Thockrington, Northumberland Genealogy

= Parish History =

Thockrington Church, the oldest parish church in Northumberland, is perched on an outcrop of the Whin Sill, about a mile to the north of the Hexham to Alnmouth 'Corn Road' between Colwell and Little Bavington, and some 700 feet above sea level. Despite its remoteness the church is visited by many who value its tranquillity, and its landscape.

An Ancient parish which includes Bavington Little, Carrycoats, Sweethope, and Thockrington.

St Aidan Church Thockrington Church, latterly attributed to St. Aidan as patron saint, was built by the Norman family of Umfraville in 1100 AD. It remained in their possession, with adjoining lands, until 1226, when they were forfeited to the Archbishop of York as compensation for disturbances to the peace of the Prior of Hexham and damage done to the Archbishop's lands by Robert Umfraville. The Archbishop assigned the church and its revenues as an endowment for a prebend in his cathedral in York. This arrangement lasted 625 years, until the death of the last prebend in 1851, when it was merged into the diocese of Durham. However, the association continues; there is still the Tockerington stall at York Minster.

= Parish Records =

Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections Reference number: DDR/EA/PBT/2/249 Date: 1815-1862 Parish Register transcripts are available to search free online at Record Search.

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.

Thockrington, St Aidan: Records of baptisms 1715-1936, marriages 1736-1936 and burials 1735-1929 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1715-1753 and marriages 1736-1874 (with gaps) for this parish, but it is not included in Boyd's Marriage Index. Transcripts of baptisms 1715-1851 and marriages and burials 1736-1851 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept. A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Thockrington (microfiche TN79) 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.