Castle Eden Durham Family History Guide

Castle Eden is an Ancient Parish in the county of Durham.

Other places in the parish include: Castle Eden Colliery.

Alternative names:

Parish church: St James

Parish registers begin:

Parish registers: 1661
Bishop’s Transcripts: 1769

Nonconformists include: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Primitive Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan Methodist.

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

CASTLE-EDEN, a rivulet, two villages, and a parish in Easington district, Durham. The rivulet traverses a romantic dell, called Castle-Eden dean; and goes eastward to the sea. The villages are Castle-Eden and Castle-Eden-Colliery; they stand near the Hartlepool and Ferryhill railway, 7½ and 6¾ miles NW by W of Hartlepool; and they have stations on the railway, and post-offices under Ferryhill. There is also a post-office of Castle-Eden Station under Ferryhill. The parish comprises 1,935 acres. Real property, £4,942; of which, £1,500 are in mines. Pop., 535. Houses, 110. The property is divided among a few.

The manor belonged anciently to Gisborne priory and the see of Durham. Castle-Eden Hall, the seat of R. Burdon, Esq., is a handsome modern castellated edifice, surmounting a wooded precipice contiguous to Castle-Eden dean, and commanding brilliant views. Coal is extensively worked, and there are brickworks and a brewery. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Durham. Value, £242. Patron, R. Burdon, Esq. The church was built in 1764, and has a fine spire. The vicarage of Wingate-Grange is a separate benefice. There are Wesleyan and P. Methodist chapels.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

EDEN, CASTLE (St. James), a parish, in the union of Easington, S. division of Easington ward, N. division of the county of Durham, 5½ miles (N. W. by W.) from Hartlepool, and 10½ (E. by S.) from Durham; containing 558 inhabitants.

This place, which appears to have derived its name, originally Yewden, from its baronial castle and its situation near a valley abounding with yew-trees, was during the heptarchy of considerable importance, and formed part of the territories of Tildred, by whom the manor was given to the monastery of Chester-le-Street. After the Conquest, it was granted, with numerous other lordships, to Robert de Brus, who annexed it to the endowments of the priory of Guisborough, which he had founded in 1129, on condition of the prior’s erecting and endowing a chapel here within ten years from the date of the grant, which was subsequently confirmed by his descendant, Peter de Brus.

The manor remained in the possession of the priory till its dissolution, and about a century afterwards passed to the Bromley family, in the county of Warwick, from whom it was purchased by Rowland Burdon, Esq., whose descendant, of the same name, is the present proprietor.

The parish is situated on the road from Stockton to Sunderland, and within a mile of the sea-coast, comprising an area of 1933 acres, of which about 440 are arable, 1085 meadow and pasture, 350 woodland and plantations, and the remainder roads and waste. On the north and south boundaries are denes, extending in nearly a parallel direction from the western confines of the parish for about four miles, and terminating on the coast: Castle-Eden dene, on the north, presents a striking combination of picturesque and romantic scenery.

The soil is generally a strong fertile clay well adapted for all kinds of grain, with moderate portions of excellent turnip-land: limestone of inferior quality is procured for burning into lime; and coal is also found, at a great depth beneath the limestone, and of very superior quality. There are an iron-foundry and a large brewery; and great facilities are afforded by railways. Petty sessions are held monthly. Castle-Eden House, the seat of Mr. Burdon, is a handsome and spacious modern mansion, erected on the site of the ancient castle, and finely situated on an eminence commanding a good view.

The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £150; patron, Mr. Burdon; appropriators, the Dean and Chapter of Durham, whose tithes have been commuted for £91. The church, which is near the village, was rebuilt in 1764, by the grandfather of the present patron, and is a neat structure, with a tower surmounted by a spire. A church has been built in the western portion of the parish, which is noticed under the head of Wingate-Grange.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848

Castle Eden Parish Registers

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The Registers of Castle Eden, in the county of Durham 1661 to 1812

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Castle Eden Strays

The people listed below have been found in the records of other parishes but are recorded as being from Castle Eden.

1760. Samuel Stevenson, of this P., and Hannah Humble, Castle Eden P., Nov. 23 – Banns were called in Seaham Church, but were not married there.

Curates and Rectors of Castle Eden Durham

The following list of curates and rectors have been transcribed from The registers of Castle Eden, in the county of Durham. Baptisms, 1661-1812. Marriages, 1698-1794. Burials, 1696-1812 by Robinson, Frederick Godwin Johnson; Wood, A. E; Wood, G. M. F.

Radulphus Capkllan ——-

D’ns Warinus ——.-

William de Infirmaria —– 1180 — 1196.

John Capellan de Eden —– oc. 1363.

Robert Harding —– oc. 1501.

John Wilson —– 1541.

Nicholas Williamson —– Will dated 22nd Aug., 1561; died 1561.

George Gibson —– 1577.

Christopher Vickers —– 1582.

Richard Jackson, mar. Alice Robson, widow, 24th July, 1606, at Monk Hesleden — 1586.

Thomas Granger. Mr. Thomas Granger, Minister of Castle Eden, bur. at Monk Hesleden 28th June —– 1609.

Thomas Branger —– oc. *1635.

Stephen Woodifield, M.A., Vicar of Hart; Peterhouse Coll., Cambridge —– died 1708 1673.

Walter Bourn —– bur. 20th Jan., 1771, aged 89 1724.

John Todd, B.A., St. John’s Coll., Cambridge; bur. 13th Mar., 1786; p. res. Bourn 1763.

James Ord, M.A., of West Langton Hall, Co. Leicestershire; Rector of Whitfield, 1784, until his death, 29th Jan., 1843; Christ Church, Oxford —– 1786.

Henry Forster Mills, M.A.; Trinity Coll., Cambridge ; p. res. Ord 1795.

Ralph Henry Brandling, M.A., Rector of Middleton, near Leeds; St. John’s Coll., Cambridge —– p. res. Mills 1803.

Henry King Collinson, M.A.; resigned for Stannington; Queen’s Coll., Oxford —– p. res. Brandling 1828.

John Burdon, M.A.; resigned for English and Welsh Bicknor; University Coll., Oxford —– p. res. Collinson 1838.

John Edmunds, M.A. University College, Durham —– 1844.

Henry Baker Tristram, M.A.; resigned for Greatham; died at Durham, where he was Residentiary Canon; Lincoln Coll., Oxford —– p. res. Burdon 1849.

Charles Robinson Bird, M.A.; Exeter Coll., Oxford p. res. Tristram 1861.

Frederick Godwin Johnson Robinson, M.A.; University Coll., Oxford —– p.m. Bird 1885

Parish Records

FamilySearch

Poll Books

Poll Book Castle Eden 1868

CANDIDATES.
GEORGE ELLIOT, ESQUIRE.
SIR HEDWORTH WILLIAMSON, BARONET.
ISAAC LOWTHIAN BELL, ESQUIRE,

PROCEEDINGS AT THE NOMINATION.

The Nomination for the Northern Division of the County of Durham took place in the Market Place, Durham, (the County Courts being under repair), on Friday, the 20th of November, 1868.

W. E. WOOLER, Esquire, Under Sheriff, Returning Officer.

SIR HEDWORTH WILLIAMSON, Baronet, of Whitburn Hall, was proposed by Henry John Baker-Baker, Esquire, of Elemore Hall, and seconded by Joseph Laycock, Esquire, of Low Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

GEORGE ELLIOT, Esquire, of Houghton Hall, was proposed by Richard Laurence Pemberton, Esquire, of The Barnes, and seconded by John Lloyd Wharton, Esquire, of Dryburn.

ISAAC LOWTHIAN BELL, Esquire, of Washington Hall, was proposed by The Right Honourable Sir William Hutt, K.C.B., of Gibside, and seconded by Augustus Henry Hunt, Esquire, of Birtley.

The Show of Hands was declared to be in favour of George Elliot, Esquire, and Sir Hedworth Williamson, Baronet; and a Poll was demanded for Isaac Lowthian Bell, Esquire, which took place on Tuesday, the 24th of November.

Note: No. 26. Scott Percival — Did not vote