Houghton-le-Spring village

Houghton-le-Spring village

HER Number
280
District
Sunderland
Site Name
Houghton-le-Spring village
Place
Houghton-le-Spring
Map Sheet
NZ34NW
Class
Domestic
Site Type: Broad
Settlement
Site Type: Specific
Village
General Period
MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Medieval 1066 to 1540
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Description
The earliest documentary reference to Houghton-le-Spring village is 1112. At the time of Boldon Buke (a 1183 survey of land belonging to the Bishop of Durham, Hugh du Puiset) it was clearly an important centre of the Bishop's estate, with a number of tradesmen listed. In the 14th century 4 free tenants, 23 tenants of demesne lands, a watermill, brewhouse, oven and onetime forge are listed. It still shows as a large, prosperous village on 17th and 18th century maps.
Easting
434600
Northing
549600
Grid Reference
NZ434600549600
Sources
<< HER 280 >> W. Greenwell, ed. 1852, Boldon Buke, Surtees Society, 25, pp. 7, 46-48;
W. Greenwell, ed. 1856, Bishop Hatfield's Survey, Surtees Society,56, pp. 153-157;
D.A. Kirby, ed. 1972, Parliamentary Surveys of the Bishopric of Durham, Surtees Society, II 185, pp. 142-154;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Halmote Court Books, 1631, Houghton-le-Spring townfields 76, ff. 427-30;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Halmote Court Books, 1634, Houghton-le-Spring townfields 77, ff. 1171-2;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Halmote Court Additional Maps and Plans, 1839, Sale of land at Houghton-le-Spring, 26a;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Halmote Court Additional Maps and Plans, (date unknown) Plan of house and land at Houghton-le-Spring, 26b;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Halmote Court Additional Maps and Plans, (date unknown) Plan of Houghton and Newbottle with landholders, mid and late 19th century, 26g;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Tithe Awards, 1840, Houghton-le-Spring ;
Dept. Pal. & Dip. Durham, Ordnance Survey maps, 1st ed. 1:2500 Durham XIII.16; Paul Lanagan, 2013, www.houghtonlespring.org.uk; Newcastle University, 2011-12, Higher Education Field Academy North East Project Report; Whellan, W, 1856, History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham