Rectory Park

Rectory Park was landscaped in the 1940s when the Old Rectory (HER 264) became council offices and its grounds became a public park. The park has mature arboreal planting and a formal garden. The Gilpin Thorn (HER 7850) has associations with Bernard Gilpin. There are seating areas and playing fields. The park is bounded by a low wall of rubble with brick coping. The original high stone walls to the rectory were removed in the 1940s creating more public space and fine views of the rectory. The old Durham Road was re-christened The Broadway. The gate arch (HER 7011) was dismantled and moved to the entrance to the churchyard. The gatehouses were demolished. In 2011-12 six test pits were dug in the park as part of a community archaeology project. The test pits were only shallow, 0.50m deep maximum, and natural subsoil was not reached. Test pit one revealed a single sherd of medieval green glaze pottery. Another sherd and a fragment of lead window pane was found in test pit two. Test pit eight revealed animal bone including ox and oyster shells. The pottery and window lead was found near to the medieval rectory. The animal bone might indicate a kitchen midden. In 1968 a new office block and car park was built known as the Houghton Area Office, which has considerably altered the character of the NE corner of the park.