Place:Biddlestone, Northumberland, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Biddlestone is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is about 14 miles (23 km) to the west of Alnwick. In the early 21st century several of Northumberland's least populated parishes were merged to form slightly larger units. Biddlestone was merged with Alwinton, the enlarged parish having a population of 177 in 2011.

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Biddlestone from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"BIDDLESTONE, a township in Alwinton parish, Northumberland; in the basin of the Coquet river, under the southeastern Cheviots, 7½ miles NW of Rothbury. Population: 198. Houses: 33. The manor belonged anciently to the Vissards; but was given by Edward I to Sir W. de Selby; and belongs still to his descendants. James I., when on his way to London, in 1603, was entertained here, and knighted five of the Selbys. Here is a Roman Catholic chapel."

Biddlestone was a township in the ancient parish of Alwinton and became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 it was part of Rothbury Rural District. In 1955 it absorbed the neighbouring civil parish of Clennel. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and Biddlestone became part of the Alnwick District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority. As has been noted above, Biddlestone is now part of Alnwick.

Research Tips

• Northumberland Archives previously known as Northumberland Collections Service and Northumberland County Record Office. Now based within Woodhorn Museum in Ashington and providing free access to numerous records for local and family historians alike.

Full postal address: Museum and Northumberland Archives, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9YF; Phone: 01670 624455

There is a branch office in Berwick upon Tweed.

• Northumberland and Durham FHS covers both Northumberland and County Durham. The Family History Society have a research centre in Percy House in central Newcastle upon Tyne (full address on website), open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. Browse the website to see what else the society can provide.
• Further information from GENUKI
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1832 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time. This map includes the boundaries of the various Wards (or "hundreds") in existence at that time.
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1900 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1944 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• English Jurisdictions 1851, a parish finding aid provided by FamilySearch, particularly helpful in large towns and cities.
• Unfortunately, there is no Victoria County History for Northumberland.