Place:Denton, Durham, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

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

Denton is a village in the Borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The population of Denton taken at the 2011 Census was less than 100. Details are maintained in the parish of Gainford. Denton is situated a short distance to the northwest of Darlington between Walworth to the east and Summerhouse to the west. Houghton le Side lies to the north and Piercebridge to the south.

The village is home to approximately 18 houses, new and old, all surrounding Denton Hall Farm and contained within the vast Raby Estate. Denton Hall Farm is a mixed farm of arable and livestock. Horse racing / training is a large part of village life.

Denton was originally a chapelry in the ancient parish of Gainford in County Durham. It became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 it was part of Darlington Rural Rural District. Between 1974 and 2009 it became part of the larger Borough of Darlington non-metropolitan district. Since 2009 County Durham has been a unitary authority.

A nineteenth century description

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

"DENTON, a chapelry in Gainford parish, Durham; on a branch of the river Skerne, 1½ mile N of Pierce-Bridge [railway] station, and 5½ NW by W of Darlington. Post town: Pier-Bridge [Piercebridge}, under Darlington. Acres: 966. Real property: £1, 566. Population: 111. Houses: 23. The property is divided among a few. The living is a [perpetual] curacy in the diocese of Durham. Value: £60. Patron: the Vicar of Gainford. The church is good."

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.