KNOW YOUR PARISH

GOSFORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND

Joan Bunting

When the boundary changes in April 1974 made Gosforth part of Newcastle, in the Metropolitan County of Tyne & Wear, and no longer part of Northumberland, many old Gosfordians feared the end was nigh! The change was inevitable for Gosforth is now a huge suburb of Newcastle with a busy High Street and rows of neat semi-detached or terrace houses. The name Gosforth (Gosford - a ford over the Ouse, formerly the Gos, Gose or Ose) in the 18th century applied to the parish which included the "townships" of North Gosforth, South Gosforth,Coxlodge, Fawdon, Kenton, East Brunton and West Brunton. Just prior to the boundary changes, the old Urban District of Gosforth consisted of two of these, namely South Gosforth and Coxlodge, with small portions of others.

In very early days the greater part of Gosforth was part of the Barony of Whalton, and a smaller part was part of the Barony of Gosforth (which included Middleton-in-Teesdale, Co. Durham). Gosforth Park contained two houses (built in the 18th century), Gosforth House being the family seat of the Brandlings - the family responsible for a good part of the initial industrial development of Tyneside. Another well-known family were the Bulmans who lived in Coxlodge Hall from 1825-1830, Job Bulman built "the Village" on the Great North Road, the name still given today to the High Street by many of the older generation.

The Barons of Gosforth until 1507 were the Surtees family. Thomas, the last of the line, passed the land to his daughter Catherine Place, and a lawsuit against the inheritance ensued with her half brother. Meanwhile Robert Brandling, a merchant adventurer, married Catherine's daughter Ann. In the end the estate was divided, the Brandlings receiving North Gosforth and Felling. The descendants of Robert were those who built Gosforth House and for some time this was the centre of Conservative political life in South Northumberland. The daughters married into the families of Ord, Burdon, Chevy, Grey and Bell, and in total formed one of the most powerful and influential families in the North East.

The chapels of North and South Gosforth, both of ancient foundation were attached to the mother church of St. Nicholas, Newcastle. By 1828, the chapel of North Gosforth was a ruin, standing in the ground of Low Gosforth House - no certain records remain.

South Gosforth on the other hand was known to be in existence in 1170 when it was part of the dowry of Richard Canville's daughter.  Records connected with the church include:- "1578 - Excommunicated for non-attendance: Thomas Hatherwicke, parish clerk".  In 1799 the church was rebuilt on its present site, on the slope above the Ouse Burn. In 1805 (14th May) the Register shows the marriage of Edward Barret Moulton Barret, and Mary.

In 1868 the living of South, Gosforth was changed from a perpetual curacy to a rectory, and the  patronage was vested in the Bishop of Durham. In February 1906, All Saints, the daughter church of St. Nicholas became a separate ecclesiastical parish, with the expansion of modern Gosforth. Methodism came to Gosforth in 1802 in the form of “cottage meetings", up at Kenton. The first chapel was built in Bulman Village in 1841. United and Primitive Methodists built chapels in 1877 and 1882 respectively, both of which remain today.

Editors note

Gosforth, St Nicholas: Records of baptisms 1697-1985, marriages 1725-1981 and burials 1699-1983 are available at Woodhorn and at the Tyne and Wear Archives Service. Bishops' Transcripts for the period 1762-1846 are deposited at Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections, Palace Green, Durham City. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1687-1812 and marriages 1725-1812 (with gaps) for this parish, and Boyd's Marriage Index includes marriages 1725-1812 and banns 1751-1812. Transcripts of baptisms 1697-1812, marriages 1725-1812 and burials 1699-1812 for Gosforth are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept. Gosforth Marriages between 1813-1837 are on-line at Genuki

This is a selection of the records held by the Northumberland and Durham Family History society who hold the following records for Gosforth in varying formats, for a complete list go to their website: www.ndfhs.org

baptisms 1639-1839 marriages 1639-1839, burials 1639 – 1839, Gosforth Monumental Inscriptions in different formats, Gosforth Colliery Methodist baptisms 1878 – 1919, Bulman Village Methodist 1877 – 1940, Gosforth (west Avenue Methodist 1927 – 1951, Gosforth (Woodbine Road) Primitive Methodist baptisms 1919 – 1930,

On-line resources Google Books

“An historical, topographical, and descriptive view of the county of Northumberland”

Eneas Mackenzie 1825 page 468 – 470,

The British Traveller vol 3

by James Dugdale 1819 page 705

Poll book Northumberland 1833 page 107