Newton Garths village

The first reference to Newton near Boldon dates to c. 1180, when 12 tenants held 360 acres. Though bishop's property in 1380, it later passed into private hands. Still described as a vill in 1495, it was sold as "Newton Garths" in 1604. In 1638 it contained 342 acres; in 1676 a watermill, malt barn and kiln, and the east field house. In 1714 it was said to consist of the Hardings or West Farm (possibley Harden Farm), Miles Allison's farm, Garths Farm (possibly Newton Garths), and Clement Robinson's farm, a total of 337 acres. Late 16th century chancery proceedings suggest the water mill may have been Boldon Mill. The tentative conclusion of Barbara Harbottle is that the vill was succeeded by dispersed farms, presumably after the enclosure of common fields, in the 16th or 17th century. If it was once a separate township this had ceased to be so by the time of the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map, when it had been carved up into Whitburn and perhaps Boldon.