Place:Greystead, Northumberland, England

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

Greystead is a village in Northumberland, England west of Bellingham. The population at the 2011 UK census was less than 100. Details are included in the civil parish of Tarset.

end of Wikipedia contribution

Greystead was an ancient parish from 1811 until 1866 and a large one in terms of area. Prior to 1811 it was a township in the parish of Simonburn and following 1866 was divided into the civil parishes of Chirdon and Smalesmouth. In 1955 it became a civil parish again, absorbing Chirdon and Smalesmouth. it was part of Bellingham Rural District from 1955 until 1974. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and Allendale became part of the Tynedale District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority.

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

"GAYSTEAD, or Greystead, a parish in Bellingham [registration] district, Northumberland; on the river North Tyne, adjacent to the Border Counties railway, near Tarset and Thorneyburn [railway] stations, 5 miles WNW of Bellingham. It comprises the townships of Chirdon and Smalesmouth; and its post town is Falstone, under Hexham. Acres: 18,003. Real property: £2,436. Population: 290. Houses: 41. The property is divided among a few. The surface includes a portion of the North Tyne valley; but is mainly moor and upland. Greystead Bower was long the seat of a branch of the Charltons, famous in Border raids. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Durham. Value: £150. Patron: Greenwich Hospital [London]. The church is pretty good."

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.