Raby with Keverstone, Durham

Historical Description

Raby-with-Keverstone, a township in Staindrop parish, Durham, 6 miles NE of Barnard Castle, 2½ from Winston station on the N.E.R., and 243 from London. Post town and money order and telegraph office, Staindrop. Acreage, 2814; population, 266. Eaby Castle stands on a rocky eminence, commanding good views from its towers; occupies the site of a palace of Canute; was founded in 1379 by John de Neville; underwent at various periods great additions and alterations; passed in the time of James I. to Sir H. Vane; gave entertainment in 1633 and 1639 to Charles I.; was taken in 1645, and besieged in 1648; belongs now to Lord Barnard, as heir of the Duke of Cleveland; was described by Leland as the " largest castle of logginges in all the north country;" covers a space of about 2 acres, with a moat; includes two courts, a great machicolated gate, covered galleries, and several towers; contains a barons' hall, 90 feet long, 35 wide, and 36 high; and stands in a noble park. A gathering of 700 knights took place in the hall in the time of the Nevilles, and is thus sung by Wordsworth :-" Neville sees His followers gathering In from Tees, From Were, and all the little rills Conceai'd among the forked hills- Seven hundred knights, retainers all Of Neville, at their master's call Had sate together in Raby's Hall." It is the seat of Lord Barnard, who is lord of the manor and principal landowner.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Raby with Keverstone from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Raby, with Keverstone)

Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for County Durham is available to browse.

Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers covering county Durham online:

• Hartlepool Mail
• Northern Echo
• Durham County Advertiser
• Teesdale Mercury