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Northumberland Towns & Parishes

Nearby places

KNARESDALE

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

"KNARESDALE parish, comprising the villages of Eals, Burn Stones, Slaggyford, Town Green, and Williamston, occupies a wild maintainous tract, at the south-western extremity of Northumberland, and is bounded on the north by Lambley, on the west and south by Cumberland, and on the east by Kirkhaugh parish. It comprises an area of 7,144 acres, the property of the trustees of the late Hon. James Hope Wallace, and others, who also claim the manorial rights, and its rateahle value is £2,712 5s. The number of its inhabitants in 1801, was 481; in 1811, 526; in 1821, 564; in 1831, 566; in 1841, 491; and in 1851, 917 souls. It is supposed to derive its name from the Knare-burn which intersects the parish. The forest of Knaresdale was anciently very extensive and well stocked with red deer; the breed, however, is now nearly extinct. Snope Well is a medicinal spring, and was formerly held in great repute. Besides the Knare-burn, this district is watered by three other rivulets. viz.:- the Thinhope, Thomhope, and Barrough-burns." [From History, Topography, and Directory of Northumberland, Whellan, 1855].

Census

• The 1851 Census Index (microfiche CN19) 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

• Knaresdale - Church Records - links and information.
  
  

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

• The South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society operates a narrow-gauge railway service between Alston, Cumbria (formerly Cumberland) and Kirkhaugh, Northumberland. It is hoped to extend the line to Slaggyford in Knaresdale Parish when funds allow. The track-bed is that of the Haltwhistle to Alston branch railway which closed to passengers in 1976.
  
  

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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

• The history of Knaresdale Parish is included in:- Hodgson, J., History of Northumberland, Part 2, Volume 3. Newcastle, 1840. (Available on fiche from Ancestral Indexes).
  
  

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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 links will take you directly to maps centered approximately on the places 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.
  
  

  Eals, Knaresdale/Knarsdale, Slaggyford.

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

  Eals, Knaresdale/Knarsdale, Slaggyford.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

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

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