Wolsingham
Encyclopedia
Wolsingham is a small market town in Weardale
, County Durham
, England
. It is situated by the River Wear
, between Crook
and Stanhope
in North West Durham
.
's Life of Godric where it is stated that the Saint lived there for almost two years about 1120 AD with Elric the hermit.
Wolsingham was then a thriving community, holding land by servile tenure. There were shepherds, plough-makers, beekeepers, forest keepers, wood turners, carters, etc. They toiled for two purposes - producing corn and other foodstuffs for themselves and supplying the larder of the Bishop's Castle
. The Bishop and his friends indulged in hawking, but hunting for red deer in the parks of Wolsingham and Stanhope
was their principal pastime. The bishops' hunting forest in Weardale
was the second largest in England after the New Forest
.
It is traditionally reported that Edward III on returning from his unfruitful encounter with the Scots in Weardale in April 1327 rested at the Pack Horse Inn, then situated in the High Street.
In 1615, a market charter was granted to the bailiff and inhabitants of Wolsingham, and in 1667 the charter was confirmed with the appointment of a piece of land to hold the market and fairs. This market was of considerable importance and offered many facilities to the surrounding districts. There were several looms in the town; table linens, draperies, weaving materials and clothes were always in demand. Drapers from Yorkshire
and Newcastle upon Tyne
frequented the market, as did hatters from Hexham
and Barnard Castle
. Spices and gingerbread were also on sale.
A memorial to the Roman Catholic priest John Duckett marks the spot where he was arrested before being taken to Tyburn, where he was executed in 1644. There is a Roman Catholic church and convent (now converted to housing) in the town, along with large Church of England, Baptist, and Methodist congregations.
A grammar school was established in 1614, and in 1911 a new building was opened. It is now part of a split-site Comprehensive school
Wolsingham is served by the Weardale Railway
, whose trains run from Bishop Auckland
to Stanhope
.
The town has a children's recreation area inhabited by many duck
s. It is still known locally as The Willas, which is the Anglo-Saxon word for duck-pond.
Another ancient name still in use is lydgate, which is Anglo-Saxon for a hanging gate.
Wolsingham Primary School has over 200 pupils, divided into classes. Foundation Stage 2 - Year 6 are located in the school. A small nursery is located in the school grounds. It includes: Disabled access, climbing frame, two playgrounds, four toilets, ICT room, school hall and seven classrooms. Age rating: 5-11.
Headteacher: Mr J M Armitage
Website
Weardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
, 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 situated by the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, between Crook
Crook, County Durham
Crook is a market town in County Durham, England. It is situated about 10 miles south-west of Durham.Crook lies a couple of miles north of the River Wear, on the A690 from Durham...
and Stanhope
Stanhope
-Places:* Stanhope, Victoria, Australia* Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, Canada* Stanhope, Quebec, Canada* Stanhope, County Durham, England, UK* Stanhope, Kent, England, UK* Stanhope, Peeblesshire, Scotland, UK* Stanhope, Iowa, US* Stanhope, New Jersey, US...
in North West Durham
North West Durham
North West Durham is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It is considered to be a safe seat for the Labour Party; the majority of the electorate live in...
.
History
Wolsingham sits at the confluence of the River Wear and Waskerley Beck. It is a Saxon settlement and one of the first market towns in County Durham, deriving its name from Waelsingas, or Sons of Wael, an ancient Saxon family that once lived there. The earliest known record of the town is to be found in Reginald of DurhamReginald of Durham
Reginald of Durham was an English monk and hagiologist.Reginald, a monk at Durham, was a hagiologist who wrote about the lives of saints. His best known work is about the hermit Saint Godric of Finchale...
's Life of Godric where it is stated that the Saint lived there for almost two years about 1120 AD with Elric the hermit.
Wolsingham was then a thriving community, holding land by servile tenure. There were shepherds, plough-makers, beekeepers, forest keepers, wood turners, carters, etc. They toiled for two purposes - producing corn and other foodstuffs for themselves and supplying the larder of the Bishop's Castle
Auckland Castle
Auckland Castle is a castle in the town of Bishop Auckland in County Durham, England....
. The Bishop and his friends indulged in hawking, but hunting for red deer in the parks of Wolsingham and Stanhope
Stanhope
-Places:* Stanhope, Victoria, Australia* Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, Canada* Stanhope, Quebec, Canada* Stanhope, County Durham, England, UK* Stanhope, Kent, England, UK* Stanhope, Peeblesshire, Scotland, UK* Stanhope, Iowa, US* Stanhope, New Jersey, US...
was their principal pastime. The bishops' hunting forest in Weardale
Weardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
was the second largest in England after the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
.
It is traditionally reported that Edward III on returning from his unfruitful encounter with the Scots in Weardale in April 1327 rested at the Pack Horse Inn, then situated in the High Street.
In 1615, a market charter was granted to the bailiff and inhabitants of Wolsingham, and in 1667 the charter was confirmed with the appointment of a piece of land to hold the market and fairs. This market was of considerable importance and offered many facilities to the surrounding districts. There were several looms in the town; table linens, draperies, weaving materials and clothes were always in demand. Drapers from 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...
and Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
frequented the market, as did hatters from Hexham
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
and 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 ...
. Spices and gingerbread were also on sale.
A memorial to the Roman Catholic priest John Duckett marks the spot where he was arrested before being taken to Tyburn, where he was executed in 1644. There is a Roman Catholic church and convent (now converted to housing) in the town, along with large Church of England, Baptist, and Methodist congregations.
A grammar school was established in 1614, and in 1911 a new building was opened. It is now part of a split-site Comprehensive school
Modern Wolsingham
Wolsingham Agricultural Society holds its annual show on the first weekend in September. It is said to be the oldest show in the country.Wolsingham is served by the Weardale Railway
Weardale Railway
The Weardale Railway is a British single-track branch line railway providing regular daily passenger service between Bishop Auckland , Wolsingham, Frosterley and Stanhope. Services began on 23 May 2010 after a lapse of almost sixty years. The railway originally ran from Bishop Auckland to...
, whose trains run from Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
to Stanhope
Stanhope, County Durham
Stanhope is a small market town in County Durham, in England. It is situated on the River Wear between Eastgate and Frosterley on the north side of Weardale. The A689 trans-Pennine road meets the B6278 road from Barnard Castle to Shotley Bridge here....
.
Trivia
Early on the morning of Saturday 26 May 2007, a van carrying oxy-acetylene welding equipment exploded in the town, killing two men and causing significant damage to property.The town has a children's recreation area inhabited by many duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s. It is still known locally as The Willas, which is the Anglo-Saxon word for duck-pond.
Another ancient name still in use is lydgate, which is Anglo-Saxon for a hanging gate.
Education
Wolsinhma has three schools:- Wolsingham Primary School
Wolsingham Primary School has over 200 pupils, divided into classes. Foundation Stage 2 - Year 6 are located in the school. A small nursery is located in the school grounds. It includes: Disabled access, climbing frame, two playgrounds, four toilets, ICT room, school hall and seven classrooms. Age rating: 5-11.
Headteacher: Mr J M Armitage
Website
- Wolsingham Community College
Businesses in Wolsingham
This is an incomplete list. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.| Shop/Business/Company Name | Sells/Specialises in | Opening date | Formerly called |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolsingham Taxis | Taxis | Unknown | |
| Wolsingham Library | Selling and borrowing books | Unknown | |
| Wolsingham Animal Feeds Ltd. | Unknown | ||
| Wolsingham Post Office | Sorting Post/Books, Stationary and gifts (Sixes and Sevens) | ||
| Sixes and Sevens | Gifts | 2009 | Pizza Takeaway (????-2009), Peggoty's (1985/1986-????), Video Shop (1981/1982-1983/1984), Shuttleworth (????-????) |
| Wolsingham Community Pool Ltd. Wolsingham Community College Wolsingham School & Community College is a two-part secondary school, located in Wolsingham, County Durham.-Lower school:Wolsingham Lower School is part of Wolsingham School & Community College which has classes on two floors and a big playground. The school is situated just off the A689, and near... |
Swimming | Unknown | |
| Wolsingham Constitutional Club/Wolsingham Workmen's Club | Unknown | ||
| Lau's Chinese Takeaway | Chinese Food | Unknown | Barbers (????-????) |
| Shuttleworth's | Everyday things (except food) and gifts | Unknown | |
| Antiques Shop | Antiques | Unknown | |
| The Paper Shop | Everyday things | Unknown | Paper shop and post office (????-????) |
| Spar Spar In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a... |
Everyday things, DVDs, magazines, toys | Unknown | Kiddikare (????-????)/Grocery shop (????-????) |
| Confectious: Retro Sweets and Candy of Yester-Year | Sweets and Cards | 16 March 2010 | Better Value Lettings(2009-2010), Arts & Crafts Shop(2009), Barbers Shop (????-2009), Bakers shop (????-????) |
| Flower Shop | Flowers | 2010 | Freaks fruit and veg (????-????) |
| Peggoty's | Food | Unknown | The Kings Head (????-????) |
| Craven's Fish Shop | Fish and Chips | Unknown | Turnbulls (????-????) |
| Black Bull Inn | Unknown | ||
| The Bay Horse | Unknown | ||
| Watson's | Petrol | Unknown | |
| Julie's Coffee Shop and Restaurant | Coffee Shop and Restaurant | Cafe poke roll(????-????), Bakers (????-????), The Beehive (????-????) | |
| Wolsingham Pharmacy | Unknown | Spar Spar In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a... |
|
| Estate Angents | Houses | Unknown | Frank butterill paper shop (????-????) |
| Barclays Bank | Money | Unknown | |
| Butcher's | Unknown | ||
| Mace | 2010 | Watson's Garage (????-2010) |