Hexhamshire, Northumberland
Historical Description
Hexhamshire, an ancient division of Hexham parish, and a quondam county-palatine in Northumberland. The division of Hexham parish comprises the townships of High Quarter, Low Quarter, Middle Quarter, and West Quarter. Acreage of High Quarter, 6539; population, 125; acreage of Low Quarter, 3651; population, 342; acreage of Middle Quarter, 4222; population, 198; acreage of West Quarter, 2696; population, 196. High Quarter extends from 6 miles S by W of Hexham town to the borders of Durham, is wild and mountainous, contains the hamlet of Lillswood, and has two Wesleyan chapels. Low Quarter extends from 2 to 4¼ miles 5 of Hexham, includes the camping-ground of the Lancastrians previous to the Battle of Hexham, and a romantic ravine called Deepden, with the Queen's Cave, where Margaret and her child lay concealed after the battle; contains the hamlets of Dotland, Ordley, and Steel; and has Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. Middle Quarter extends from 8 to 6 miles S by W of Hexham, and contains the hamlets of Dalton, Mollersteads, and Raw Green. West Quarter extends from 1 to 4 miles W of Hexham, includes the access to the suspension bridge over the South Tyne, and contains the hamlets of Westboat, Nubbock, and Summer-rods. The quondam county-palatine comprised the parishes of Hexham, St John Lee, and Allendale, was governed as a regality by the bishops of Hexham, passed as a barony to the archbishops of York, and was annexed in the time of Elizabeth to Northumberland.
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Northumberland is available to browse.
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers related to Northumberland online: