Hide

Hexham

hide
Hide
hide
Hide
image

Hide
Hide
hide
Hide

"HEXHAM parish is bounded on the north by the Tyne, on the west and south-west by the parishes of Allendale and Warden, on the south by the county of Durham, and on the south-east and north-east by the parishes of Corbridge, Slaley, and Shotley. It comprises the townships of Hexham, High Quarter, Low Quarter, Middle Quarter, and West Quarter, whose united area is 27,973 acres. The population in 1801, was 4,565; in 1811, 4,855; in l821, 5,436; in 1831, 6,042; in 1841, 5,989; and in 1851, 6,537 souls. The soil is various; the valleys in general, are rich and highly cultivated, while the greater part of the high lands is quite unimprovable, and produces only poor grasses or heath. The vale of Hexham is peculiarly striking and beautiful, and the nurseries, gardens, shrubberies, and woods, are numerous and flourishing. Of this lovely vale, it is justly said, 'harvests are the earliest, its trees have the richest foliage, and its landscape the most-diversified of any in Northumberland.' This parish is intersected by the Newscastle and Carlisle Railway. The land in this district belongs to a great number of proprietors; the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital are, however, the principal landowners." [From History, Topography, and Directory of Northumberland, Whellan, 1855].

Hide

Contains the chapelry of Whitley

Hide
topup

Bibliography

  • The Black Book of Hexham, A Northern Monastic estate 113-1536 Richard Britnell and Andy King Hexham Local History Society 2011
  • A History of Hexham, Andrew Wright Briggs, 1973
  • Hexham through time, Stan Beckinsall, 2012
  • Hexham in the 17th century, Economy Society and Government in a Northern Market town, Anna Rossiter 2010
  • Hexham remembered, an illustrated glimpse into Hexham's past, Colin Dallison, 2006
  • Town of Old Hexham, Keith Armstrong, 2002
  • A pack of idle sparks, a description of people in 18th Century Hexham, George Finch 2013
  • Hexham and Corbridge - a short history, Frank Graham 1989
  • Cassini OS Maps,  Box set of Historical Maps sheets 87 1863-1925 -Hexham and Haltwhistle
  • "Hexham Remembered" by H.Kristensen ISBN 978-0-9538443-5-7 Wagtail Press
  • "Memories of Hexhamshire" by H.Kristensen. ISBN 978-0-9538443-0-2 Wagtail Press
topup

Cemeteries

  • Burial Registers 1859-1990, Burials Grant Books 1859-1964, Purchased Graves Register 1909-1933, Grave Register 1911-1915, Cemetery Plans and Plans of Cemetery Monuments including Inscriptions 1971-1973 for Hexham Civil Cemetery are available at Northumberland Record Office
  • A transcript of monument inscriptions for Hexham Cemetery is available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.
topup

Census

  • Northumberland County Record Office hold copies of Census Returns 1841 - 1891 and provide a useful User Guide
  • The 1851 Census Index (microfiche CN16) Hexham, Corbridge, Slaley and St John Lee (part) (PRO piece HO107/2414 folios 272-610) (Type A) (Book)
  • 1891 Census Northumberland Hexham (Part of Hexham, Hexhamshire High, Low, Middle and West Quarters and Workhouse) (PRO piece RG12/4247) (Type B) (Book) (Volume 57) and 1891 Northumberland – Hexham (Slaley, Corbridge, Dilston, Halton, Aydon, Thornborough, Clarewood, Great and Little Whittington, Sandhoe, Anick, Portgate and Hexham, part) (PRO piece RG12/4246) (Type B) (Book) (Volume 56) Both published by https://www.ndfhs.org.uk/   may be of use   

     

  • An Index to the 1851 census for Bellingham Castle Ward Ponteland Haltwhistle and Hexham produced by P.R.G. Thirkell is available to view in the Local Studies Section of Newcastle City Library they also produce a very useful User Guide on Census Records www.newcastle.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-tourism/libraries/local-studies-and-family-history

topup

Churches

Anglican
St Mary, Lowgate, Hexham, Church of England
St Mary/St Andrew, Hexham, Church of England
topup

Church History

topup

Church Records

topup

Civil Registration

  • This area is within Northumberland West Registration District.
  • Certificates of birth, death and marriage can be ordered Locally from Northumberland County Council.
     
topup

Description & Travel

  • Photographs of Hexham from Les Bell's Northumberland Cam website
  • The Northumberland Communities website includes pages relating to Hexham. They provide "a range of learning resource material that reflects Northumberland's heritage, providing a base for studying the County's history. The website provides a starting point for understanding the development of communities in Northumberland. It also seeks to illustrate the range of sources for family and local history research that are available via Northumberland Archives Service."
You can see pictures of Hexham which are provided by:

topup

Gazetteers

topup

History

  • The history of Hexham Parish is included in:- Northumberland County History Committee, History of Northumberland, Volume 3. Newcastle, A. Reid, 1896 and Volume 4. Newcastle, A. Reid, 1897.]
  • LNER Wartime Evacuation Documents N.EVAC 2 and N.EVAC 3 describing the arrangements for evacuating children from Newcastle and Gateshead to rural parts of Northumberland (including Hexham), Co Durham, Yorkshire, Cumberland and Westmorland. The second document includes lists of schools with details of their places and times of departure and their destinations.
topup

Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NY901569 (Lat/Lon: 54.906772, -2.155253), Hexham which are provided by:

topup

Military Records

Lest We Forget -
Hexham St Andrew
WWl
6 Aug 1916  R Wilson Private 1473  1st/4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers [grave B,C,585]
23 Sep 1918  Anthony Ritson Bell Pearson Engineroom Artificer 2nd Class M1672 RN HMS PembrokeII, age 31 [grave B 479]
11 Oct 1917   John Robert Dodd,Gunner 338481 Royal garrison Artillery Durham Brigade, age 35 son of Thomas and Catharine Dodd [grave C.C.4]
29 Oct 1918   A.T.A.Noble,Private TR5/161097 53rd Training Reserve Northumberland Fusiliers [grave B.U, 235]
31 Oct 1918   J.T. Hogg, Private 2nd Class 299483 RAF Recruits Depot,husband of Ruth Hogg of Hexham [grave C.C.205]
9 Nov 1919   James William Dodds Sapper 457938 5th Provisional Coy Royal Engineers, ahe 34 son of Jane and the late Alexander Dodds [grave B C 161]
22 Nov 1917   Richard Dalzell Oliver, Private 1523 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers transferred to [14255] Army Cycle Corps, age 23 son of Thomas and Elizabeth Oliver of Hexham [grave c.c.205]
30 Nov 1918   Harold Brown Hetherington,Sergeant 36971 No1 Cadet Bn Formerly 136 Army Troop Coy Royal Engineers, age 32 son of John Westgarth and Sarah Ann Hetherington of Haydon Bridge  [grave B U 128]
WWll
9 Sep 1946   Bronislaw Pilarski Kanonier 151/P/1897 2nd P. Art. Plot Polish Army, age 48 [grave G 94]
16 Sep 1940  William Harry Drain Private 601171 1st Bn Essex Regiment, age 20 son of Henry and Elsa Martha Jhonna Drain, Malden Essex [grave G 89]
15 Oct 1946   Wilfred Smith  leading Aircraftman P/JX260217 Royal Navy HMS Drake [grave G 81]
3 Nov 1942   James MacNichol Kellas, Flight Leiutenant 83369 RAF volunteer reserve 407 (RCAF)Squadron, [grave G 85]
3 Nov 1943   Norman Dixon Carr, Aircraftman 2nd Class 2215243 RAF Volunteer Reserve, age 19 son of Lena Carr, Stepson of George H Liddle of Hexham [grave 843]
6 Nov 1945   Leslie Clifford, Aircraftman 2nd Class 993423 RAF Volunteer Reserve, age 38 son of Francis and Jane Clifford, husband of Catharine Margaret Clifford of Hexham [grave G 113]
24 Nov 1943   Wilfred Matterson Warren, Private 5668341 9th Bn Somerset Light Infantry, age 33 son of William and Sarah Ann Warren of Bath Somerset [grave G 58]
3 Dec 1943   Frank Wallace Rutherford,  Flight Sergeant 1497152 RAF Volunteer Reserve 616 Squadron, age 22 son of Frank and Florence Amelia Rutherford of Hexham [grave G 57]
3 Dec 1945   Sidney Mynard,  Trooper 14903892 Royal Armoured Corps, age 19 son of Mr and Mrs A Mynard of hexham [grave G 66]
 
HEXHAM ST MARY R.C.
1 Dec 1915   James William Riley,  Private 1582 1/4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers, age 38 son of James and Esther Riley of Hexham [grave Spec memorial]
topup

Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Hexham Parish was part of Hexham Poor Law Union. The Union Workhouse was located at Peth Head, Hexham. Some useful records are held at Northumberland Record Office