Whalton, Northumberland Genealogy

England Northumberland



Parish History
Whalton is an Ancient Parish and includes: Newham, Newham near Morpeth, Ogle, and Riplington. There were mediaeval villages at Ogle, Shilvington, Twizell and Riplington. The incursion of Scottish raiders meant that fortifications were needed; indeed one of the highest points in the parish is called Watch Hill and hints at the vigilance needed at this time. Towers were built at The Old Rectory in Whalton, at Kirkley, and at Ogle where the Ogle family built Ogle Castle. The strength of religion was strong in the medieval period and the Ogles sponsored alterations to the Church of St Mary Magdalene as the main parish church, and a further possible chapel at Ogle itself.

WHALTON, a parish, in the union and W. division of Castle ward, S. division of Northumberland, containing, with the townships of Newham, Ogle, and Riplington, 531 inhabitants, of whom 315 are in Whalton township, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from Morpeth. This barony was conferred by the Conqueror upon Walter Fitz-William, to be held by the service of three knights' fees. It was afterwards possessed by the Fitz-Rogers, Fitz-Roberts, and others 3 in the reign of James I. was held by the crown 3 and was subsequently granted to the Meggison family. A market and fair were formerly held, agreeably with the right which Robert Fitz-Roger claimed and established in 1294. The parish comprises by measurement 5815 acres, of which 2053 are in the township of Whalton 5 of the latter, 1291 acres are arable, 583 pasture, and 16 woodland. The whole is well inclosed, its surface undulated, and the soil, which is mostly loam, with a subsoil partly gravel, and in some places clay, is adapted to the growth of wheat and oats 5 limestone is abundant, and there are quarries of good freestone worked for private use. The village is one of the neatest in the county, hanging beautifully on the edge of a southern slope; it consists of one long street, containing some well-built houses with ornamental gardens in front, inclosed with palisades, and at intervals are clusters of trees, that much enliven its appearance. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £13. 8. 1½., and in the patronage of Ralph Bates, Esq., with an income of about £800: the tithes of Whalton township have been commuted for £328, and the glebe comprises 141 acres. The church is a venerable edifice of freestone, and forms a pleasing object as approached from the village; it was repaired in 1783, when parapets and pinnacles were added to the tower. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans. A little eastward of the village are the remains of considerable earthworks, supposed to have formed part of a Danish encampment.

From: 'Whaddon - Whatton, Long', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 534-537. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51395 Date accessed: 12 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 Registers
Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections Reference number: DDR/EA/PBT/2/265 Date: 1769-1825 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.

Whalton, St Mary Magdalene: Records of baptisms and marriages 1661-1900 and burials 1661-1889 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1661-1812 and marriages 1661-1812 for this parish, and Boyd's Marriage Index includes marriages 1661-1812. Transcripts of baptisms, burials and marriages 1661-1812 are available at Tyne and Wear Archives Service and in the Local Studies Departments of Newcastle Central Library and Gateshead Central Library. A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Whalton (microfiche TN90) is published by Northumberland and Durham Family History Society and these records are also available in book form at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.

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

Poor Law Unions
Castle Ward 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
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 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Web sites
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