Place:Castle Ward, Northumberland, England

Castle Ward was one of the ancient divisions of Northumberland, equivalent to hundreds and wapentakes in counties further south. The following description mostly covers Castle Ward Registration District, but the last paragraph refers to the Eastern and Western divisions of the ancient Castle Ward.

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

"CASTLE-WARD, a [registration] district and two divisions in Northumberland; extending northward from the borough boundaries of Newcastle. The district comprehends the [registration] subdistrict of Ponteland, containing the parishes of Ponteland, Dinnington, Stannington, Gosforth, Whalton, Bolan, and part of Morpeth; and the [registration] subdistrict of Stamfordham, containing the parishes of Stamfordham, Newburn, Heddon-on-the-Wall, parts of Hartburn, Kirkwhelpington, and Ovingham, and the chapelry of Kirkheaton. Acres: 88,587. Poor-rates in 1866: £8,991. Population in 1861: 14,943. Houses: 3,018. Marriages in 1866: 39; births: 517, (of which 41 were illegitimate); deaths: 264, (of which 94 were at ages under 3 years, and 10 at ages above 85).

"Marriages in the ten years 1851-60: 433; births: 4,514; deaths: 2,747.

"The places of worship in 1851 were 17 of the Church of England, with 3,521 sittings; 3 of the United Presbyterian Church, with 223 [sittings]; 14 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 2,070 [sittings]; 3 of Primitive Methodists, with 468 [sittings]; 5 of Wesleyan Reformers, with 448 [sittings]; and 1 of Roman Catholics, with 170 [sittings].

"The schools were 23 public day schools, with 1,377 scholars; 13 private day schools, with 418 [scholars]; 27 Sunday schools, with 1,432 [scholars]; and 1 evening school for adults, with 20 [scholars].

"The workhouse is in Ponteland township. The two divisions are East and West; and they include most of the district, but extend beyond it, and are jointly larger. The [Eastern division] contains six parishes and parts of four others. Acres: 39,163. The [Western division] contains five parishes and parts of eight others. Acres: 56,571. Population of both: 58,132. Houses: 11,063.

This Ordnance Survey map of 1832 shows the boundaries of the ancient wards of Northumberland.

Parishes and Townships

Ancient parishes are listed in bold type.

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.