Northumberland county page

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Northumberland Towns & Parishes

Nearby places

BYRNESS

The location of the Parish of Byrness (shown in green).
[View a zoomable and navigable Map of the Area provided by Multimap.]

"BYRNESS is another hamlet in this township [Township of Rochester Ward in Elsdon Parish] situated on the north bank of the Reed twelve miles north-west by west of Elsdon. There has been a burial ground here from time immemorial, and in consequence of its distance from the parish church, a Chapel of Ease was erected in 1800, and endowed with £1,750, of which £1,200 was given by the Rev. L. Dutens, at that time rector of Elsdon, £400 by the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, and £150 by the subscribers to the edifice. The living, a perpetual curacy in the archdeaconry of Lindisfarne and deanery of Rothbury, is in the patronage of the rector of Elsdon, and incumbency of the Rev. John Burrell." [From History, Topography, and Directory of Northumberland, Whellan, 1855].

Census

• The 1851 Census Index (microfiche CN20) published by the Northumberland and Durham Family History Society may be of value to researchers interested in this parish.
  
  

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Church Records

Church of England Records.

• Byrness, St Francis: Records of baptisms 1797-1978, marriages 1886-1922 and burials 1813-1977 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. Bishops' Transcripts for the period 1800-1803 and for 1813 are deposited at Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections, Palace Green, Durham City. Byrness is not included in the IGI or in Boyd's Marriage Index. Transcripts of baptisms and burials 1797-1812 and of monument inscriptions are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept.
  
  
  • A photograph of Byrness, St Francis supplied by George Bell.
    
    

Adjacent Parishes.

• The following parishes are adjacent to Byrness:- Alwinton, Elsdon, Falstone, Jedburgh ROX, Oxnam ROX, Ramshope, Southdean ROX, Thorneyburn.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• This area is now within Northumberland West Registration District. Certificates of birth, death and marriage can be obtained from: Superintendent Registrar, Register Office, Abbey Gate House, Market Street, Hexham, Northumberland NE46 3LX. If ordering certificates from a District Office, please note the following:
  
  
  1. The cost of a certificate is currently (from 1st April 2003) £ 7.00 - send a Sterling cheque payable to the Superintendent Registrar plus return postage or two International Reply Coupons;
  2. The G.R.O. (St Catherine's) Index references are of no value;
  3. For marriage certificates, the precise place of marriage must be given;
  4. Civil Registration in England and Wales began on July 1st 1837.
     
     

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Description and Travel

• Photographs of Catcleugh Reservoir from Les Bell's Northumberland Cam website.
  
  

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Gazetteers

• The section of The National Gazetteer (1868) relating to this parish - transcribed by Colin Hinson.
  
  

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History

• Catcleugh Reservoir in this parish was built between 1891 and 1904. A stained glass window in the church commemorates this mammoth undertaking and a plaque lists those who died over the course of the project. Jane Clark has provided a transcript of the plaque and photographs of the church, plaque and window.
  
  

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Maps

• The Landmark Information Group have provided free online access to 19th century Ordnance Survey maps of the whole of Great Britain. The following link will take you directly to a map centered approximately on the place named and you can then navigate (click on the map to re-centre or use the arrows) and zoom (using the buttons below the map) as desired.
  
  

  Byrness.

• You can also view modern maps of the same locations provided by Streetmap.
  
  

  Byrness.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• Byrness Parish was part of Bellingham Poor Law Union. The Union Workhouse was located in the town of Bellingham. Some records are held at Northumberland Collections Service, but these are of limited genealogical value.
  
  
• Peter Higginbotham has provided details, a map and photographs of Bellingham Workhouse.
  
  

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