STOCKTON WARD 



BILLINGHAM 



case stated in 1228 that when Simon the Chamber- 

 lain, an incumbent of Billingham, was dying he (the 

 witness) was sent by Simon's son Henry to Prior 

 Bertram (11 88-1 2 12) asking him to defend the 

 church against any encroachment on the part of 

 the bishop. Henry held it for life, and it was 

 afterwards served by a monk of Durham.'''' The 

 rectory must, therefore, have been impropriated to 

 the priory. The right of the prior and convent to 

 the church was fully acknowledged by Bishop Richard 

 de Bury in 1343.''' A vicarage had then been in 

 existence for at least fifty-two years. "^^ In 1314 the 

 parish chaplains of Norton, Billingham, and Grindon 

 were ordered to admonish their parishioners to deliver 

 money left for the repair of bridges between Norton 

 and Billingham to the perpetual vicar of Billingham. "^^ 

 The existence of the parochial chaplain may indicate 

 that the vicar was non-resident. This was the case in 

 1577-87, when John Magbray or Mackbrey was 

 vicar. A curate was in charge, and in 1587 the 

 parishioners complained that the sacraments had 

 sometimes been performed by strange curates, and 

 that one couple had had to go to Wolviston to be 

 married."* The advowson was granted in 1541 to 

 the dean and chapter, whose successors are now 

 patrons. 



The rectory was leased in I 541 by Henry VIII to 

 John Leigh for twenty-one years," but was shortly 

 afterwards granted to the dean and chapter,'^ and in 

 1555 it was annexed to the deanery.'' 



Rent was paid by free tenants in Billingham in 

 1430 to the light of the Blessed Virgin in the church.'^ 



A chapel dependent on Billingham Church existed 

 at Wolviston from the time of Richard I.^^ It was 

 dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, and in the 1 6th 

 century was said to belong to the gild of St. Mary 

 Magdalene."'' It was granted by Elizabeth in 1572 

 to Percival Gunston and his heirs,"' but seems to have 

 continued in use as late as 1634."' It was in ruins, 

 however, for some time before I 716, when the church- 

 wardens by legal process freed it from the control of 

 the vicar of Billingham, and then rebuilt it with a 

 dedication in honour of St. Peter."' The living was 

 declared a rectory in 1866.*'' It is in the gift of the 

 dean and chapter. 



Richard de Hoton, prior i 289-1 308, built a chapel 

 at Bewley,"' which is mentioned several times in the 

 14th and 1 6th centuries. "- 



The Poor's Land, the origin of 

 CHJRITIES which is unknown, consists of two 

 houses and 4 acres, producing together 

 j^24 yearly; the net income is distributed in small 

 money doles by the incumbents and churchwardens 

 of the several ecclesiastical districts in the ancient 

 parish of Billingham. 



In 1725 Ann Chapman by her will gave to the 

 poor ;^20, now represented by ;^20 4/. iJ. consols. 



In 1790 Alice Gardner by her will gave £20 for 



the poor. The legacy was augmented by accumu- 

 lations to j^6o consols. 



In 1846 Robert Baiston by his will, proved at 

 York, gave ;^20 for the benefit of poor widows, now- 

 represented hy £ij los. consols. 



In 1894 Lawrence Featonby Holwell Shortt by 

 will, proved at London, gave £30 to the poor. The 

 legacy, less duty, was invested in £25 19/. 8/ consols. 



The several sums of stock are held by the official 

 trustees, producing together £i I/. 8</. yearly, which 

 is distributed in small money doles to the poor, prin- 

 cipally to widows. 



The charity of Thomas Newton, founded by will 

 dated 29 July 1820, is regulated by a scheme of the 

 Charity Commissioners of 20 January 1920. The 

 endowment consists of a sum of j^'108 zi. ^d. consols, 

 with the official trustees, which is applicable for the 

 benefit of deserving poor in the following proportions, 

 namely, two-fifths to the township of Newton B«wley 

 and one-fifth to each of the parishes of Norton, 

 Wolviston, and Billingham. 



Church Lands. — There are certain lands in the 

 parish, the rents of which have been applied to the 

 support of the church at least from the year 1676. 

 The property consists of two grass fields containing 

 8 acres, ' The Half Moon,' formerly a public-house, a 

 field containing 4 acres, and a cottage, the whole 

 producing about £60 yearly. A sum of ^^17 ^s. ^d. 

 consols with the official trustees represents proceeds of 

 sale of land to the Durham County Council. The 

 income is applied for the general purposes of the 

 parish church. 



Site for a SunJay school and mission room, being 

 half an acre of land at Nelson Avenue, Haverton Hill, 

 conveyed by deed of 27 March 1922 from the Furness 

 Shipbuilding Co. and Marmadu'-;e Viscount Furness 

 and others to Robert Boardnian and others. 



The Mary Trotter Charity is comprised in a 

 declaration of trust dated 24 November 1923. The 

 endowment consists of ^^398 9;. id. 5 per cent. War 

 Stock with the official trustees, and the dividends, 

 amounting to /19 18/. 6d. yearly, are applicable by 

 the vicar and churchwardens for the benefit of the 

 poor of the ecclesiastical parish of Billingham St. 

 Cuthbert. 



For the schools see article on schools.**' 



CowpEN Bewley. — There is a field at Cowpen 

 Bewley, known as the Poor's Field, containing 

 3 a. I r. 26 p., the rent whereof, amounting to £8 a 

 year, is applied in support of the National school. 

 (See article on schools.**'') 



Wolviston. — In 1876 Lydia Wilson by her will, 

 proved at Durham, gave j^^ioo, the income to be 

 distributed to the poor of Wolviston and Newton 

 Bewley. The legacy was invested in X'°+ ^'- 9'^- 

 consols, with the official trustees, the annual dividends 

 of which, amounting to £i 1 is., are distributed in 

 money doles. 



«« FioJ. Prior. Dunclm. (Surt. Soc), 

 249, 271. 



" Richard D' Autigtrvillt of Bury (Surt. 

 Soc), 1 8 1. 



" Po/'f Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 329. 

 The ordination ii attributed by Surtees 

 to Prior William de Cowton (i 323-43) 

 (Surtecs, op. cit. iii, 147). This must 

 have been a second settlement. 



«' Reg. Palat. Duntlm. (Rolls Set.), ii, 

 683. 



'" Bp. Barms' Injunction: (Surt. Soc), 



' 3 ';-7- 



" L. and P. Hen. rill, xvi, p. 72S. 

 "Ibid. 6.878(33). 

 ^^ Hutchinson, op. cit. ii, 126 j cJ. 

 Halmoie R. (Surt. Soc), 210. 



" Fnd. Prior. Dunelm. (Surt. Soc), 



43- 



'• Cal. dart. R. 1327-41, p. 324. 

 " Pat. 14 Eliz. pt. i, m. 13. 

 " Ibid. 



20J 



'» yffO 0/ High Com. (Surt. Soc), 79. 



"• Fordyce, op. cit. ii, 313; Bacon, 

 Liter Regis, 1268. 



•» Lond. Gaz. 30 Nov. 1866, p. 6654. 



"' Hist. Dunelm. Scrift. Tret (Surt. 

 Soc), 73. 



" Dur. Acci. R. (Surt. Soc), ii, 575 ; 

 iii, 586 ; Dur. Household Bk. (Surt. Soc), 

 170, 183. 



" r.C.H. Dur. i, 404. 



"< Ibid. 40?. 



