Heworth

"The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 2887; in 1811, 2905; in 1821, 3921; in 1831, 5424; in 1841, 7008; in 1851, 8869; in 1861, 10,315; in 1871, 13,755; in 1881, 17,138; and in 1891, 18,454, including over 800 within the borough of Gateshead."

[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894]

"Heworth Church, St. Mary's, was probably founded by Ceolfrid, abbot of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, within two years of the consecration of Jarrow Church, A.D. 684. The twenty-three coins of the realm of King Ecgfrid, found in this churchyard in the year 1812, prove this, as they were most likely dedication coins placed under the foundation-stone of the original church; and as King Ecgfrid was killed in 685, this was probably the year in which the foundation-stone was laid. From that time until 1214 no further mention is made of this church, but in a record of that year reference is made to "the lands of the chapel of Heworth," and since that time notices of it are frequent. It was rebuilt in 1684, and again in 1711, at which date it was considerably enlarged. The present edifice was erected on the same site in 1822, and is a fine cruciform structure of stone in the Early Decorated style, with nave, transepts, shallow chancel, and square tower at the west containing a clock. The living is a vicarage, valued at £280, in the gift of Lord Northbourne, and held by the Rev. James Steele."

[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894]

The Parish Registers for the period 1696-1990 are deposited at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/Hew).

Marriage indexes for 1696-1774 and 1775-1837 from the George Bell Collection of Durham and Northumberland Indexes.

The Marriages (1696-1837) are included in the Joiner Marriage Index.

The following records for churches in the ancient parish of Heworth are also available at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL:-

• Felling, Christ Church 1866-1928 (EP/Fe).
• Felling, St. Peter 1913-1928 (EP/Fe.SP).

The web site Gateshead & Jarrow Methodist Circuit Family Tree Resources contains transcripts of several Methodist baptism registers.

"Heworth Village is situated at the junction of the Sunderland and South Shields Roads, three miles east from Gateshead. With the exception of a terrace recently built at the north-east end, the village has changed but little during the past thirty years. Heworth Shore lies on the riverside, and Heworth Lane is a little to the north of Heworth. Both places present a most dilapidated appearance, owing to the buildings formerly used as chemical manufactories having fallen into complete ruin, and to the unsightly mountains of "tank."

High Heworth is a village principally inhabited by miners, and is situated on the hill-side, about three-quarters of a mile to the south-west of Heworth, and near to Windy Nook.

"Bill Quay is a populous and rapidly improving village on the south bank of the Tyne, which here rises abruptly from the river. It is supposed to have derived its name from Bill Point, formerly a prominent projection from the north bank, which has now disappeared, having been cut away for the improvement of the river. It was at Bill Quay the chemical industry was first established in this county, at which time soda crystal and mineral alkali were produced from common salt. This industry, as well as other chemical processes, was successfully carried on for many years, but of late, the trade has greatly declined. In its stead has been established a large iron shipbuilding works, which, when in full operation, employs a considerable number of men.

"The present aspect of this neighbourhood compares but ill with the pleasant scene it presented before and even for some years after the establishment of the destructive alkali works. Its now somewhat bleak and uninteresting slopes were clad in nature's varied tints, and through the deep fern-grown denes, shaded by spreading trees, the sparkling streamlets flowed to join the coaly Tyne.

"To the west of the village there is a deep disused quarry, which, according to tradition, supplied the stone for the walls of Newcastle. Bill Quay is distant four miles east from Newcastle, and one and a half south-west from Hebburn, and from its elevated position above the Tyne a most interesting view is obtained of that busy river.

"Pelaw Main is a scattered village, lying on the river side, and contains many wooden dwellings; it is partly in this parish and partly in that of Hebburn.

"The village of Wardley is situated on the north side of the Sunderland Road, half-a-mile north-west of White-mere-pool, and about a mile and a half east of Heworth village. It is entirely inhabited by miners engaged at the colliery. There is a neat Primitive Methodist chapel here, built of brick, with stone dressings, erected in 1884, also a good Board school, which was built in 1878, to accommodate 180 infants."

[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894]

• Geograph
• Flickr

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Heworth to another place.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NZ289619 (Lat/Lon: 54.951055, -1.550961), Heworth which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

"Officers and Men from the Gateshead Area who gained Honours during the Great War 1914-1918". This has 374 names. Gateshead Library have photographs of all of them and can supply copies.