Gainford, County Durham
Encyclopedia
Gainford on Tees is a village on the north bank of the River Tees
in County Durham
, England
. It is half-way between Barnard Castle
and Darlington
, near Winston
, at OS
map reference NZ 1716.
Legend has it that residents on the two sides of the river disputed ownership of a ford across the Tees. In the eventual battle, residents of the Durham side of the river gained the ford, and their village became known as Gainford. On the Yorkshire
side of the river lies the site of the deserted village of Barforth or Barford, said to be named in memory of its residents' attempt to barricade the ford during the dispute.
In Anglo-Saxon
times, Gainford was the centre of an important estate, part of the Northumbrian Congregation of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
. In the Dark Ages this area was taken by Viking
s. Archaeologists have found Viking sculptures at Gainford and some examples of these may be seen on display at Durham Cathedral
. Many sculptures found at Gainford show both Northumbrian and Viking influence. Despite the Viking settlement, Northumbrian Angles remained major landowners along the banks of the Tees in Viking times.
In the nineteenth century Gainford village had its own spa. Today its main features are an unspoilt village green, a Jacobean hall
and a Georgian street called High Row. The village church of St Mary's, Gainford, stands on the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery built by Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne
in the early 9th century.
In 1904 the family of a deceased Joseph Edleston owned a plot of land next to the churchyard
of St. Mary's in Gainford. The children asked to erect a monument in the churchyard
in memory of Joseph's 41-year tenure at the church. The church refused permission, asserting that the churchyard was full, but that the family could donate their land to the church and then build a monument on part of it. Feeling slighted, the family immediately set about building themselves a house on their land with a 40-foot column erected next to the churchyard so it towered over the trees and pointed a huge V-sign in stone towards the church authorities. The Edleston Spite House
is still standing and occupied and has MCMIV (1904) over the front door.
The geographer Charles Bungay Fawcett
was educated at the school in the village.
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is half-way between Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
and Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, near Winston
Winston, County Durham
Winston is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Darlington.The nearby bridge over the River Tees also once held claim to being the biggest single stone arch bridge in Europe....
, at OS
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map reference NZ 1716.
Legend has it that residents on the two sides of the river disputed ownership of a ford across the Tees. In the eventual battle, residents of the Durham side of the river gained the ford, and their village became known as Gainford. On the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
side of the river lies the site of the deserted village of Barforth or Barford, said to be named in memory of its residents' attempt to barricade the ford during the dispute.
In Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times, Gainford was the centre of an important estate, part of the Northumbrian Congregation of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Saint Cuthbert was an Anglo-Saxon monk, bishop and hermit associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Northumbria, at that time including, in modern terms, northern England as well as south-eastern Scotland as far as the Firth of Forth...
. In the Dark Ages this area was taken by Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
s. Archaeologists have found Viking sculptures at Gainford and some examples of these may be seen on display at Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
. Many sculptures found at Gainford show both Northumbrian and Viking influence. Despite the Viking settlement, Northumbrian Angles remained major landowners along the banks of the Tees in Viking times.
In the nineteenth century Gainford village had its own spa. Today its main features are an unspoilt village green, a Jacobean hall
Gainford Hall
Gainford Hall is a privately owned Jacobean manor house at Gainford, County Durham. It is a Grade I listed building but as at 2009 is registered as a Building at Risk....
and a Georgian street called High Row. The village church of St Mary's, Gainford, stands on the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery built by Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne
Ecgred of Lindisfarne
Ecgred of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from 830 to 845. He was the founder, in 830, of a church on the site of the now ruined Jedburgh Abbey and it is thought he was also the founder of the settlement that later came to be known as Jedburgh...
in the early 9th century.
In 1904 the family of a deceased Joseph Edleston owned a plot of land next to the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
of St. Mary's in Gainford. The children asked to erect a monument in the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
in memory of Joseph's 41-year tenure at the church. The church refused permission, asserting that the churchyard was full, but that the family could donate their land to the church and then build a monument on part of it. Feeling slighted, the family immediately set about building themselves a house on their land with a 40-foot column erected next to the churchyard so it towered over the trees and pointed a huge V-sign in stone towards the church authorities. The Edleston Spite House
Spite house
A spite house is a building constructed or modified to irritate neighbors or other parties with land stakes. Spite houses often serve as obstructions, blocking out light or access to neighboring buildings, or as flamboyant symbols of defiance...
is still standing and occupied and has MCMIV (1904) over the front door.
The geographer Charles Bungay Fawcett
Charles Bungay Fawcett
Charles Bungay Fawcett Charles was born of farming stock in Staindrop, County Durham. He went to school in nearby Gainford village. Then he studied science at University College, Nottingham before a brief spell as a schoolteacher...
was educated at the school in the village.
External links
- Durham Rural Community Council, Community Appraisal 2002- Gainford & Winston
- Keys to the Past: Local History of Gainford
- Gainford History
- Ecumenical Gainford
- The Church of England Parish of Gainford St. Mary
- Original Indexes Research Notes: Parish Notes Durham - Gainford St Mary
- St. Osmund's Roman Catholic Church Gainford
- Gainford Spa
- Gainford Primary School
- 1891 England Census - Gainford
- A Sword-Dance Play performed at Gainford c.1860
- The Village website
- The Montalbo Village Hall in Gainford
- The History of Gainford