Heddon-on-the-Wall Local History Society
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History, Topography & Directory of Northumberland (Hexham Division) by T Bulmer & Co. (1886)

Extracts relevant to Heddon on the Wall

East Heddon Township
Consists of 874 acres, the property of Sir M W Ridley Bart. MP
The whole township is comprised in two farms, gross estimated rental £736; rateable value £668.


East Heddon Township
Letters by Heddon on the Wall


Messrs. Thos.,Thos. Jun, John and Geo. Gibson - Breckney Hill
Messrs. John & Howard H Taylor - Heddon Birks

Heddon on the Wall

Covers 1,125 acres and is principally the property of John Clayton Esq., Chesters, Humshaugh; and C J Bates Esq., Heddon East Bank.

In 1752, during the construction of the military
road from Newcastle to carlisle, the workmen found here, in the ruins of Hadrian's Wall, a large number of Roman coins and medals, some of which were as fresh as if but newly struck. They had been deposited in wooden boxes which were nearly decayed, and were for the most part, of copper and a baser metal; a few being of silver.

The village which gives name to the parish stands on the site of the old Roman Wall, an interesting fragment of which is still visible on Mr H A Wilkinson's land. The fosse of the Vallum, filled in its lower part with water, may be seen cutting boldly through the village. Excavations are at present being made, but so far nothing of improtance has been discovered.

The Church, dedicated to SS. Philip and James, occupies the summit of a high rock. There was  probably a sacred edifice here in Saxon times, and as its original dedication was to St Andrew, a favorite one with St Wilfrid, it may possibly have been one of many churches erected by that saint. Nothing remains of the Saxon church. The oldest part of the chancel, which appears to have been rebuilt about the 13th century.

A thorough restoration took place in 1875, at an expense of £1,350, which was raised by subscription. There are seven stained glass windows inserted to the memory of local magnates.


The living in the vicarage in the archdeanery of Northumberland and the deanery
of Corbridge is worth about £240 a year. The patronage is vested in the Lord Chancellor. Present incumbent, the Rev. C Bowlker BA. The parish register dates from 1656.

A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was erected in 1877, at a cost of £450, and will seat 150 persons. Mr Wm. Shaw is the chapel Steward.

The National School, built in 1851, is a neat stone building capable of accommodating 140 children.

At the south-east end of the township is an attractive row of houses, called
Frenchman's Row, where a number of priests from that country found refuge during the Revolution. The sun dial which they erected, bearing an inscription expressing their gratitude to this country, still remains.

Heddon on the Wall Township
Post Office at Mr Ralph Robson's. Letters arrive from Newcastle at 08:15am and are dispatched thereto at 4:20pm.
William Armatage, Blacksmith & Vict., Three Tuns
John Cadwallader Bate, Esq., JP, Heddon Banks
James Bell, Beerhouse, Royal French Arms
Rev. Charles Bowlker, BA, Vicarage
Wm. Charlton, Grocer, Frenchman's Row
Mr Nicholas Curley
William Gibson, Butcher
Mark Graham, Agent for Pearl Life Assurance Company
Heddon Colliey & Fire Brick Works - Proprietors: Heddon Coal and Fire Brick Co., office Quayside, Newcastle; Fenwick Charlton, Engineer
Robert Heddon, brickmaker
John Edward Hall, Schoolmaster
Mrs Eleanor Hunter
Jemima Jardine, lodgings, Clayton Tce.
Mrs Hannah Johnson, Bays Leap Lodge
Miss Mary Lomas, teacher at Heddon School
Robert Mitchell, market gardener
Reading Room and Library, Calverley Bewicke, Esq., President; Thomas Baxter, Hon. Sec.
William Shaw, Overman, Belle Vue Cot.

Edward Shipley, boot and shoe maker, Frenchman's Row
Robert Thompson, farm bailiff and beerhouse, Swan
Andrew Tait Watson, Stationmaster
Mr Henry Angus Wilkinson, East House

Frederick Freeman, Farmer, Bays Leap
John Heslop, Farmer, West Banks
John Smith, Farmer, Heddon Mill
John Turnbull


Grocers, etc.
Lydia Moore
Mark Reay (and provision merchant)
Jane Stobart
Margaret Stobart
Miss Elizabeth Sarah Wilkinson, East House

John Burn, Joiner and Cartwright
Gearoge Charlton, Joiner

Carrier
David Gibson, to Newcastle (Lowther Inn) Tuesday and Saturday

West Heddon   
is an estate of 340 acres, forming a township containing 13 inhabitants. Its gross estimated rental is £603 5s; rateable value £572 15s; and the tithe commutation payable to the incumbent of SS Philip and James £51.

Heddon House and estate are the property of the Rev Richard Burdon, by whom they were purchases from William Napier Peareth, Esq. in April 1884. The present owner's mother inherited the estate previous to her marriage but having only a life interest in it, at her death, in January 1884, it went, according to the devise, to her nephew by whom it was sold as stated.


West Heddon Township
Letters by Heddon on the Wall

Rev. Richard Burdon, Heddon House
John Charlton, Hind, West Heddon Stead
George Swan, farmer

Houghton and Close House
forms a joint township containing 598.5 acres of which the gross estimated rental is £1,676 3s, and rateable value £1,518 15s.
Calverly Bewicke, Esq., of Close House, is sole owner and lord of the manor. The estate was formerly possessed by by the Radcliffe family, from whom it passed by sale to the Reads, and from the latter it was puchased in 1620 by Robert Bewicke, Esq., merchant, of Newcastle, several of whose descendents have held the distinguished office of High Sheriff of the county. Robert Bewicke, Esq., who held the appointment at the accession of George III, and read the Northumberland address of congratulation, received the honour of knighthood from this monarch. There was formerly a chantry chapel here, but very little of its history has been recorded.

Blue Bell and Street Houses are hamlets in this township. In a cottage at the latter George Stephenson was born in 1781.

Houghton and Close House Township
Letters by Heddon on the Wall

Mrs Margaret Ainsley
John Baxter, Cowkeeper, Houghton Moor
Calverley Bewicke, Esq., Close House
John Hunter, Builder and Sanitary Inspector, Houghton Hill Head
Mr John Mowbray, Blue Bell
Miss Mary Robinson, High Farm
Thos. Simpson, farm Bailiff, Close Lea
Thomas Tulip, Cowkeeper, Blakeley Cot.
William Turnbull, Overman, North Farm
George Laws, Farmer, North Farm
Robert March, Farmer and Auctioneer, South Farm
Eachwick
is a township and hamlet in the parish of Heddon on the Wall but partly situated in the west division of Castle Ward. It comprises an area of 969 acres, of which 10 acres are woodland. The gross estimated rental by the last valuation is £1,436 7s, and the rateable value £1,353 15s. The landowners are Major Spearman, Jersey; Trustees of Mrs Collingwood, and Mr Richard Spearman.

Eachwick Township
Letters by Dalton

Edward Brown, Joiner, Cartwright and Reaping Machine Maker
T B Fairley, Esq., Manager Bank of England, Newcastle, Eachwick Hall
Miss Ann Stokoe, Vict., Plough Inn
George Davison, Farmer, Eachwick House Farm
William Gilhespy, farmer, Kyloe House
Mrs Hannah Laws, John and William, Farmer, Eachwick Red House
William Richardson, Farmer, Eachwick Moor
Robert Saybourn, Farmer
Richard Spearman (yeo), Farmer, Eachwick Moor House
Whitchester
is a township comprising 806 acres, the property of William Lee Johnstone, Esq., London; George Dryden, Esq., Stromness; and Francis Riddell, Esq., Cheeseburn Grange. The gross estimated rental is £969, and rateable value £920 10s. The township was formerly the property of the Turpins, who have left their name behind in a place called Turpin Hill. From them it passed to the Widdringtons, and ultimately to the present proprietors. The township lies on the north side of the Roman Wall, and several coins of the Emperors Domitian, Antonius Pious etc., have been found here.

Whitchester Township
Letters by Wylam

Thomas Ord, Farmer, Loudside
James Thompson, Farmer, Whitchester and Turpin Hill
Messrs. Edward, Robert Harrison and William Weightman, Farmers, Seat House and Iron Sign.
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