Place:Norham Mains, Northumberland, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

There is no article on Northam Mains in either Wikipedia or A Vision of Britain through Time. The Ordnance Survey Map of 1900 shows it as a parish to the northeast of Northam. The word "mains" is often used as a description of an estate or manor's "home farm", particularly in Scotland (and Norham Mains is on the border with Scotland). In this case it may be used as the rural extension of a somewhat more urban parish. Further south in England the words "rural" or "without" are often used with the name of a town parish to denote a similar situation.

Norham Mains was a township in the ancient parish of Simonburn and became a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894 until 1974 it was part of Norham and Islandshires Rural District. In 1955 it was absorbed into the adjacent parish of Horncliffe.

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.