Place:Sunderland Bridge, Durham, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

source: Family History Library Catalog

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

Sunderland Bridge is now a village in County Durham, England, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Durham City. It lies close to the confluence of the River Wear and River Browney. Since 1974 it has formed part of the civil parish of Croxdale and Hett, within the unitary district of County Durham. Local government responsibilities are shared between parish and district councils.

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

"SUNDERLAND-BRIDGE, a township in St. Oswald parish, Durhamshire; on the river Wear, 3½ miles S of Durham. It has a post-office under Durham. Acres: 1,376. Real property: £1,124. Population: 227. Houses: [omitted from transcription]."

Sunderland Bridge was originally a township in Durham St. Oswald ancient parish. It became a civil parish in 1866 and part of the Durham Rural District from 1894 until 1974. It was transferred to the City of Durham non-metropolitan district in 1974 when it joined with the township and civil parish of Hett to become the modern civil parish of Croxdale and Hett. Since 2009 County Durham has been a unitary authority.

The village of Croxdale and Croxdale Hall were until 1974 part of the parish of Sunderland Bridge. Croxdale has been redirected here. For more on the village, see Wikipedia.

The bridge named Sunderland Bridge originally carried the Great North Road (A1) across the River Wear, and probably dates back to the 14th century. It is built of dressed sandstone with four semicircular arches. The bridge has undergone several rebuilds, with the end arches being rebuilt in 1770, the parapets widened in 1822, and new end walls built in the 19th century. It is a grade I listed structure.

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.