Place:Hylton, Durham, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

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

North Hylton is a suburb of Sunderland, in northeast England. It is the site of Hylton Castle and is located on the north bank of River Wear opposite South Hylton.

end of Wikipedia contribution

Hylton or North Hylton was originally a township in the ancient parish of Monkwearmouth, Durham. It became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 it was part of Sunderland Rural District. In 1937 and in 1951 part of its area was transferred to the parishes of Washington and Sunderland respectively. The 1967 transfer to Sunderland effectively abolished North Hylton as a civil parish. It is now a part of the City of Sunderland metropolitan area in the county of Tyne and Wear.

A nineteenth century description

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

"HYLTON, or NORTH HYLTON, a village and a township in Monk-Wearmouth parish, Durham. The village stands on the river Wear, opposite Ford village and Hylton [railway] station, 3 miles W of Sunderland; has a post office, of the name of North Hylton, under Sunderland; and shares with Ford a trade in ship building and in iron and chemical works. The township comprises 2,670 acres. Real property: £3,569. Population: 487. Houses: 78. Hylton Castle here is the seat of J. Bowes, Esq.; was originally a keep of the 13th century; retains, in the W front, a gatehouse of the time of Richard II.; underwent extension, in the Italian style, in 1746; and is associated with a grim ancient goblin legend. It belonged, for many ages, to the family of Hylton; and passed, in 1762, to the Bowes family. A ruined chapel is behind it, originally of the 12th century, desolated at the Reformation, restored in last century, desecrated afterwards to the meanest uses, and retaining on its walls stone shields of the Hyltons, and of families to which they were allied."

Research Tips

• County Durham Archives. Durham County Record Office is located on the Lower Ground Floor of County Hall, the administrative headquarters of Durham County Council, in Durham City.
• Northumberland and Durham FHS covers both Northumberland and the northern part of 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.
• The Cleveland, North Yorkshire & South Durham Family History Society covers the southern part of County Durham as well as the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire on the south side of the River Tees. Their homepage includes a map to show the society's coverage. (Once again, full address and other details on the website)
• Further information from GENUKI
• Ordnance Survey map of Durham 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 Durham 1900 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• Ordnance Survey map of Durham 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, the Victoria County History for Durham is limited in its coverage. It only includes the cathedral city of Durham, including an account of the cathedral itself. Also covers Stockton Ward in the south-east of the county (bordering North Yorkshire) including Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees.