Houghton-le-Spring, fortified rectory

HER Number:
264

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Houghton-le-Spring, fortified rectory

Place:
Houghton-le-Spring

Map Sheet:
NZ34NW

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Clerical Dwelling

Site Type: Specific:
Vicarage

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C15-C17

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
This building is first mentioned in 1483 when John Kelinge began to enclose, fortify and embattle a house within his rectory with a wall of lime and stone, and to make a fortress of it without licence. Bishop Dudley pardoned the offence and granted a licence. In the second half of the 17th century the building was demolished, except for its tower and flanking rectory which were finally lost in the early 19th century. It is possible, however, that some parts of the medieval structure survived these bouts of demoliiton and rebuilding. LISTED GRADE 2*

Easting:
3409

Northing:
4983

Grid Reference:
NZ34094983

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 264 >> W. Hutchinson, 1787, History of…Durham, II, pp. 539-540 R. Surtees, 1816, History of…Durham, I, p. 157 Rev. C.E. Adamson, 1913, Houghton-le-Spring,Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 3, V (for 1911-12), pp. 51-52 Rev. H. Gee, 1913, The Correspondence of George Davenport,…Rector of Houghton… Archaeologia Aeliana, 3, IX, pp. 1-10 N. Pevsner, revised by E. Williamson, 1983, The Buildings of England: County Durham, p. 332 E. Mackenzie & M.Ross, 1834, Historical View of…Durham, Vol. II grangerised version, acc. No. 94126, opp. P. 343; Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 7/20; Paul Lanagan, 2013, Houghton-le-Spring Rectory - A Walk Around the Grounds (www.houghtonlespring.org.uk); Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd. 2014, Rectory Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording; TWAS, 1947-1956, Houghton Rectory, planned conversion to Council Offices (UD/HS/22);TWAS, Various plans relating to the conversion of existing buildings to Council Offices 1947-1950 (UD/HS/25/62-64); TWAS, The Rectory, Houghton-le-Spring showing existing floor plans, Sept 1947 (UD/HS/25/88); Northern Archaeological Associates, 2014, The Old Rectory, Houghton-le-Spring Building Recording