Sockburn, Durham Genealogy

= Parish History =

Sockburn All Saints Ancient parish in Yorkshire was an Ancient parish in the diocese of Durham. The River Tees divided the parish and the old church was on the Durham side of the river. The majority of the parish lived across the river in Yorkshire and without a bridge, had to ferry across the river or ford the river at times of the year. The age of the church and situation lead to a new church being built at Girsby in North Yorkshire.

The original ruined church of All Saints which is said to have been Saxon in origin lie in the grounds of Sockburn Hall. The Hall was rebuilt in the 1830's and is a listed building. The saxon religious significance of Sockburn can be documented by the consecration of Higbald of Lindisfarne too in AD 780, followed by Eanbald as Archbishop of York in AD 790. 'Socceburg' was also given to the community of St Cuthbert's in AD 990 and may have been a minster of one of the large estates from the 7th to 10th centuries.

= Parish Records =

Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections Reference number: DDR/EA/PBT/2/233 Date: 1762-1839 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.

The Parish Registers for the period 1580-1982 are deposited at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/Soc). The International Genealogical Index includes Christenings 1580-1641, 1658-1767; Marriages 1580-1812.

= The Sockburn Worm =

Local legend and tradition has it that Sockburn was once the home to a terrible monster called the Sockburn Worm. It terrorised the neighbourhood until was killed by Sir John Conyers, a member of a local noble family. From that day on each new Prince-Bishop of Durham was presented with the sword that killed the worm upon entering their new Bishopric for the first time at Croft on Tees. The recently revived ceremony includes the following presentation speech, traditionally made by the Lord of Sockburn; "My Lord Bishop. I hereby present you with the falchion wherewith the champion Conyers slew the worm, dragon or fiery flying serpent which destroyed man, woman and child; in memory of which the king then reigning gave him the manor of Sockburn, to hold by this tenure, that upon the first entrance of every bishop into the county the falchion should be presented."

The falchion used in this ceremony is kept in the Durham Cathedral Treasury and a more detailed history of the item is in the external link below.

= External sites =

For details of the sword known as the Conyers falchion http://bjorn.foxtail.nu/h_conyers_eng.htm

For further Worm legends of Durham

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambton_Worm

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/memories/durhammemories/4035677.Here_be_dragons_/