Saturday 4 October 2014

Upper Heworth Farm

Drawing by Sydney Oxberry in 1910. Click to enlarge

Upper Heworth is the name of this farm when it was occupied by, perhaps, the most famous/talented Felling resident, Rev. John Hodgson who was heavily involved in the post Felling Pit Disaster (1812) period. He wrote the report into the disaster, took the initiative in the naming of all but one of the 92 people killed and for the first time ever, in the history of the World, listed them on a lasting memorial. He became active in bringing forward the implementation of safety lamps in pits and indeed he personally went down the pit to test a prototype.

While living at Upper Heworth, from 1816, he started the massive project that was his "History of Northumberland"....


Here the Upper Heworth address is shown.
Click to enlarge

 ...in which, he is the first to name the builder of the Roman Road as Hadrian. This last Volume of the book was completed by Rev John Hodgson Hynde and published by the Society of Antiquaries after Rev John  Hodgson had died.
(
The Society had among its members two Revs with remarkably similar names. just by happenstance)

click to enlarge
click to enlarge
The History of Northumberland has been digitized by Google and may be read for free online. Click here

  Read more about the Rev here

After Rev Hodgson left to go to Northumberland in 1823 this farm house was later occupied by Rev Edward Hussey Adamson and his wife in 1846. He was the first incumbent of St Alban's Church, Windy Nook and he lived at Upper Heworth until the vicarage was ready for occupation

 Click to enlarge
 Click to enlarge
 Click to enlarge
The farm was known, at some time,  as Cleasby's Farm and at another as Stephenson's Farm on the road that became known, at that time, as "Stivvie's Bank".

The farm building was demolished in the 1930's




© Jon Bratton

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