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Parish Notes Northumberland

Longbenton St Bartholomew

[Population 1911: 5,939]

Church

The church of St. Bartholomew, standing on low ground, about half a mile to the north-east of the village, and very nearly in the centre of the ancient parish, probably occupies the site of an edifice existing here in 1130, if not earlier; there was a church here in the 14th century, and fragments of a building of that period were found during the last restoration: the church was restored in 1791 and the chancel floor raised in 1838, and in 1855 the chancel was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style and the whole structure new roofed, a stained east window being given at the same time by Dr. Thomas Addison, of Spring Gardens, London, as a memorial to his parents: in 1873-75, the church was restored and enlarged under the direction of Mr. R.J. Johnson, architect, at a cost of about £3,000: in 1885 and embattled south porch was erected at a cost of £120, and in 1888 new vestries for the clergy and choir, were built on the north side of the chancel, at a cost of about £220: the church now consists of chancel, nave of five bays, south aisle, organ chamber, vestry, south porch and a western tower with four pinnacles and spire containing one bell: a stained memorial window has been placed in the tower to J. Middleton esq. and Mrs. Middleton, late of Benton House: there are sittings for 380 persons. [Kelly's Directory of Durham and Northumberland (1890), page 725.]

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History

Newcastle Courant 5/11/1791 Wednesday, the newly erected church at Longbenton, was consecrated by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Peterborough. After the ceremony, an eloquent sermon was preached on the occasion, by the Rev. Mr Stephenson, of Bishopwearmouth.

Newcastle Courant 1/6/1805 (4c) The register book of Long Benton was stolen out of the church in the night of Saturday last.

Newcastle Courant 24/6/1859 (8d) Through the efforts of the Rev. J.S. Blair, of Long Benton, with the co-operation of the churchwardens, an organ has been placed in that church, built by Messrs Flight and Robson, of London.

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The Parish Chest

Notes on the parish registers by Edwin Dodds

Volume I seems to be a post folio volume the outside dimensions of which are 11½ x 7 5/8th x ¾ inch thick. It is quarter bound in old smooth calf, with marbled paper sides. On the leather back is written in ink "1669 to 1723", and on the front board is a paper label, "Register 1st / Baptisms from April 22nd 1670 / to Feby 22nd 1723 / Marriages from 1669 to 1723 / Burials from 1669 to 1723./ The binding is worn, rubbed, and worm-holed.

The book is of paper not parchment, and seems to have been made for a cash book as it is ruled with date and money columns. It has 97 leaves (194 pages) of original paper and it has at the front five, and at the back thirteen leaves of end paper not written on, and probably added at some time when the book was re-bound. The leaves are 11¼ x 7¼ inches. The paper is laid, of fair quality, and has a goblet water-mark but no date; the end-papers have a different water-mark with GR. The book has not been paged.

The entries are nearly all made on one side of the paper only. From 1669 to 1702 they are in Latin, with occasional words in Greek, - later they are in English. The general condition of the book is sound and good; the edges of the leaves are worn and frayed and the top of the first page is torn off; the earlier writing is careful and good, the ink still of good colour, there seems to be no missing pages.

On page 20 there is a number of forms for entering baptisms; these seem to have been used by the Rev William Musgrave while he kept the Register from 1669 to 1723; they run,

Baptizar baptizari

Renastri fonte baptismatis, albui, expiari, tingi
E fonte consecrato lympha aspersi
Chrysmate ungi, Lavacri salutaris unda dilui
Sacra purari unda
Per aquam sacri baptismi et renovationem spiritus sancti
ab originalbus viniculus expeddiri. Sacro baptismate lavare.
Fonte sacro corpus tingere. Albuere sacra baptismatis unda.
Spergere sacro flumine. Liquido de fonte renatus
Salutiferi baptismatis amne novatur
Te fontis et lavacri rorem subisse sanctum

1670
May 3
Margareta puella Gulielmi Musgravij Megele-bentoniensis Vixarij vigesimo secundo die Aprillis in orbe hoc terrum intrat molesto tempore matutino, autem tertio die Mail domesticam ablutionem in salutis pignus accepit sacerdote E       doniensi Josepho Dacres Anno regni Regis Caroli 2di: 22: An: Dom. 1670

1670/1
Mch 12
Joannes pusillus puerculus Joannis Smith Aquilonariae Weetsled-densiae in chorum Christianorum duodecimo die Martij admissus fuit Joannes Jackson Joannes Blythe Margeria spospoonsores

1671
Apr 5
Dorothea Johannis Johnson Megalongbetoniensis incolae puella die quinto Aprilis ablutionem sacrem in salutis pignus accepit Jasperus Potts Margareta Wilson Elizabeth Bell de Castro novo super Tynam consponsores ejus 1671

1671/2
Feb 10
Quemadodeum ferunt Sarah Joannis Punchon de Killingworth in domestica intima aqua sacra fuit ergo lustratus dies ejus decimo die februarij erat apartu Virginus 1671

16__
Apr 5
Mary virguncula Antonij Bowden incola x x de Walker instinctionem domesticam sacrum die quinto Aprilis accept Matthaeo Green Maria Stokoe Jana Hogg susceptoribus ejus Ansio redemtionis nostraemilesimo sexcentissimo septuagesimo

[Page 2]

[Torn at top]

1671
t Joan
no Ro

1671
sto nomen
efferson

1671
ristianu
ell con-

1671
diem lus-
Roberto

1671
Aug 20
vigesimo die Au
Anna Chambers

Sep __
tomensis dedit nomen
Septembris 1671

Nov 14
chae       Chambers Megalo-Benthamiae in chorum
ssa erat decimo quarto die Novembris Petrus Wilkinson Jana Chambers junior susceptores fuere 1671

Sep 17
      ulielmi Fenwick de Magna Benthamiae ablutionem sacram accepit Jacob Young Edvardo Kash Dorothea Gamblin deci mo septimo die Septembris 1671

1671/2
Jan 21
    Jasperi Pots de Benthamia parva sed magna Christianoruum acceptus erat vicessimo primo die Januarii
      Guielmo Chambers Alexandro Bullock Jana Chambers conjuge
      aelis Chambers sonsponsorbus

1671
Nov 12
      obus filiolus Alexandri Currey Boreae Weeetsleddentiae in societa       Christianorum admissus erat undecimo die Novembris domesti       Jacobo Burfield Joanne Urwin Margeria Watson       sceptoribus 1671

May 19
onnes gnatus Alexandri Jefferson grandis Benthamiae diem lustri       um recepit decimo nono die Maij Joannes Smith Gulelmus Robinson Isabella Spoor consponsores fuere 1671

Dec 27
Thomas filius Thomae Bullman Boreae Weetsleddentiae dedit nomen Christo sacra intinctione vicissimo septimo die Decembris Gulielmo ___lman Georgio Bullman de Stighil et Isabella Cammel susceptoribus 1671

1672
Jly 21
Roberti Mow Anna foliola Magnae Betoniae lavacri salutaris unda diluitur vigesimo primo die Julij Thomas Gofton junior Maria Oxley Anna Scot susceptores 1672

Jyl 22
Willielmus filiolus Joannis Laing senioris lavacro regenerationis vitali intingebatur vigesimo secundo die Julij 1672 Joannes Laing junior Thomas Ward et Isabella Ward consponsores

Jly 31
Anna puera Guliellmi Forster grandis Benthamiae tinctus erat rege nerationis lavacro tricissimaferia Julij in tempore nostis Thoma Midleton Jana Robson Annae Reed susceptoribus 1672

Aug
[Ja]cobus Gulielmi Wigham opilionis et bubulci decumance Bentoniensis _r aqua ablutionem asondibus peccatorum mundatis quartae feria Augusti Thoma Warton Joanne Marshall Elizabeth Bonner consponsoribus 1672

Aug 7
Willmus puerculus Georgij Laws de Killingworthensi per aquae abluti _em asordibus peccatirum mundatus septimo Augusti die Roberto ___glas Roberto Widdyfeild Margaretta Bullock consponsoribus

1672
Nov 12
Antonius puerulus Josephi Redhead de Killingworth in chorum christiorum admissa erat duodecimo die Novembris 1672 Dorothe Truick & Jane Tulip ...

EP 32/38 Burials 1813-1835

EP 32/39 Burials 1835-1856

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Non-Parochial Records

Newcastle Courant 23/10/1784 In the parish of Longbenton, a young sow, of a very small kind, which may be sed to [weigh] about 14 stone, has, within the last 16 months, farrowed four times; the 1st time she had 17 pigs, the 2d time 20, the 3d time 17, and the 4th time 21; in all 75.

Newcastle Courant 17/10/1789 Thursday, being the first day of the Hunt, Geo. Colpitts, Esq. gave a grand entertainment to the Gentlemen of the Forest Hunt, at Killingworth, when a large Turtle, brought home in the Arabelia, was served up.

Newcastle Courant 17/11/1798 On the 2d instant, some wretch hamstringed a valuable cow in the pasture of Wm. Brown, Esq. of Long Benton. A similar attempt was made a few days before on a horse, belonging to another gentleman in that neighbourhood, but fortunately the tendon was not completely divided.

Newcastle Courant 25/4/1801 FIVE GUINEAS REWARD. WHereas WILLIAM BEWICKE, of Walker, in the Parish of Long Benton, in the County of Northumberland, Farmer, absconded on Wednesday the 15th Day of April, instant, with 186l. 16s. 2d. which he had collected as one of the Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish. The said Wm. Bewicke is about five feet seven or eight Inches high, stout made, fair Complexion, and wears his own Hair cut short. A Reward of FIVE GUINEAS will be paid to any Person who shall apprehend or give such Information as will lead to the Apprehension of the said Wm. Bewicke, by applying to John Holdroyd, John Crawford, John Hunnan, and William Lambert, the present Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Long Benton.- 21st April, 1801.

Newcastle Courant 30/6/1810 On Tuesday morning, about two o'clock, a fire broke out in the manufactory of Messrs Losh and Co. at Walker, which at one time threatened the most serious consequences to the whole building; but luckily having an excellent engine of their own upon the spot, they were enabled by the prompt and indefatigable exertions of their workmen, and the kind assistance of the people in the neighbourhood, soon to get it under. The Newcastle firemen with all possible speed arrived with a couple of engines. How the fire was communicated is not exactly known, but it is suspected it was from the engine chimney. The extent of the damage cannot yet be accurately ascertained, but it will not be very considerable, and the whole property is insured in the Hope office.

Newcastle Courant 13/6/1812 George Coxon, servant to Mr Wm Collingwood, of the township of Murton, farmer, was convicted on Tuesday last, before the magistrates, at Dockwray-square, in the penalty of 10s. for driving his cart furiously upon the turnpike road betwen Newcastle and Shields, and thereby dangerously injuring Isabella Bell, the wife of Andrew Bell, of East Benton, pitman.

Newcastle Courant 1/7/1820 John Shepherd, of Wooler, labourer, a notorious smuggler, was on Tuesday last committed by Robert Wm Brandling Esq. to the New Moot Hall prison, for trial at the next Northumberland sessions, charged with an outrageous and violent assault upon Mr Samuel Tweddell, a publican at the Six Mile Bridge, north road. Mr Tweddell, who is upwards of 70 years of age, has totally lost the sight of one eye in consequence of the blow.

Newcastle Courant 28/6/1823 In the night of the 19th inst. a melancholy accident occured at the Gosforth Pit at Walker Colliery, near this town. Six men were employed in clearing out an old air shaft which had been filled up about 20 years, 4 working upwards, and 2 downwards. The latter were about 40 fathoms from the surface, when the whole mass, consisting of mud, stones, and water, gave way, and the six were instantly overwhelmed and smothered in the bottom of the pit, into which the rubbish forced its way for above 30 yards. The sufferers were - William Sutherland, under viewer, who has left a widow and two children; Forest Mitcheson, a widow and 4 children; Thomas Copeland, a widow and 2 children; William Bainbridge, a widow and 3 children; Thomas Sheeley, Jun. about 20 years of age. From the length of time which it had been filled up, the sufferers had no doubt of the earth in the shaft being solid, and hence they did not think of the least danger. Immediate exertions were made to dig out the bodies.

Newcastle Courant 7/12/1833 An inquest was held at Hazelrigg, on the 27th inst., by Stephen Reed, Esq., coroner, on the body of John Gibson, engine-man at Wideopen Colliery, who lost his life on the Tuesday previous, by the bursting of one of the boilers of the main pumping-engine, about 9 o'clock at night. No person being there but himself, and the boiler being in a good state of repair, the cause of this melancholy occurence is left entirely to conjecture. The verdict was "accidental death," without any deodand, the jury being unable to find out any ground of blame.

Newcastle Courant 28/5/1858 The annual tea party of the Wideopen Mechanic's Institution, was held on Whit Monday, under a large tent erected in a field, the reading room being inadequate for the assembly. After tea, the dancing and other amusements were enjoyed until the shades of evening separated the company.

Newcastle Courant 12/10/1860 A daring burglary was committed at Long Benton, on Monday night. A thief, effecting an entrance by a back window into the house of Mr Peter Charlton, secured a box, containing £50 in gold and silver, the property of a female club that meets at the house. The box was subsequently found, empty of course, in a stable connected with the premises. Up to the present time the thief has eluded the police, but there is ground for believing that he will be captured before long.

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