Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland Genealogy

England Northumberland

Parish History
Kirkwhelpington St Bartholomew is an Ancient parish and the present church is believed to date from the 13 th century although is is believed that it was origunally cruciform in shape. The churches in Kirkwhelpington parish date to the medieval period. St Bartholomew’s dates from the 13th century and St Wilfred’s Kirkhale was built in the 14th century. Natural water sources, such as St George’s and St Mary’s Wells, also had religious significance and have become known as holy wells. WHELPINGTON, KIRK (St. Bartholomew), a parish, in the union of Bellingham, N. E. division of Tindale ward, S. division of Northumberland; containing, with the townships of Great Bavington, Capheaton, Catcherside, Coldwell, Crogdean, Fawns, Little and West Harle, and West Whelpington, 705 inhabitants, of whom 241 are in Kirk-Whelpington township, 21 miles (N. W.) from Newcastle. In the reign of King John, we find Richard de Umfraville making " his whole court at Whelpington" witness to a grant to the monks of Kelso; and the place for some time subsequently continued in this family, of whom Gilbert, in 1267, obtained from Henry III. liberty to hold a weekly market and annual fair here, which privileges, however, remained in force only for a very short period. The family of Whelpington also had possessions here, one of whom, Robert, was representative of Newcastle in parliament in 1412, 1422, and 1423, and mayor of that town in 1435 and 1438. The parish, exclusively of Capheaton, which is insulated, measures 5 miles from east to west, and 6 from north to south; it is a hilly district, for the most part composed of sheep and dairy farms, and on the west and north sides lies a broad belt of high and heathy moor. The soil is very various, in some places a rich black loam; limestone and sandstone are abundant, and the moors afford an almost inexhaustible supply of peat for fuel. The township consisted wholly of common until 1717, when the lands, comprising 1900 acres, were inclosed: the village is on the north side of the river Wansbeck, which has its source in the parish, and is crossed here by a stone bridge built in 1819. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £7. 3. 4., and in the patronage of the Bishop of Durham, with a net income of £288; the glebe contains 210 acres. The church, which is ancient, with a low tower, has undergone many repairs, and constitutes the remains of a much larger edifice. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connexion with the Church of Scotland; and a national school is supported. A spring here, the water of which is impregnated with sulphur, has been found efficacious in chronic disorders. In various parts of the parish are traces of circular and rectilinear earthworks, probably thrown up in the border wars, for the protection of cattle from the moss-troopers. Whelpington Tower, now the vicarage-house, was anciently fortified.

From: 'Wheatacre - Whetstone', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 537-540. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51396 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/2/160 Date: August [1748]-January [1749], 1760-1853 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.

Kirkwhelpington, St Bartholomew: Records of baptisms 1679-1895, marriages 1684-1983 and burials 1684-1885 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1679-1812 and marriages 1684-1812 for this parish, and Boyd's Marriage Index includes marriages 1684-1812 and banns 1751-1812. Transcripts of baptisms 1679-1812 and marriages and burials 1684-1812 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept. A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Kirkwhelpington (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.

Nonconformist Records

 * Capheaton (Roman Catholic): Records of baptisms 1769-1785, marriages 1769-1785 and deaths 1769-1785 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes births/baptisms 1760-1784. Transcripts of baptisms 1760-1784, marriages 1782 and burials 1774-1785 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.
 * Bavington (Presbyterian): Records of births/baptisms 1754-1932 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes births/baptisms 1754-1882.

Early Primitive Methodist chapels in this area belonged to Hexham P.M. Circuit. Records for 1824-1837 are included on the IGI (listed as Bull Bank or Bethania Chapel). Early Wesleyan Methodist chapels in this area belonged to Hexham W.M. Circuit. Records for 1797-1836 can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service and are included on the IGI.

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

Poor Law Unions
Bellingham 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
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