Place:Rochester, Northumberland, England

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

source: Family History Library Catalog

source: Family History Library Catalog

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

Rochester is a small village and civil parish in northern Northumberland, England. It is five miles northwest of Otterburn on the A68 road between Corbridge and Jedburgh. The village is the site of the Roman fort of Bremenium, built there to protect the important Roman road of Dere Street, which passes through the village.

The civil parish extends northwest of the village to the Scottish border. It includes the settlements of Byrness, Ramshope and Cottonshopeburnfoot, and the now closed Redesdale Camp, an army base in the Otterburn Training Area. In the 2001 UK census (when Redesdale Camp was open) the parish had a population of 358, reducing to 344 at the 2011 UK census.

Rochester was a township in the ancient parish of Elsdon and became a separate civil parish in 1866, but only existed as such until 1886. In 1955 it was reinstated as a civil parish and absorbed part of the very large civil parish of Troughend. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and Rochester became part of the Tynedale District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority. Rochester's status in the period 1886-1955 is unknown although it appears to have some links with the parish of Byrness.

A nineteenth century description

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

"ROCHESTER, a village and a township in Elsdon parish, Northumberland. The village stands on Watling-street, near the river Reed, 5 miles N W of Otterburn; bears the name of High Rochester, to distinguish it from three other small places in the county; occupies part of the site of the Roman Bremenium, on the brow of a rugged eminence; and has a post-office, of the name of Rochester, under Newcastle-upon-Tyne. :"Bremenium was a great Roman station, and a stipendiary city; and has left extensive and interesting remains. The fortified area comprises about 6 acres; is still enclosed, on twosides, by three walls; has remains of an inner wall, 7 feet thick; retains well-preserved masonry of the W gate, and distinct traces of the street-lines and their houses; was excavated, shortly before 1864, by order of the Duke of Northumberland; and yielded, both then and previously, a great number and variety of Roman relics. Two peel-towers, built out of Roman masonry, are within the area.

"The township bears the name of Rochester-Ward, and comprises 22,068 acres. Population: 406. Houses: 74. Most of the land is moor and mountain. Horsley church is 1½ mile from the village; and there is a national school."

Ramshope

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

Ramshope is a hamlet in the civil parish of Rochester in Northumberland, England located in Northumberland National Park. It lies on the A68 road, between Byrness and Carter Bar on the Scottish border.

Historically Ramshope was an extra parochial area. In 1851 it had a population of 13. There are very few houses in Ramshope today, including a farm and Ramshope Lodge, both located on the A68 road.

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.