Whittingham, Northumberland Genealogy

England Northumberland



Parish History
Whittingham St Bartholomew is an ancient parish. Other places in the parish include: Callaley, Callaley and Yetlington, Callaly and Yetlington, Eslington, Glanton, Barton, Little Ryle, Lorbottle, Shawdon, Shawdon and Woodhouse, Thrunton, and Great Ryle.

An old stone cross which stands near the eastern gate of the churchyard may be evidence of early Christian worship on the site long before the building of any church. In 684 A.D. a religious assembly took place here for the election of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne to be bishop, perhaps in a church of wood and wattles. There is a record of the consecration of a church at Whittingham in 735 A.D. This is assumed to be a stone building. The earliest existing stonework dates from about 900 A.D. and is most clearly seen in the lower half of the tower.

In the early medieval period there was probably a settlement in Whittingham as the remains of an Anglo-Saxon church can be seen be seen in the fabric of the Church of Saint Bartholomew. Although much of the early church was destroyed in the 19th century, some early quoins in the tower, nave and aisles can be seen. The place-name ‘Whittingham’ itself has the elements –ham and –ing, which are thought to indicate early Anglian settlements.

WHITTINGHAM (St. Bartholomew), a parish, in the union of Rothbury, N. division of Coquetdale ward and of the county of Northumberland; containing, with the townships of Callaley with Yetlington, Glanton, Lorbottle, Great Ryle, Little Ryle, and Shawdon, 1896 inhabitants, of whom 681 are in Whittingham township, 8½ miles (W.) from Alnwick. This parish, which is in the beautiful vale of the Aln, is about seven miles in length, and from four to five in breadth. The soil varies from a deep rich loam in the centre of the vale to a light sand on the sides and acclivities of the hills by which it is inclosed; a great portion of the land is open, but that under cultivation is fertile and productive. The vale forms a division between the sandstone rock in the south, and the porphyritic hills in the north, which compose the range of Cheviot. The whole district abounds in freestone excellent for building; there is also a limestone-quarry of moderate quality, and, to the north, whinstone in abundance. Coal of an inferior kind exists, but it has never been profitably worked. In the parish are several large family mansions, beautifully situated, which, with their groves, plantations, and extensive pleasure-grounds, give a rich appearance to the vale: Eslington House, seated on the bank of the river, is the residence of the Hon. Henry T. Liddell. The road from Newcastle to Edinburgh, by Wooler, formerly passed through the village, which is on the banks of the Aln; it now crosses the lower part of the parish by a stone bridge over the river. A fair for cattle held on August 24th, was some years ago of great resort. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £12. 11. 3., and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle, who are the appropriators; net income, £600. The church, a handsome structure situated in the heart of the vale, has lately been enlarged, and the upper part of the tower, which, though of more modern date, had become dangerous, rebuilt. A Roman Catholic chapel is maintained by the ancient family of Clavering, and there is a place of worship for Presbyterians. In the village is a vaulted tower that often afforded refuge and defence to the inhabitants during the border warfare.

From: 'Whittingham - Whittlesford', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 557-560. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51401 Date accessed: 14 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.

Parish Records
Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections Reference number: DDR/EA/PBT/2/270 Date: 1760-1879 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.

Whittingham, St Bartholomew: Records of baptisms 1662-1976, marriages 1659-1991 and burials 1658-1960 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1661-1875 and marriages 1659-1812 for this parish, but it is not included in Boyd's Marriage Index. A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Whittingham (microfiche TN71) is published by Northumberland and Durham Family History Society and these records are also available in book form at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Department.

Nonconformist Records

 * Callaly Castle (Roman Catholic): Records of baptisms 1796-1839, 1841-1876, marriages 1801-1840 and deaths 1797-1881 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes births/baptisms 1796-1839. Transcripts of baptisms 1796-1839, marriages 1801-1840 and deaths 1797-1881 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.
 * Whittingham (Roman Catholic): Records of baptisms 1881-1940 and deaths 1881-1962 are available at Northumberland Collections Service.
 * Glanton (Presbyterian): Records of births/baptisms 1784-1836 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes births/baptisms 1784-1837. Transcripts of baptisms 1784-1837 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.

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

Poor Law Unions
Rothbury Poor Law Union, Northumberland

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Northumberland 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.