Place:Hexhamshire High Quarter, Northumberland, England

Watchers
NameHexhamshire High Quarter
Alt namesLillswoodsource: settlement in parish
TypeTownship, Civil parish
Coordinates54.839°N 2.149°W
Located inNorthumberland, England     (1866 - 1955)
See alsoHexham, Northumberland, Englandancient parish in which it was a township
Tynedale Ward, Northumberland, Englandancient county division in which it was located
Hexham Rural, Northumberland, Englandrural district of which it was part 1894-1955
Hexhamshire, Northumberland, Englandparish into which it was absorbed in 1955
source: Family History Library Catalog
source: Family History Library Catalog


Hexhamshire High Quarter is described in A Vision of Britain through Time as a township of Hexham and a civil parish. From 1894 until 1955 it was part of Hexham Rural District. On the two later maps listed below it is located slightly to the southwest of Hexham beyond two sections of lands "common" to all the Hexham Quarters.

In 1955 Hexhamshire High Quarter, Hexhamshire Middle Quarter and Hexhamshire West Quarter parishes joined to form the new parish of Hexhamshire.

The term "quarter" is not defined, but would appear to be of similar meaning to the terms "without" and "rural" which are attached to the names of fairly urban parishes in other counties of England. These rural parishes came about after the introduction of Urban and Rural Districts in 1894, when it was deemed appropriate to divide the country into urban and rural areas which had different demands and rates for property taxes.

Hexhamshire High Quarter now includes the settlement of Lillswood (not found on the maps below although various farms and a school are marked). See Hexhamshire for a description of High Quarter in the 19th century.

Co-ordinates are an estimate based on Google Earth.

Research Tips

  • Hexhamshire local website
  • 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.