In 1586 it was recorded that a watermill, called Houghton and Raynton mill in Co. Durham, was "parcel of the possessions of the dissolved hospital of St. James, near Northallerton". There are other references to mills at: Rainton, late C12 (2) Rainton (3) East Rainton, 1464 (3) East Rainton, 1539 (3) East Rainton, 1580 (4) East and West Rainton, 1345 (5) Perhaps it may eventually be possible to locate and define them more precisely.

The free grammar school of Kepier was founded in 1574 by John Heath of Kepyer purchaser in 1568 from the grantees of the Crown of the estates of the dissolved hospital of Kepier, near Durham, and Bernard Gilpin, the famous rector (1558-83). The foundation included the school, and an almshouse or hospital which was not established until later. The school had a celebrated library: of the books surviving in 1907 40 were pre 1600 in date. Sited on the E end of the churchyard, the L-shaped centre survives from 1574, with to the S the master's house, probably of 1724, and to the N 2 18th century bays. There were other repairs in 1779. Now parish rooms and two flats. Limestone and sandstone rubble with some quoins. Concrete tile roof. 2 storeys. Sash windows. 4-panelled double door under oblong fanlight in architrave beneath inscription commemorating the founding in 1574, dated 1724. 5-panelled door in flat Tuscan doorcase. Five brick chimneys. Operated as a grammar school until 1922. The school was extended in the 1980s to provide a community hall to the rear. The school's terms are described by Whelan (1856) as: Board for pupils under 13, 35 guineas per annum; above 13 years if age, 40 guineas; washing, 3 guineas; tution fee, 8 guineas; modern languages with the exception of German, are extra. These are six boys on the foundation, who may be prepated for the universities or any profession, gree of expense, except for extra charges. A foundation scholarship, now vacant, tenable for three years at the University of Oxford, Cambridge or Durham, has recently been founded. The 1856 representatives of the founders were the Dowager Marchioness of Londonderry, and the rector of Houghton-le-Spring. Governors - Earl Vane and Viscount Dungannon; headmaster, the Rev. Gerard Moultrie.

First mention 1483 when John Kelinge began to enclose, fortify and embattle a house above the lower porch within his rectory with a wall of lime and stone, and to make a fortress of it without licence. Bishop Dudley pardoned the offence and granted a licence.(1) Second half of C16. Bernard Gilpin spent 300 pounds. (2, 3) Second half of C17. Rector Davenport demolished the whole building except for tower (described by 2 as round, "an old dovecote formed building", and flanking rectory on W), and built a new rectory, "venerable, embattled", with chapel on E. This formed the centre block and W wing of today. (1-3) Early C19. Rector Thurlow demolished tower and chapel, added E and W wings. (2-3) Does anything remain from the medieval and C16 periods? Source 4 suggests some rooms survived the C17 demolition, and 5 identifies fabric from these phases. What was the nature of the medieval tower? A Parliamentary Survey of 1647 catalogues barns, stables, outhouses, gardens, orchards, a large ornamental garden and a fishpond at the rectory. Bernard Gilpin was rector of the parish 1557-1584. He was known as the 'apostle of the north' and 'friend/father of the poor' due to his generous and philanthropic works. Gilpin founded the Kepier Grammar School (HER 265) and was instrumental in alterations to the church (HER 263). Listed building description - Rectory, now Council Offices. Early C17, altered in C18 (date of 1794 on the rainwater head), C19 and C20. 2 storeys, Tudor style. Flattened Tudor arch to modern door. Windows mostly 3-light stone mullioned, but some sashes with glazing bars. Massive stone chimney stack. East elevation rebuilt c.1950. Crenellated parapet conceals roof. Interior - closed-string well staircase with panelled newel posts and high moulded handrail. Figure of Britannia with the number 33014 underneath on front elevation - this is a fire mark, showing the building was insured against fire damage, for London Assurance. On south wall is the shield of William Sancroft, rector from 1661 to 1664. He became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1677. George Davenport was rector from 1664. Edward South Thurlow was rector from 1789 to his death in 1847. The rectory was bought by Houghton Urban District Council for £10,000 on 30 July 1949. Around 1950 large parts of the rectory were demolished during its conversion to council offices. The eastern first floor of the building houses the wodod panelled council chamber. This features the names of the chairmen from 1937 until 1974 when Houghton Urban District Council ceased to exist and became part of Sunderland Borough Council. In 1968 the Houghton Urban District Council Offices (HER 16200) were built next to the rectory. This building was demolished in 2011. Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd suggest that the earlier medieval structure may still survive within the extant building. The list of rectors dates back to 1131 although the first documentary ref to the building is not until 1343 {11}. A three-storey pele tower was constructed with external stairs by Rector Kelyng, who was responsible for the fortification of the building in the 15th century. The tower was demolished in the late 18th century as part of Thurlow's alterations. The rectory is listed by Thurlow in 1792 as featuring nine rooms on the ground floor and eight on the first floor. The ground floor contained a large hall, butler's room, kitchen, servants' hall, back kitchen, cellar, pantry, study and parlour. All of these rooms had plain ceilings and a mixture of stone and deal floors. The first floor contained a drawing room, dining room, south lodging room, east lodging room, north lodging room, small lodging room and two servants' rooms. These rooms are listed as having plain ceilings and deal floors. Other buildings listed in 1792 include a chapel, a tower, barn, stables and coach house, stables, out houses and gateway {11}. Recorded 2014 by NAA. Dated C15-17th.

Cruciform plan: chancel, transepts, aisled nave, tower (originally lower and with a lead-covered wooden spire) over crossing, south porch, and a 2-storey chapel etc. attached to the south wall of the chancel. A Norman church of the first half of the C12 existed here - see N wall of chancel with round-headed window, and door with decorated tympanum. But most of the present church is C13-14, viz. chancel with S lancets, transepts with W windows showing early tracery of C13; tower arches and nave arcades of c. 1300; big E and W windows of mid C14. The 2-storey Chapel of the Guild of the Holy Trinity was added in the late C15. There have been a number of post-medieval restorations: mid C17 wainscott and stalls put in; 18th century wainscott removed, chancel plastered; 1824-36 spire removed, upper stage of tower added, N window of N transept inserted (Philip Hardwick); 1858-9 lower stage of tower reconstructed, aisle windows renewed (John Dobson). Other 19th century work: S porch (or vestry), S window of S transept {1-18}. A Mr Brian Rotherford of Houghton reported in 1997 that there was a "megalithic Roman style sarcophagus" situated in the church until the 1960s, when there were building extensions. It was then moved to the south transcept and then outside the east end of the church {19}. Many noteworthy people are interred inside the church, including Rector Bernard Gilpin (1557-1583), whose tomb is an uncommonly big chest, its sides decorated with large panels with squares and circles. Font - octagonal on square base, C13 or C14. There is a brass to Margery Belassis who died in 1587. In the south wall of the south transept, a worn late C13 effigy of a cross-legged knight with shield, in a segment-headed C13 recess with filleted moulding. Another cross-legged knight with mail coif, sandstone; c.1300. Small plaque with a group of kneeling figures (south transept) Grave slabs in the floor have the arms of Ralph Carr of Cocken Hill who died 1709 and Nicholas Conyers, High Sheriff of Durham who died in 1686. In January 2008 The Archaeological Practice and Peter Ryder carried out an archaeological investigation in the nave and transepts of St. Michael and All Angels Church in advance of the installation of underfloor heating. The earliest fabric of the medieval church is twelfth and thirteenth century in date. The excavation recorded six erratic boulders within the church which potentially could be prehistoric in date. The piers were found to have massive footings made up of re-used blocks which have Lewis holes, possibly from a Roman monument. A putative Roman sarcophagus lies outside the east end of the church. The footings of an aisle-less nave of Saxon form were found, its exterior north wall having been plastered, like that the nave at Brancepath. A jamb shaft with mouldings dating to around 1100 AD was retained in the south door of this unusually large Saxon church, which had a burnt mortar floor. Fragmentary footings of a probable Norman western tower were recorded. There is documentary evidence for a man having been killed when he fell from such a belfry in 1319, whilst attempting to escape from Scottish raiders. It is miraculous that this early fabric survived the lowering of floor levels in 1857 during a restoration of the church by John Dobson. Most fittings and furnishing are late 19th and early 20th century but do include an early 14th century font and Margery Bellasis brass 1567. Dated C12th.

A "Hetton" appeared in Boldon Buke, c.1183, when it was held for half a knight's fee. It was recorded in the i.p.m of Peter de Brackenbury of 1349 that he and his wife Cecilia held the manor of Hetton for life, with remainder to his son Thomas, still for half a knight's fee. Other parts of the manor belonged, in 1380, to the Latons, from whom it descended to the Tylliols and Musgraves. Surtees equated this reference with Hetton-le-Hole, suggesting it was half the original manor and had developed later than Hetton-on-the-Hill. The two settlements acquired the tag the le-hill and the other one le-hole in the 16th century. The early core of Hetton-le-Hole appears to be the area bounded by Front Street (E), Park View (N), and the burn in Hetton Dean (W and S). To the north, in the mid 19th century, was Hetton Hall (HER7706). At this time it appeared as a one-row settlement on Park View, with perhaps later development on the west slope of the burn. Some of the street names in Hetton are named after the occupants of Hetton Hall, pits and seams, coal owning families, churches and royalty. Whelan (1856) lists the township as having a population in 1801 of 212; in 1811, 264; in 1821, 919; in 1831, in consequence of the extension of coal mines, 5887; in 1841, 4158 and in 1851, 5664 souls. The landowners in 1856 were Messrs. Barrington and Musgrave, Mrs Barrington, Mrs. Pemberton, the Hetton Coal Company, and John Burel Esq. The Hon. Mrs Russell Barrington was the Lady of the Manor. Dated C12-14th.

Emerges as a separate entity in the mid C14 when the vill was said to form half the manor of Hetton (which also included Hetton-le-Hole). In c. 1370 half the manor of "Hepdon" was held from the bishop of Durham by William de Dalden whose heiress married Sir Wm. Bowes. In i.p.m. of Wm. Bowes, the grandson, in 1466, the moiety consisted of 2 messuages with 2 granges, a dovecot, 60 acres arable, 6 acres meadow, 60 acres pasture. The property passed by marriage to the Blakistons, and in 1597 Thomas Blakiston granted the moiety of the manor of Hetton-on-the-Hill to Henry Naunton, clerk, "as the same lay divided from the other moiety of the same manor which he had lately sold to William Middleton, Gent". In c. 1800 the estate of Hetton-on-the-Hill belonged to George Baker of Elemore. Until fairly recently it was two farms, only one now operative. Renovation and change of function of some of the buildings in progress. Dated C14th.

The earliest reference to "Wardon" is in Boldon Buke (1183 survey of land belonging to the Bishop of Durham, Hugh du Puiset) when there were 9 farmers holding 18 oxgangs, each of 13.5 acres. In Hatfield's Survey (c.1381) there were 5 bond tenants, holding 2-6 bovates each (total 18, same as earlier oxgangs since they also contained 13.5 acres each), and 1-3 messuages per tenant (9). In 1611 Sir Henry Belasyse surrendered the whole vill to the use of John Shawdforth, yeoman, who built a new house there. It then passed through various Shaldforths until it was divided, one half staying with them, the other descending in the Hutton family. Original shape is not clear. 1st ed. O.S. suggests one farm on north side of road, one or 2 on the south. Today most of the north farm has gone, and there seems to have been some expansion southwards on the south side. Whelan (1856) lists the township as having a population in 1801 of 15; in 1811, 12; in 1821, 14; in 1831, 54; in 1841, 60 and in 1851, 54 souls. The principal landowners listed are George Gregson and John Railton. Gregson is also noted as lord of the manor. Dated C12th.

The earliest documentary reference to the name appears to be C12, to the vill of 'Eplinden' 1273, on a lease of a toft in the vill. At some point in the C13 Ralph de Epplyndon granted land and the right to grind at the mill there to Kepier Hospital. In 1340 the manor of 'Applynden' was held by the service of one third of a knight's fee. In 1391 the property passed to the Herons of Ford, and in C16 the manor was divided between Todde and Lawson. In 1618 about half the manor was sold to the Shadforths and in the 1660s Little Eppleton or Eppleton Field House occurs as part of the manor settled by Thomas Shadforth on the marriage of his son. Surtees firmly identifies Great Eppleton as the original manor and vill, and describes it 'as now reduced to 4 tenements'. By the mid 19th century the OS 1st edition suggests it consisted of one farm, 'Great Eppleton', and Eppleton Hall with a park, and today it seems to be just 2 farms. No evidence emerged in construction of new farm building in 1993. During field reconnaissance survey for a gas pipeline in 2002 a large level platform was identified 50m to the north-west of the farm. It measured 25m north to south and 70m west to east. It abutted the northern edge of Downs Pit Lane. This could be the remains of a medieval building platform, perhaps indicating that the medieval settlement was a ribbon development on either side of the road, but datable artefactual material was not found. A subsequent geophysical survey of the platform revealed two ditches 8-10m apart or a former trackway. There were no indications of medieval farmstead remains. An archaeological assessment carried out in 1999 noted the possible survival of a township boundary between Great Eppleton and neighbouring Warden Law. Other possible pre-enclosure boundaries may exist between Eppleton and Hetton (to the west) and Houghton (to the north-west). Dated C12th.

The earliest certain reference to Old Burdon, (assuming it can also be called Little Burdon), is in Boldon Buke (1183 survey of land belonging to the Bishop of Durham, Hugh du Puiset). At that time it was held by John de Houghton, "rendered 10s and carted wine with 4 oxen, and goes in the great chase with two greyhounds". In C14, temp. Hatfield's Survey, Lord Nevill and partners held, as free tenants, the vill of Little Burdon. In the mid 19th century it consisted of a double courtyard farm on the west side of a north-south lane, probably much as today. In 1856 Robert Bolton was the farmer at Old Burdon. Dated C12th.

"Dr Woolacott many years ago collected microliths from Warden Law..." wrote Raistrick in 1933(2). Gibbs recorded the discovery (by whom?) of chips, flakes etc. "in gravel under turf, now ploughed over - and in circle on the East top of the hill" of Warden Law.(1) Miket reported the existence of flints from here in the Craven Museum at Skipton (3), implying that Raistrick had found some himself. Is it significant that this site is not mentioned by Wymer and Young?