Whitburn village

HER Number:
108

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
Whitburn village

Place:
Whitburn

Map Sheet:
NZ46SW

Class:
Domestic

Site Type: Broad:
Settlement

Site Type: Specific:
Village

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C12

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
The earliest reference to Whitburn is in 1183. In c.1382 seven residents were described as free tenants, 31 as holding demesne land, 5 as cottagers and 19 as holding exchequer lands (this is not a total number of tenants as there was overlapping between the categories). A total of 30 separate holdings were listed, along with a windmill and a pound. In layout it was probably originally a 2-row green village, of average size. The green does not extend through the eastern half of the settlement, where the onetime hallgarth projected north to reduce the width of Front Street. The early street pattern, with the parish church behind the south row of houses, appears to survive although the houses have ben much rebuilt. The Hall was demolished in 1980 and the site built over. Limestone boundary/garden walls are a striking feature of the village.

Easting:
406

Northing:
618

Grid Reference:
NZ406618

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 108 >> W. Greenwell, ed. 1852, Boldon Buke, Surtees Society, 25, p. 46 W. Greenwell, ed. 1856, Bishop Hatfield's Survey, Surtees Society, 32, pp. 102-6 DA Kirby, ed. 1972, Parliamentary Surveys of the Bishopric of Durham II, Surtees Society, 185, pp. 50-54 Durham University Archives & Special Collection Halmote Court Books, 1680, Whitburn 88, f.554 Durham University Archives & Special Collection Chancery Decree Awards, 1680, Moors and West Meadows in Whitburn parish 57 Durham University Archives & Special Collection Chancery Decree Awards, 1718, Fields in Whitburn Parish 58 Durham University Archives & Special Collection, Halmote Court Addit maps and plans Whitburn, Cleadon and Boldon Royalties 36a W. Hutchinson, 1794, History of Durham II, pp. 625-8 R. Surtees, 1816, History of…Durham II, p. 50 Wm. Parson & Wm. White, 1828, Directory of Durham and Northumberland II, pp. 199-200 Durham University Archives & Special Collection, Tithe Award, 1840, Whitburn Durham University Archives & Special Collection, Ordnance Survey maps 1st ed. 25=1 mile Durham VIII.3; Ian Nairn, 1964, A Townscape Gazetteer - County Durham, Architectural Review, Vol. 135 (1964) p 120; Durham Record Office, Plan of the village of Whitburn, 1817