Place:Blanchland, Northumberland, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

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

Blanchland is a village in Northumberland, England, on the border with County Durham. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 UK census was 135.

Set beside the river in a wooded section of the Derwent valley, Blanchland is an attractive small village in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Blanchland was formed out of the medieval Blanchland Abbey property by Nathaniel Crew, 3rd Baron Crew, the Bishop of Durham, (1674-1722). It is a conservation village, largely built of stone from the remains of the 12th-century Abbey. It features picturesque houses, set against a backdrop of deep woods and open moors. Located near the Derwent Reservoir, it provides facilities for sailing and fishing.

Blanchland was the main village of the township and parish of Blanchland, which was also know as Shotley High Quarter. It was originally a township (and a chapelry) in the ancient parish of Bywell St. Andrew. It became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 until 1974 the parish was part of Hexham Rural District. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and Blanchland became part of the Tynedale District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority.

A Vision of Britain through Time provides a long description of Blanchland from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72.

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.