Cockfield
"This parish comprising the townships of Cockfield and
Woodland, is bounded on the north by Lynesack, on the west by the
parish of Middleton-in-Teesdale, on the south by Barnard Castle
and Staindrop parishes, and on the east by St. Helen's Auckland.
The parish comprises an area of 4416 acres. This parish, though to
all appearance under Staindrop, is actually the rectory, and
Staindrop simply an annexed vicarage. The township of Woodland is
completely separated from that of Cockfield by the chapelry of
Lynesack, and the township of Langley Dale in the parish of
Staindrop.
Cockfield Township had a ratable value, in 1893, of £6587.
Cockfield Fell is a large tract, extending northward
from the village to the Gaunless and it is about 2 miles in width
from east to west. Coal has been worked on it from an early
period, and Vavasour's mine here is the first inland colliery on
record. The coals, however, have been nearly all worked out.
Besides the great wealth of coal beneath the surface of this bleak
fell, there are immense quantities of stone, the most valuable
being the whinstone, which is extensively quarried for road metal,
the quarrying of which gives employment to a great many hands. The
coal mines and quarries are the principle source of employment in
this district, though farming is to some extent carried on.
"The Fell was, about 1864-65, turned into a stinted
common, of which there are 1100 stints, divided amongst the
freeholders in the ratio of the ratable value of their property at
that time. The rights and regulations of the Fell are governed by
a body of men called Fieldreeves, who are to be freeholders, and
elected by their fellow-freeholders.
"The Village - Cockfield is a long scattered
village of healthy situation, on the summit of the Fell, seven
miles south-west from Bishop Auckland, and three north from
Staindrop, and about nine north-east from Barnard Castle. It has
been much improved of late years, and along the road through the
village trees have been planted. The railway station is about a
mile distant on the Auckland and Barnard Castle Branch. Burnt
Houses and Esperley are small hamlets near to the
village.
"Woodland, a township in this parish, though, as
before remarked, separated from Cockfield by Lynesack chapelry and
the township of Langley Dale, consists of a bleak and sterile
district which contained in 1851, 46 inhabited houses. The ratable
value of the township in 1893 was £3292. Coal abounds in this
township, and is wrought in several parts by the Woodland
Collieries Co., Limited, who are working principally by drifts.
"Woodland Village, which is just within the
boundary of the township, is a straggling district, situated on an
eminence four and a half miles north-west of Cockfield, seen and a
half north by east from Barnard Castle, and about ten west by
south from Bishop Auckland. There is a good school, a fine
assembly room, and a chapel."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan
, London, 1894]
The monumental inscriptions in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin
have been transcribed, indexed and published by the Cleveland
Family History Society.
"The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 461; in 1811, 475; in
1821, 533; in 1831, in consequence of the employment of labourers
in railway works, it had increased to 790; in 1841, it was 994;
and in 1851, owing to the partial working of collieries, and the
cessation of labour at a large stone quarry, it had decreased to
647; in 1861 there were 1004; in 1871, 1030; in 1881, 1205; and in
1891 it had increased to 1572."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham,
Whellan , London, 1894]
The 1851 Census Index (booklet 60) published by the Cleveland
Family History Society may be of value to researchers interested
in this parish.
"The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a small
unpretentious stone edifice, which was considerably restored in
1868. Its earliest portions date from the beginning of the
thirteenth centurym, but only two or three of the windows are of
this date, the others being of later insertion. The church
consists of nave, chancel, south porch, and a vestry; ove rthe
western end of the nave is the bell-cot.
"The seating in the church provides for 180. The living is
a rectory in the gift of Lord Barnard, with the vicarage of
Staindrop annexed. The value of this rectory is £270, and with
the living of Staindrop the income amounts to £570."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan
, London, 1894]
The Parish Registers for the period 1578-1966 are deposited at
Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/Coc).
Index to the Baptisms 1813-1838
(82 kbytes).
Index to the Burials 1807-1840
(31 kbytes).
Marriage indexes for 1579-1837
(27 kbytes) from the George
Bell Collection of Durham and Northumberland Indexes.
The Marriages (1579-1837) are included in the Joiner
Marriage Database.
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