Place:North Sunderland, Northumberland, England

Watchers
NameNorth Sunderland
Alt namesSeahousessource: town or village in parish
TypeTownship, Civil parish
Coordinates55.567°N 1.667°W
Located inNorthumberland, England
See alsoBamburgh, Northumberland, Englandancient parish of which it was part
Bamburgh Ward, Northumberland, Englandancient division in which it was located
Belford Rural, Northumberland, Englandrural district of which it was part 1894-1955
Farne Islands, Northumberland, Englandcivil parish absorbed into North Sunderland in 1955
Monks House, Northumberland, Englandcivil parish absorbed into North Sunderland in 1955
Shoreston, Northumberland, Englandcivil parish absorbed into North Sunderland in 1955
Berwick upon Tweed District, Northumberland, Englanddistrict municipality covering the area 1974-2009
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog
source: Family History Library Catalog


North Sunderland was a township in the ancient parish of Bamburgh. It became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 it was part of Belford Rural District. The parish is made up of two villages: North Sunderland, which is inland, and Seahouses, which is on the North Sea coast. The population of the civil parish was 1,803 at the 2001 UK census, increasing to 1,959 at the 2011 census.

In 1955 the civil parish absorbed the parishes of Farne Islands, Monks House and Shoreston. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and North Sunderland became part of the Berwick upon Tweed District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority.

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

Historically, the inland village of North Sunderland grew significantly when the nearby coast was developed as a harbour. Houses were built, particularly in connection with the herring fishery. Community growth became concentrated around these sea-houses, eventually being recognised under the name Seahouses. In practice, there is no recognisable boundary between the two villages.

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

"SUNDERLAND (North), a village, a township, and a chapelry, in Bambrough parish, Northumberland. The village stands on the coast, 4 miles ENE of Chathill [railway] station, and 7 ESE of Belford; is a small sea-port, a lifeboat station, and a seat of fisheries; and has a post-office‡ under Chathill. The township comprises 1,097 acres. Population in 1851: 1,208; in 1861: 1,008. Houses: 231. The decrease of population was caused by the stoppage of lime-works. The chapelry was constituted in 1843. Pop., 1,178. Houses, 265. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Durham. Value: £200. Patrons: the Trustees of Bishop Lord Crewe. The church was built in 1833. There are chapels for English Presbyterians and United Presbyterians."


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.
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at North Sunderland. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with WeRelate, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.