Bishopwearmouth village

HER Number:
163

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Bishopwearmouth village

Place:
Bishopwearmouth

Map Sheet:
NZ35NE

Class:
Domestic

Site Type: Broad:
Settlement

Site Type: Specific:
Village

General Period:
Early Medieval

Specific Period:
C10

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
The earliest reference to Bishopwearmouth village is thought to be c. 930 A.D., when King Athelstan gave "South Wearmouth" and its appendages to the see of Durham. The site is a fairly neat rectangle, outlined initially by High Street West (North), Crowtree Road (East), Vine Place (South), Low Row and Green Terrace (West). The first development outside these boundaries seems to have been the rectory to the North, and between Low Row and the Howle-Eile or Wearmouth Burn. Despite several major redevelopments, the village core area has retained its church, churchyard, almshouses, Church Lane and green on the West side. 19th century buildings occupy the north-east corner, a college the south-west corner and the Crowtree Leisure Centre much of the east side. The West side of Low Row is now a car park, but recent excavation showed that modern construction has removed any surviving archaeological deposits.

Easting:
394

Northing:
569

Grid Reference:
NZ394569

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 163 >> W. Greenwell, ed. 1852, Boldon Buke, Surtees Society, 25, p. 46 W.Greenwell, ed. 1856, Bishop Hatfield's Survey, Surtees Society, 2, pp. 132-134 D.A. Kirby, ed. 1972, Parliamentary Surveys of the Bishopric of Durham, Surtees Society, II 185, pp. 164-174 W. Hutchinson, 1787, The History of...Durham II, pp. 641-646 R. Surtees, 1816, The History of...Durham I, pp. 224-226 1857, The History of...Durham II, pp. 392-3, 416-19, 428-35 Sunderland Museum - 19th century general, and specific to Bishopwearmouth from C188, though principally 19th century Sunderland Library Local Studies, 19th century general, C188-19th century include Ordnance Survey 1st ed. 25 8.14 Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham Halmote Court - 18th century enclosures S. Speake, 1987, Excavations at Wood Lane/Low Row, Sunderland G.W. Bain, 1909, The Topography of Bishop Wearmouth, Parts I and II, Antiquities of Sunderland VIII, pp. 44-74 G.W. Bain, 1912, The Topography of Bishopwearmouth, Part III, Antiquities of Sunderland XI, pp. 1-22 J.W. Corder, 1939, Bishop Wearmouth Village in 1790, Antiquities of Sunderland XIX, pp. 42-49 S. Speak & M. Snape, 1993, Excavations at Crowtree Road, Sunderland S. Speak in N. Higham, ed. 1992, Research in 1992, Medieval Settlement Research Group Annual ii. Excavations 7, p. 43