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AN

HISTORICAL, TOPOGRAPHICAL, AND DESCRIPTIVE

VIEW

OF THE

COUNTY PALATINE OF DURHAM;

COMPREHENDING THE VARIOUS SUBJECTS OF

NATURAL, CIVIL, AND ECCLESIASTICAL GEOGRAPHY,

AGRICULTURE,

MINES, MANUFACTURES, NAVIGATION, TRADE, COMMERCE,

BUILDINGS,

ANTIQUITIES, CURIOSITIES,

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, CHARITIES, POPULATION, CUSTOMS,

BIOGRAPHY, LOCAL HISTORY, &c.

VOLUME II.

BY E. MACKENZIE AND M. ROSS.

Newcastle upon Tyne:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MACKENZIE AND DENT, 181, PILGRIM STREET;

SOLD ALSO BY THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE COUNTIES OF DURHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND, NEWCASTLE, AND

IN BERWICK, &c.

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY MAY 15 1917

SUBSCRIPTION OF 1916

STOCKTON WAR D.

SOUTH-WEST DIVISION,

PARISH OF NORTON.

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N some of the old records, this parish is called Normanton; an appellation which Hutchinson derives from its old possessors, the Normans: but Surtees supposes that "the name is probably simply Norton, from its situation in reference to Stockton." It is not, however, likely that the place would receive its title from its relative position to a dependant town, which, in ecclesiastical matters, Stockton originally was. The parish of Norton is bounded by Billingham on the north-east and north, by Grindon on the north-west, by Redmarshall on the west, and by Stockton on the south and east. It forms only one constablery, which includes the manor of Blakiston. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was 965; but in 1811 they had increased to 1053, and in 1821 to 1186. In the year 1828-9, the value of the lands and buildings in the parish was estimated for the county-rate at £6299, 4s. 34d. per annum.

This is a member of one of the bishop's great manors, and is described in the Boldon Book as follows:-In Norton there were thirty villains, each holding two oxgangs of land under the like rents and services as those of Boldon, except cornage rent, which they did not pay, for want of pasturage.* There were twenty farmers, who held forty oxgangs of land, rendering, for every two oxgangs, half a mark. They each ploughed and harrowed half an acre in the lord's demesne, provided two men two days in mowing and reaping, and the like at hay-making; also, four carts one day, or one cart four days, for leading hay and corn; and dressed four portions of land in autumn, with all

"This exception," says Hutchinson, "confirms a curious particular, as it distinguishes, that the horn, sounding an alarm on the approach of an enemy, was not of a military nature, to call the vassals and tenants to arms, but to warn the husbandmen to drive their flocks and herds from the pastures into the strong-holds, where they had castle-guard."

their household, except the housewife. Alan de Normanton held one carucate of land for 10s., and provided thirty-two men to work one day, and four carts one day, or two for two days, to lead corn; and his men were to work, by dressing four portions of land in autumn, with their families, except the housewives. Adam, the son of Gilbert de Herdwick, held thirty-six acres of land in Norton near Herdwick, then called sixty acres; and rendered two marks at the bishop's pleasure. The mills had eight acres allotted to them, and the Mill-meadow, and paid twenty marks. The punder had four acres, and the thraves of Norton; and rendered fourscore hens and five hundred eggs. Twelve cottagers held tofts and crofts, and thirteen acres in the town-fields; rendering 6s., working fourteen days, and dressing four portions of land in autumn. North-meadows were in the bishop's hands. Norton paid 3s. for toll of ale. The whole vill provided two milch cows.

In Hatfield's Survey, the tenants are distinguished into tenants in drengage, free tenants, bond tenants, selfodes, cottagers, and tenants by exchequer rents. Alan de Normanton's tenure, said to be in drengage, was now, from an intermediate occupier, called Lucas-land, and vested in Sir Roger Fulthorpe, Knt.; and the whole of the services were commuted for 9s. 10d. rent at Michaelmas, and 10s. exchequer rent. The tenure consisted of two messuages and one carucate; the latter including eight oxgangs, of fifteen acres each. Sir Roger held twenty-nine acres besides, once Master John of Norton's, called Trumperland, under 6s. 8d. rent. Free tenants :-Richard Stanlawman, a messuage and three oxgangs, once of Adam Fitz-John, by foreign service and 11s.; Robert Johnson, a messuage and oxgang called Bysesland, 16s. 8d.; Robert Spurner, a messuage, three oxgangs, and twelve acres, once of William Fitz-Thomas the Clerk, 18s. 6d. and foreign service. Bond tenants:-John Sandy, and twenty-three others, each held one entire bond-land of two oxgangs (each of fifteen acres), for which he paid 2s. in money at the four usual terms; 6d. for scatpennies at the Purification; six bushels of scat-oats at the same period; and 6d. for averpennies at Martinmas. Each led five wainloads of wood on St. John's day, provided two hens at Christmas, and ten eggs at Easter. They wrought three days in every week, except a week at Easter and Pentecost, and thirteen days at Christmas. They were to fallow one day in the demesnes of Stockton, and thereby were entitled to a corrody. Every two villains were privileged to erect a booth at St. Cuthbert's fair; and when required, the villains were, in every year, to build a house, forty feet long, and fifteen wide. Every servant to a bond tenant, of the age of sixteen years, paid yearly to the lord, towards the portions or dressing of land in autumn, 12d. Selfodes, or those who subsisted independent of the lands, as self-holds, of whatever degree, dwellers in the vill, paid to the lord 3d. yearly. The punder paid fourscore hens at Christmas, and five hundred eggs at Easter. Cottagers :-William Couper held a cottage, once Adam Edeson's, and one acre of coteland, paid 6d., and owed thirteen days' work yearly; the price of composition for each day was a farthing, and the composition for four portions of tillage 3d. each by agreement: all these services were compounded for 114d. rent at Michaelmas. John Magson and nine others held eleven cottages and seven acres, and divers roods and parcels under the same services. The tenants held amongst them two acres and a rood, called Punderland, and paid as under Boldon Book, now 2s. 7d. obol. William Etys and three others held the common forge, 18d. John Mageson a dovecote, 6d. The tenants had the common bakehouse, 66s. 8d.; the toll of ale, 10s.; and they paid in lieu of two milch cows, 12s. Norton, Stokton, and Hertburn mills, with eight acres and the meadows near the mill, viz. Milnecrok, six acres on the south of the mill, 3s. per acre; one acre, called Seggecrok northwards, 4s. per acre; Crawcrok, half an acre, and Longacre, 3s.; altogether, £26, 13s. 4d. Exchequer rents :-Those who held exchequer lands, formerly the

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