Barnard Castle, Durham Genealogy

England Durham



Parish History
Barnard Castle St Mary was created in 1723 from a 12th century chapelry in Gainford Ancient Parish,

The medieval history of the town is dominated by the castle and the Balliol family who owned it. The castle was built in the late 11th century. Bernard Balliol gave land to the townsfolk and the market in the town was established. When the castle was built it outer defences may have surrounded the small church of St Margaret, which was probably the parish church. A new parish church, dedicated to St Mary was built outside the walls. The Church of St Mary is believed to have been built in the twelfth century. It was a chapelry in the gift of the vicar of Gainford. It was not the only religious establishment in the town. In around 1230 a small hospital was founded on Newgate Street. It had its own chapel. An Augustinian friary was also founded in the town in the late 14th century.

The township comprises 3860a. 32p., exclusively of waste, water, and the site of the town: the land is generally good, and is divided in equal portions of arable, and meadow and pasture; the moorlands abound in game. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Vicar of Gainford, with a net income of £224; impropriator, as lessee under Trinity College, Cambridge, John Bowes, Esq.: the great tithes have been commuted for £211. 8. 10., and those of the vicar for £292. 14. 10. The chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient and spacious cruciform structure, in the decorated and later English styles, with a square embattled tower at the south-west angle: the bells were recast about twenty-five years since, by subscription. There are places of worship for Independents, Primitive Methodists, and Wesleyans. An hospital, for the residence and maintenance of three aged widows, was founded by John Balliol, about the 14th of Henry III., and dedicated to St. John the Baptist; the income is nearly £200 per annum. About two miles north-west of the town is a chalybeate spring, which is approached by walks through highly varied scenery of the most pleasing description. A Roman coin of the Emperor Trajan was dug up in the churchyard, in the year 1824. Sir John Hullock, one of the late barons of the exchequer; William Hutchinson, Esq., author of the History and Antiquities of the County of Durham, and who resided at the Grove, and died in the year 1814; and George Edwards, Esq., M.D., a political writer of distinction, were natives of the chapelry. It gives the titles of Viscount and Baron Barnard to the Duke of Cleveland.

From: 'Barnard Castle - Barnshaw', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 148-153. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50779 Date accessed: 30 March 2011.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
To find the names of the neighbouring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections Reference number: DDR/EA/PBT/2/17 Date: 1762-1846 Parish Register transcripts are available to search free online at FamilySearch Historical Records.

The dates of the post-1760 transcripts have been noted in detail and sometimes only cover years. For most parishes in the collection there are gaps in the sequence of transcripts. It is advisable to consult the original parish registers for these years and events.

The Parish Registers for the period 1609-1954 are deposited at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/BC).

FamilySearch Historical Records includes England, Durham Diocese, Marriage Bonds and Allegations (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Non Conformist Records
Congregational


 * Congregational Church: Baptisms, marriages &amp; burials 1806-1908 copies of pre-1837 baptism registers are available (M5/1-5).

Methodist


 * Barnard Castle Circuit (Primitive): Baptisms 1831-1934
 * Barnard Castle Circuit (Wesleyan): Baptisms 1803-1957, Marriages 1849-1882
 * Newgate: Baptisms 1953-1974

Roman Catholic


 * Catholic Church: Baptisms, marriages &amp; burials 1847-1974

Poor Law Unions
Teesdale Poor Law Union, Durham

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Durham Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Web sites
Contributor: add any relevant sites that aren’t mentioned above.