within the
parish of Hart. On the east Elwick Hall borders upon
Brierton, in the parish of Stranton, and on the township of Claxton, from which it is divided by Claxton
Beck. On the south-east and south the boundary is
the North Burn, dividing Elwick Hall from the townships of Newton Bewley and Wolviston. On the
south-west is the parish of Grindon, and on the west
the township of Embleton, from which Elwick Hall
is divided by Amerston Beck.
The boundaries of the parish are entered in the
Parish Register as follows under the date 1744 (fn. 1) :—
The first boundary at the gate going out of the glebe in the
road to Trimden, John Speck's land on one side the road, and
William Jourdison's on the other. The iid in high Stotfold
Moor, in a corner beneath a hill close by the beck side, butting
on Mr Maire's land, in the parish of Sedgefield. The iiid in a
corner of Amerstone farm, North west of the Gill, between
Sir Edward Smith's land and Mr Maire's. The iiiith in Close
farm in the Gill by the beck side, where the water makes a
peninsula, butting on Sir Edward Smith's land, and near
Mr Tempest's. The vth in Poplar row farm, in the corner
of a field butting on Mr Tempest's and Mr Spearman's land.
The vith in Newton-Hansard, in a field butting on Mr. Tempest's
land in Grindon parish, and on Mr Hogg's land in Wolviston
Chapelry. The viith in High Bruntoft, at a gate in the Gill,
butting on John Grange's land in Wolviston Chapelry. The
viiith in the Stobb farm, close by the beck side, butting on the
glebe land, and on Mr Smith's, in the township of Newton.
The ixth in Low Stotfold, in the meadow-field near the beck
side, butting on Claxton lands, in the parish of Greatham, and
on Brearton lands, in the parish of Stranton. The xth in Middle
Stotfold pasture, and the gate going into the landing (sic), and
butting on high Stotfold grounds and on Grace Ranson's and
William Chilton's lands in the parish of Hart.
Elwick Hall is known as the West parish, to distinguish it from Elwick in Hart parish, which is called
Elwick Eastwards. The only hall in the parish
is the rectory, and it is unknown how the name
of Elwick Hall came to be attached to the whole
parish.
Elwick Hall contains 4,438 acres, of which 1,375
acres are arable land, 2,046 acres permanent grass,
and 442 acres plantation. (fn. 2) The parish contains the
estates of Amerston in the north-west, Burntoft in the
south-east, The Close in the south-west, Newton
Hanzard south-south-west, and Stotfold in the north-east. The highest point is Beacon Hill (435 ft. above
the ordnance datum), which lies to the north-west of
the church. The church itself stands on the steep
bank of the Char Beck, at an elevation of 282 ft. It
is on the northern boundary of the parish, and below
it, in the valley of the Char, lies the village of Elwick
in the next parish. It was this fact which caused
Hutchinson to write in 1794: 'It is said that in this
parish there is neither town nor village, cottage house
for the poor, surgeon or apothecary, midwife, blacksmith, joiner, house-carpenter, mason, bricklayer, cart
or wheelwright, weaver, butcher, shoemaker, taylor,
or barber, school-master or school-mistress, alehouse,
public bakehouse, grocer or chandler's shop, or a cornmill.' (fn. 3)
The only industry is agriculture. The soil is clay,
the subsoil Magnesian Limestone, and the principal
crops are wheat, barley, oats, clover, and peas.
The main road from Sunderland to Stockton runs
north and south through the parish close by the
church. The road from Ferryhill to Wolviston runs
north-west to south-east through the southern part of
the parish. There is no railway.
Five men of Elwick Hall joined in the Rising of
the North, and one was executed. (fn. 4) Elwick was
occupied by the Parliamentary forces in 1644, and
the grass of Baxter's garth there was 'eaten up by
troopers' horses.' (fn. 5)
MANORS
The manor of ELWICK comprised
the whole of the township of Elwick
in Hart parish, and part of the parish of
Elwick Hall. As it is impossible to distinguish between
the two portions, they will here be treated together
for the sake of convenience.
Elwick Hall and Elwick lay within the district of
Hartness (see Hart). The Anglo-Saxon sculptured
stones within the church show that the place existed
some time before the Conquest, (fn. 6) but nothing is known
of its history before the 12th century. It was within
the wapentake of Sadbergh, and so does not appear in
the Boldon Book.
Robert de Brus granted Elwick in Hartness as dower
to Agatha, his daughter by his wife Agnes de Paganel,
on Agatha's marriage with Ranulf son of Ribald lord
of Middleham in Richmondshire. (fn. 7) The date of this
grant lies probably between 1145 and 1154 (fn. 8) ; it
has been conjectured, however, that the marriage took
place before 1129, (fn. 9) but as Ranulf was living as late
as 1167–8, (fn. 10) a later date seems more probable.
Ranulf and Agatha were succeeded in turn by their
son Robert, living in 1206–7, their grandson Ranulf,
who died in 1251, and their
great-grandson Ralph. (fn. 11) The
last-named died in 1270,
leaving three daughters, among
whom his lands were divided. (fn. 12)
Elwick is not named, but it
seems to have been allotted to
Mary, the eldest daughter, who
married Robert Neville, (fn. 13) as it
henceforward descended in the
Neville family until the attainder of the last Earl of Westmorland in 1570 (see Brancepeth). It is always described
as held of the heirs of the Lord of Hart. (fn. 14)
Neville. Gules a saltire argent.
After the attainder the manor was granted out
in small freeholds, no one of which has any long
history. (fn. 15)
The Earl of Westmorland appointed a bailiff of
Elwick to collect his rents and hold his courts, and
the tenants were charged with the service of leading
the bailiff's coals from Spenimoor colliery. In 1612
the inhabitants of Elwick endeavoured to free themselves from this obligation, which was then exacted by
the bailiff appointed by the king. (fn. 16)
On the wooded banks of Amerston Beck, which
forms the western boundary of the parish, lies
AMERSTON (Aymuneston, xii cent.; Aimundeston,
xiii cent.; Aymondeston, xv cent.; Amereston, xvi
cent.). The first known lord of this little manor is
Gilbert Hansard, one of the feudatories of Bishop
Pudsey (1153–95), and a contemporary of German
Prior of Durham (1162–86). (fn. 17) Gilbert Hansard
granted all his land in the vill of Amerston, including a rent of 10s. which William de Boultone
paid for land in the vill, to the hospital of St. Giles,
Kepier, together with lands in Hurworth, for the
maintenance of a chaplain to celebrate mass for the
souls of himself and his family. (fn. 18)
In 1243 the prior and monks of Finchale granted
to the hospital of Kepier, in exchange for other lands,
half a carucate in Amerston which had been given
to the priory by John de Rudys. (fn. 19)
During the first half of the 13th century negotiations went on between the hospital and the monastery
of Durham for an exchange of
lands. Amerston was one of
the places which it was proposed that the hospital should
cede, but although several
charters to this effect were
drawn up, in the end the
hospital kept it, and gave other
lands instead. (fn. 20)
Dethicke. Argent a fesse vairy or and gules between three water bougets sable.
On the dissolution of the
hospital in 1546 (fn. 21) this land
followed the descent of the site
of the hospital (q.v.) until in
1599 John Heath of Kepier
conveyed to Henry Dethicke,
Master of Greatham Hospital, the manor of Amerston, (fn. 22) which had been leased for 54 years to John
Franklin of Thirley, Beds, by William Franklin, Dean
of Windsor and Master of Kepier Hospital. (fn. 23) In
1613 Henry Dethicke died seised of the manor of
Amerston; Martin Dethicke, aged twenty, was his
son and heir. (fn. 24)
In 1620 Martin Dethicke sold the manor to John
Girlington and both he and Bernard Jackson paid
the subsidy of 1624 for land in Elwick. (fn. 25) In 1649
John Jackson of Harraton, a lieutenant-colonel in
the king's army, when compounding for his
estate, stated that Roger Harker, John Brach, and
others held certain lands in Amerston for his use by
virtue of a decree of Durham Chancery, for payment
of certain debts of Mr. Girlington. Girlington had
charged the estates with yearly payments to Martin
Dethicke for life, one Kendrith and his heirs for ever,
and one Slinger, (fn. 26) but these annuities were in arrears
and the owners of the rent charge had entered into
possession of the lands. Thomas Girlington with
Matthew Stodart and Mary his wife conveyed a
messuage and 370 acres of arable, meadow and pasture
land here and in Sedgefield and Embleton to Thomas
Ashmall in 1664. (fn. 27) Indeed the various interests in
the estate seem to have been bought up by Thomas
Ashmall, originally of Aughton (Lancs.), who had
settled at Amerston as early as 1648. (fn. 28) His wife
was Dorothy daughter of Ferdinando Huddleston of
Millom Castle, Cumberland. (fn. 29)
Thomas Ashmall died in 1674, (fn. 30) and was succeeded
by his son Thomas Ashmall, who was succeeded at his
death in 1723 by his sons of his first marriage,
Thomas, who died in 1753, and Robert, who died
in 1758, both unmarried. From them the estate
descended to Ferdinando Ashmall, a son of the second
marriage, who was a Roman Catholic priest. In 1762
he sold Amerston to Humphrey Robinson, from whom
it had passed before 1825 to his nephew George
Robinson. (fn. 31) In 1857 the owner of Amerston was
John Robinson. (fn. 32) Since then it has been purchased
by the Marquess of Londonderry. The present
Marquess is now owner.
On the bank of the North Burn, which forms the
south-east boundary of Elwick Hall, lies BURNTOFT (Brintoft, xiv cent.; Burnetoft, xiv cent.;
Bromptoft, xv cent.; Brunntofte, xvi cent.). There
was a mill at Burntoft early in the 13th century, but
this has disappeared. (fn. 33) Mill Hill is mentioned in
1670. (fn. 34)
The first known lord of Burntoft is Sir Ilgier de
Burntoft, who witnessed a charter of 1155. (fn. 35) Robert
de Burntoft witnessed a charter of 1180–94. (fn. 36) In
1181–2 Alan de Burntoft and William son of Odo
laid unsuccessful claim to land in Hutton and Sessay
(Yorks.) against Marmaduke Darrel and Alan's name
occurs in Boldon Book, 1183, as holding land in
Edmundbyers (q.v.). (fn. 37) Alan held land which had
once been held by Robert Burntoft, (fn. 38) and he granted
land in Edmundbyers to Ranulf Burntoft. (fn. 39) He
witnessed a charter of 1210. (fn. 40) Odo de Burntoft
granted to Reginald son of that William who was
Odo's paternal uncle 50½ acres of land in Burntoft
which William had held, in return for 26 acres with
a toft and croft and meadow land in the north of the
vill which Henry had held. This charter was witnessed by Reginald Ganant the sheriff, and is therefore
later than 1194. (fn. 41) Its terms suggest that Burntoft
was held in chief, but an over-lordship belonging to
the lords of Dalden (q.v.) is mentioned from 1400 to
1620. (fn. 42)
In the first half of the 13th century Simon de
Burntoft occurs. (fn. 43) Philip son of Robert de Burntoft
was lord of Burntoft in 1268; he enfeoffed William
de Cumba in 36 acres of arable land here and sold
the manor to John son of Peter de Hartlepool. (fn. 44)
William son of John son of Peter de Hartlepool,
otherwise called William Clement, was lord of Burntoft in 1313. (fn. 45) John lord of Burntoft occurs in
1333–4, 1352 and 1353 and that of Walter, son of
John de Burntoft, in 1354. (fn. 46) In 1368 Thomas Haswell and John Andrew granted the manor to Thomas
Coke and John de Binchester. (fn. 47) This was probably a
conveyance in trust. Thomas Coke and John de
Binchester seem to have transferred the manor to
William Lambard and Robert Couper, chaplain, who
settled it in or before 1380 on William Claxton and
Isabel his wife. (fn. 48) In 1380 Cecily and Agnes,
daughters and heirs of Thomas de Burntoft, released
to William Lambard, Thomas de Hartlepool, and
Robert Couper, chaplain, all claim to lands, rents,
and services held by their father in Burntoft. (fn. 49)
In 1400 the manor of Burntoft was held by the
lady of Horden, i.e., Isabel widow of William de
Claxton. (fn. 50) It followed the descent of Claxton (q.v.)
till 1483, when it was assigned to Margaret wife of
William Embleton, one of the daughters and heirs of
Robert Claxton. (fn. 51) In 1505 the manor descended to
Elizabeth only child of William
and Margaret, afterwards the
wife of Sir William Bulmer. (fn. 52)
It remained in the family of
Bulmer until 1605. (fn. 53)
Bulmer. Gules billety and a lion or.
In 1605 Sir Bertram Bulmer of Tursdale sold Burntoft
to John Featherstonhalgh of
Stanhope (fn. 54) (q.v.). On the
death of John in December
1619 it was found that Ralph,
aged forty-six, was his son and
heir. (fn. 55) Burntoft was settled
upon the marriage of Ralph's
eldest son John to Alice daughter of Isabel Mann.
After the marriage had taken place Ralph repented of
his settlement, and on 22 March 1633–4 the Council
of the North reported to the Privy Council that he
had fled to Scotland to avoid the performance of it. (fn. 56)
On 22 September 1638 it was found that John, aged
thirty-seven, was the son and heir of Ralph Featherstonhalgh. (fn. 57)
The Featherstonhalghs were Royalists, and in 1644
Burntoft was sequestered and leased out in small portions. (fn. 58) John and Ralph, his younger brother, compounded in 1649. (fn. 59) Gerard Salvin of Croxdale (q.v.)
had already some interest in the property, (fn. 60) and in
1652 the whole was sold to him by John Featherstonhalgh. (fn. 61) As the Salvins were Roman Catholics,
their lands were held by trustees. (fn. 62) They sold High
Burntoft shortly before 1823 (fn. 63) to the Marquess of
Londonderry, and it is the property of the present
Marquess.
Featherstonhalgh. Gules a cheveron between three feathers argent.
Salvin. Argent a chief sable with two molets or therein.
Middle Burntoft is now held by the Dean and
Chapter of Durham, and Low Burntoft belongs to
Alderman Butterwick of Hartlepool.
Land here forfeited by Roger de Fulthorpe was
restored by the Crown to his son William Fulthorpe
in 1389, and remained in his family. (fn. 64) It was forfeited after the Rising of the Earls by John Swinburn, as one of the heirs of the Fulthorpes in right
of his wife, and was granted in 1574 to Thomas
Calverley (fn. 65) and Henry Anderson. From this time
the history probably followed that of the Calverley
estate in Newton Hansard (q.v.).
The families of Seton, Carrow, and Sayer also held
lands in Burntoft. (fn. 66)
In the 15th century part of the Nevill lands in
Elwick were formed into the little estate of THE
CLOSE. It is first mentioned in 1463–4 among
the lands settled on Ralph Earl of Westmorland
and Margaret his wife, (fn. 67) and it remained in the
Nevill family until the attainder of the Earl of
Westmorland after the Rising of the Earls, when it
escheated to the Crown. (fn. 68) On 26 April 1587 the
queen granted The Close to Charles Blenkinsop and
John Taylor, who conveyed it to John Watts, Paul
Bayning, and Thomas Alabaster. (fn. 69) A Crown rent of
£13 6s. 8d. was reserved, which on 14 March 1626
was settled upon Queen Henrietta Maria. (fn. 70)
In 1607 Watts, Bayning, and Alabaster granted
The Close to Sir George Freville, (fn. 71) who was
found on 12 April 1620 to have died seised of it. (fn. 72)
His nephew and heir was George, aged twenty-one,
but The Close was left with his other lands to
another nephew, Nicholas Freville, who sold the estate
on 10 August 1637 to Gerard Salvin of Croxdale (fn. 73)
(q.v.). As Salvin was a Roman Catholic, the estate
was sequestered in 1644 and granted to John Rawlinge. (fn. 74) There is no record of Salvin's composition,
but the family recovered The Close, and it subsequently followed the descent of Burntoft until about
1823, when it was sold with Burntoft to the Marquess
of Londonderry, whose descendant, the present
Marquess, is now owner.
On his death in March in 1481–2 20 acres of
arable and 2 acres of meadow land in Elwick were
held of the Earl of Westmorland by Christopher
Bamford, who also held a tenement in Burntoft of
Robert Claxton. Joan, Christopher's widow, afterwards married William Booth; his son and heir
Robert was a minor at his father's death. (fn. 75) In 1492
Robert Bamford granted the reversion of his lands in
Elwick and elsewhere to Ralph Booth, Archdeacon of
Durham, and Richard Booth, brothers of William
Booth, Joan's second husband. (fn. 76)
In 1536 William Booth of The Close, another
brother, died seised of a messuage and mill in Elwick,
held of the Earl of Westmorland; John Booth, clerk,
aged forty, son of Roger son of Robert Booth, was his
kinsman and heir. (fn. 77) Robert Booth was a brother of
William, Ralph, and Richard. (fn. 78) The later history
of this estate is unknown.
It seems probable that the manor of NEWTON
HANZARD (Hannsard, xiv cent.; Hannserde, xv
cent.; Hansell, xvi cent.; Hainsaid, xvii cent.) was
acquired with Embleton (q.v.) by Gilbert Hansard
from John de Laci, Constable of Chester. (fn. 79) A later
Gilbert Hansard granted it in 1290 to his son Robert,
with the vills of Embleton and Swainston, to hold of
Sir Henry de Laci, Earl of Lincoln, on condition
that Robert paid him an annuity of 71 marks. (fn. 80)
In 1348 Alice Countess of Lincoln, who held the
overlordship, died without issue, (fn. 81) and the tenant,
Sir Roger Hansard, was called upon to do homage
to the bishop. (fn. 82) He granted the manor in 1351
for fourteen years to Sir William Dacre. (fn. 83) In
the next year it was found that Sir William had
proceeded to acquire without licence the fee simple. (fn. 84)
He died seised of it before 28 September 1361,
leaving a brother and heir Ranulf, aged twenty-one. (fn. 85)
In 1364 Ranulf Dacre, lord of Gilsland, granted the
manor of Newton Hanzard to Katherine de Whitfield
for the term of his life. (fn. 86) She granted her interest in
it to John Nevill of Raby in 1370, (fn. 87) and Ranulf
Dacre released all his right to John Nevill in the
same year. (fn. 88) From that time it remained in the
possession of the Nevills until the attainder of 1570. (fn. 89)
In 1574 Newton Hanzard was granted to Thomas
Calverley and Henry Anderson, who acquired the
lands of various rebels. (fn. 90) In
1578 Henry Anderson released
the whole to Thomas Calverley, but the latter had some
difficulty in obtaining possession of the property, as it
had been leased by Henry
Earl of Westmorland before
his attainder, first to Ralph
Firbank and afterwards to
Christopher Ratcliff. (fn. 91) Both
Calverley and the Crown
contested the validity of Ratcliff's lease in 1584–5 and
1590, (fn. 92) but he seems to have proved his title as the
Charles Ratcliff, associated with him in the dispute,
was described as 'of Newton Hansard' in 1601. (fn. 93)
Calverley. Sable a scutcheon in an orle of owls argent.
John Calverley, aged forty-two, was found on
30 October 1613 to be the son and heir of Thomas
Calverley of Littleburne, in Brancepeth parish (q.v.). (fn. 94)
On 27 November 1637 John Calverley made provision
for his wife and daughters out of his land at Newton
Hanzard, and on 11 August 1638 John, aged thirtyfive, was found to be his son and heir. (fn. 95) Newton
Hanzard followed the descent of Littleburne, and
belonged to Sir Henry Calverley, kt., in 1688. (fn. 96)
It was sold in 1704 by Charles Turner of Kirkleatham and Margaret his wife to John Smith, D.D.,
prebendary of Durham. (fn. 97) On his death, in 1715,
he was succeeded by his son George Smith of Burnhall
(q.v.), who took orders in the non-juring church and
became titular Bishop of Durham. (fn. 98) The manor
remained in the Smith family until the beginning
of the 19th century, and about 1820 was sold to the
Thelussons. (fn. 99) It was bought before 1857 by the
Marchioness of Londonderry, and is the property of
the present Marquess. (fn. 100)
The largest estate in the parish of Elwick Hall is
STOTFOLD (Stotfald, xiv cent.; Stotfeld, xv cent.;
Stokfold, xvii cent.), now divided into High, Middle
and Low Stotfold, and Stotfold Moor. At the beginning of the 13th century Robert de Amundeville was
lord of the vill. (fn. 101) Ralf de Amundeville, who granted
to Kepier Hospital a thrave of corn from every carucate
in his vill of Stotfold, was probably Robert's successor. (fn. 102)
He granted the manor of Stotfold to Master William de
Kilkenny about 1245 to hold for half a knight's fee. (fn. 103)
William de Kilkenny, lord of Stotfold, witnessed
the charter by which Philip de Burntoft granted
Burntoft to John de Hartlepool, probably soon after
1268. (fn. 104) William de Kilkenny was lord of Stotfold
in 1327 and was a commissioner of array for Stockton
Ward. (fn. 105) He was apparently succeeded by the John
de Kilkenny who between 1333 and 1345 granted
the manor except one messuage and one carucate to
William de Kilkenny for life, with remainder to
Robert de Kilkenny and Joan his wife and their issue
and the right heirs of Robert. (fn. 106) In 1340 it was
found that William de Kilkenny had died seised
jointly with his wife Agnes of the messuage and
carucate excepted from this settlement. His son and
heir was Robert, probably the Robert already
mentioned. (fn. 107) Before 1349 Robert de Kilkenny, tenant
under the settlement of the manor, had died without
issue, and his widow Joan had become the wife of
William Claxton. (fn. 108) The reversion of the manor was
the right of William de Kilkenny, brother and heir of
Robert. (fn. 109) He settled it in the spring of 1353 on his
son William and Katherine his wife and their issue. (fn. 110)
In 1357 Joan and William Claxton, with the consent
of the younger William, granted to Sir John de Nevill
a bondman in the manor of Stotfold. (fn. 111) William died
before 1373, when his heir was found to be his son
Richard. Both Joan and William's widow Katherine
survived. (fn. 112)
In 1382 Richard de Kilkenny the younger granted
the manor of Stotfold to John de Neville of Raby in
exchange for the Yorkshire manor of Hooke, (fn. 113) and
before 1426–7 it had been granted by Ralph Earl
of Westmorland to Richard
Neville Earl of Salisbury. (fn. 114)
The manor reverted to the
Westmorland family, and followed the descent of Elwick
until 1564, (fn. 115) but on 15 August
1569 Charles Earl of Westmorland, before the attainder,
sold it to William Selby of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne. (fn. 116)
Selby. Barry or and sable of eight pieces.
William Selby died in December 1613 and George
Selby, aged 57, was his son
and heir. (fn. 117) George Selby, who
was knighted in 1603, (fn. 118) left six daughters, but he
settled the reversion of his manor of Stotfold, subject
to provision for his wife Dame Margaret for life, on his
brother Sir William Selby of Shortflatt and his heirs
male; (fn. 119) he died in 1625. (fn. 120)
Dame Margaret survived Sir William Selby, her
nephew and heir of his father Sir William, (fn. 121) but after
her death in 1650 the parliamentary sequestrators
seized Stotfold on the plea that the heir-at-law,
George, son of the younger Sir William, a boy of
fifteen, was being brought up as a Roman Catholic.
His guardian John Southey, a barrister of Gray's
Inn, petitioned against the sequestration on 27 March
1651, on the ground that he was educating the boy
as a Protestant, and on 31 January 1653 the
sequestration was discharged with arrears. (fn. 122) George
Selby made a conveyance of this manor to uses in
the spring of 1654, (fn. 123) but revoked it in the next year
under a clause in the agreement. (fn. 124) Mark Milbank
and William Carr were associated with him in a
further deed of 1656, but Sir George seems to have
been in possession in 1670. (fn. 125) Mark Milbank and
Ralph Carr paid the subsidy of 1670 upon it. (fn. 126)
After the death of Ralph Carr in 1709 (fn. 127) High
Stotfold was purchased from his executors by Ralph
John Fenwick, M.D., who sold it to Jonathan
Backhouse of Darlington, and it now belongs to
Mr. W. O. Backhouse. (fn. 128) Middle Stotfold was sold
by the Milbanks to the family of Shepperdson, who
held it in about 1823. (fn. 129) It is now the property of
Mr. Nicol of Wingate. Low Stotfold is held by
Mr. M. B. Hutchinson.
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel 29 ft. 3 in. by 13 ft. 3 in.
with north vestry, nave 44 ft. 4 in. by
16 ft. with north and south aisles and tower on the
south side forming a porch 6 ft. 8 in. by 9 ft. 8 in.,
all these measurements being internal.
The site is an ancient one and two sculptured
stones of pre-Conquest date on either side of the
chancel arch (fn. 130) suggest the existence of an early
building. The present structure, however, with the
exception of the tower and vestry, dates from about
1195–1200, though very much restored and altered
in later times. About the middle of the 14th
century a chantry or mortuary chapel was built on
the north side of the church by the Kilkenny family
or by Walter de Cumba, who founded a chantry in
the church in 1327. The building was then or
subsequently reroofed. (fn. 131) The date of the original
tower must now remain a matter of conjecture, no
portion of the original work having apparently
survived, but it was probably an addition in the 14th
or 15th century. Between 1660 and 1670 the
church was restored, perhaps under the direction of
Bishop Cosin, who had been rector from 1624 to
1660. The chancel was then reconstructed with the
old materials, and the chantry demolished, the wall
of the north aisle being rebuilt with its masonry.
In 1813 the tower was rebuilt of the old material,
the old lead roof of the nave and aisles removed,
a new slated roof and plaster ceiling were erected,
and a window was inserted at the west end. During
the incumbency of the Rev. J. Park (1828–71) the
uppermost stage of the tower was added (about 1860),
the chancel arch was rebuilt and new windows were
inserted in the aisles, (fn. 132) and in 1887 the chancel roof
was renewed and the nave reseated. The church
underwent a complete restoration in 1895, when
a new roof was erected over the nave and aisles.
The chancel is built of squared gritstone blocks
and preserves several original features. Along the
south side are three portions of a double-chamfered
string-course and there is another piece at the east
end of the north wall. In the middle of the south
wall are the sill and lower part of the jambs of
a built-up lancet, but the east window, of three lights
with mullions crossing in the head, is modern.
On the south side are two 17th-century squareheaded windows of three rounded lights, the sills of
which are high up in the wall above the remains of
the string. The heads are about 5 ft. below the line
of the eaves and it is probable the wall has been raised.
Below the westernmost of these windows is a builtup opening, possibly a low side window. The
north wall is blank except for a doorway to the
vestry. The pointed chancel arch, which is said
to be a copy of the destroyed arch, is of
two chamfered orders springing from half-round
responds. The chancel floor is level with that of
the nave and all the walls are plastered internally.
The altar stone formerly in the chancel floor has
now been put to its original use.
The walls of the nave are of rubble masonry with
a chamfered plinth and heavy buttresses at the
corners of the south aisle. The roof is covered
with green slates and is continued at a flatter pitch
over the aisles with overhanging eaves. To the east
of the tower is a built-up lancet in the south aisle
wall and west of the tower are two other lancets, one
built-up and the other glazed. The latter is slightly
chamfered all round, but has no hood mould. All
the other windows are modern and of two lights,
except the easternmost in the south wall, which is of
three lights. At the west end there are two single-stage buttresses at the ends of the nave walls.
The north arcade is slightly earlier in date than
the other, and consists of four pointed arches of two
chamfered orders springing from circular piers and halfround responds, all with moulded capitals and bases.
The capitals are circular in the neck and octagonal
in the abacus, and are quite plain except in the case
of the responds, both of which are carved with
incipient foliage. The capital of the west respond
has also a pellet ornament in the top member. The
south arcade consists of four similar arches springing
from circular piers and half-round responds, all with
moulded capitals and square bases. The piers, being
slightly taller and of less diameter than those on the
north side, (fn. 133) produce necessarily a much lighter effect.
Their capitals are all circular except that of the first
pier from the west, which is octagonal. A sculptured
stone crucifix, formerly over the lancet window to
the west of the tower outside, is now preserved inside
the church at the west end.
The tower is of three stages built of rubble masonry.
The stages are marked by square string-courses, and
the walls terminate in an embattled rubble parapet
with stone slates laid on top. The outer doorway
has a semicircular arch, above which is a pointed
window. In the second stage there are windows on
the south, west, and east. A stone over the doorway is inscribed with the names of the rector and
churchwardens of 1813.
In the chancel are two sets of 17th-century
carved bench ends, eight in all, of similar type to
those at Brancepeth, Egglescliffe and other places in
the county, but all the other fittings in both chancel
and nave are modern.
The font, of late date with octagonal stone bowl
on a tall stem, stands on three octagonal steps.
The tower contains two bells, one cast by Samuel
Smith of York in 1664, inscribed 'Soli Deo Gloria,'
and the other by Christopher Hodgson, inscribed
'Deo Gloria Christopher Hodgson made 1694
S·A·H·'
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten
without date letters, but with the marks of Thomas
Mangy of York, inscribed, 'The blood of Jesus
Christ cleanseth us from all sin,' and round the
bottom 'for elwicke, 1667'; a flagon inscribed
'The gift of the Revd Dr Richardson to his Church
of Elwick Hall,' the marks of which are indistinct;
a cup of 1754 with the maker's mark P.G. above
a rose, inscribed, 'Presented to the Altar of Elwick
Hall, Durham, by the Honorable Mr. Justice Park,
1829'; and an almsdish and paten of 1785 with the
same inscription, but with the maker's mark J·A. (fn. 134)
The registers begin in 1592.
The churchyard is entered on the south side
through a lych-gate erected in memory of the
Rev. J. A. Boddy, rector, 1871–81.
ADVOWSON
The advowson belonged down to
1859 to the Bishops of Durham.
Bishop Lewis Beaumont intended to
give the church to the monastery of Durham, but
died in 1333 before accomplishing his purpose. (fn. 135)
In 1859 the advowson was transferred to the Bishop
of Manchester, (fn. 136) whose successor now presents.
Walter de Cumba in 1327 gave by charter all his
land in Elwick to Robert Gernet and Anastasia his
wife charged with a payment of 6 marks annually
to the church of St. Peter of Elwick to maintain a
chaplain there to sing for the souls of Walter and
other benefactors. (fn. 137) This chantry is never mentioned again, unless there is a reference to it in the
will of Richard Thady of Burntoft, 16 September
1558, who left money to 'St. Thomas of Elwick.' (fn. 138)
This is a late date for a chantry to be mentioned,
but Thady's will is markedly Romanist in character,
and, living in Mary's reign, he may have hoped that
the chantries would be restored.
CHARITIES
Miss Elizabeth Allison, by her
will proved at Durham in 1862,
devised to trustees in perpetuity a
close called 'Edgemire' containing 2a. 2r. 16p.
and a close called 'Little Edgemire' containing
1 acre. By a deed of trust, dated 11 March 1868,
the rent of Edgemire, amounting to £5 5s. yearly,
is made applicable in aid of the restoration of the
parish church and the upkeep of the churchyard, and
the rent of Little Edgemire, amounting to £2 15s.,
for the general purposes of the Church of England
school. (fn. 139)