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National Gazetteer (1868) - Longbenton

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"LONGBENTON, (or Mickle Benton), a parish and village in the eastern division of Castle ward, in the county of Northumberland, 2 miles to the N.E. of Newcastle-on-Tyne, its post town. It is a station on the North-Eastern railway, and also on the Blyth and Tyne branch from Newcastle to Tynemouth. The parish, extending northward for above 8 miles from a base of 2 miles on the left bank of the Tyne, embraces five townships, disposed thus from S. to N.: Walker, Long Benton, Little Benton, Killingworth, and Weetsleet; and is intersected by the Roman Wall, near its termination at the station Segedunum, in the adjacent parish of Wallsend. Coal is abundant in the district, and there are some valuable quarries of stone. Extensive foundries, brick and tile works, alkali works, and copperas manufactures are established, and give employment to a large population along the banks of the Tyne. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Durham, of the value of £353, in the patronage of the Master and Fellows of Balliol College, Oxford. The church, a plain building with a spire, partly rebuilt in 1791, is dedicated to St. Bartholomew. There is a charity, yielding about £12 per annum, belonging to the township of Weetsleet. The manor was anciently held by the De Maylays, and passed by marriage to Sir Philip Somervylle of Wicknore, in Staffordshire, who gave the advowson of Benton, with lands in the parish, to Balliol College, Oxford, about A.D. 1340. The great tithes were then appropriated by grant of Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham, and the living constituted a vicarage The great 90 fathom dyke intersects the parish a few yards north of the church. The principal residences are, Benton Park, Benton Lodge, Benton Hall, Killingworth House, and Seaton-Bourne Hall. The parish is very extensive, comprising an area of 8,857 acres, with a population of 13,184, and is divided for ecclesiastical purposes into two parishes. In addition to the parish church there is the district church of Walker, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £150., in the gift of the crown and bishop alternately. Another division at Weetsleet is in contemplation, where a third church is to be built. The parish of Benton is closely associated with the history of the Stephenson: George (the father) having conducted his experiments, and set his first locomotive at work, at the Westmoor colliery; and his son Robert having received his early education at Long Benton parish school.

"HAZLERIGG, a village in the township of Walker, and parish of Longbenton, county Northumberland, 3 miles W. of Belford, and 4 E. of Newcastle. It is situated on the river Tyne. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in the iron and coal trades."

"KILLINGWORTH, a township and colliery village in the parish of Longbenton, E. division of Castle ward, county Northumberland, 2½ miles from Long Benton, and 4 N.E. of Newcastle. It is a station on the York, Newcastle, and Berwick line of railway. At Killinworth colliery in this township the great engineer George Stephenson was employed as brakesman, and here he made his first great improvements in steam engines. The Wesleyans have a chapel."

"LITTLE BENTON, a hamlet in the parish of Longbenton, Castle ward, in the county of Northumberland, close to Long Benton. The manor of Little Benton about the middle of the last century passed from the Hindmarsh into the Bigge family, and has recently become the property of David Burn, Esq., who, with Captain Potts and John Woods, Esq., owns the whole of the land.

"SEATON-BURN, a village in the township of Weetslade, parish of Longbenton, county Northumberland, 5 miles N. of Newcastle."

"SIX-MILE-BRIDGE, a village in the township of Weetslade and parish of Longbenton, county Northumberland, 5 miles N. of Newcastle."

"WALKER, a township in the parish of Longbenton, E. division of Castle ward, county Northumberland, 3 miles E. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, its post town. It is a station on the North Shields and Newcastle railway. The township is bounded on the S. by the river Tyne, and is crossed by a basalt dyke. It includes the villages of Walker, Low Walker, and Walker Quay. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the iron and coal trade, and in the chemical and other works. The soil is chiefly clay. Along the banks of the river are extensive manufactories and coal-staiths. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Durham, value £150, in the patronage of the crown and bishop alternately. The church was erected in 1848, and contains some stained windows. There is a school for both sexes. The Independents, Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, and Presbyterians have chapels."

"WEETSLADE, a township in the parish of Longbenton, county Northumberland, 5 miles N. of Newcastle. It contains the hamlets of Hazzlerigg, Seaton-Burn, Six-Mile Bridge, and Wide Open. In the reign of Henry III. it belonged to John de Plessis. The population has more than trebled in the last half century, being 2,828 in 1861."

 

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]