Beltingham, Willimoteswyke and Ridley
Is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May,
1890, out of the parish of Haltwhistle, and comprises the townships of
Ridley, Thorngrafton and part of Henshaw,in the Hexham division of the
county, west division of Tindale ward, Haltwhistle union, Petty sessional
division and county court district, Rural deanery of Hexham, archdeaconry of
Northumberland and diocese of Newcastle.
The
church of St. Cuthbert is an ancient edifice of stone in the Perpendicular
style, consisting of chancel, nave, north vestry and a western turret
containing one bell the stained east window was erected in 1891 as a
memorial to Nicholas Lowes,Of Allen's Green, d. April 17, 1880: in the
church are marble tablets to the Rev. Francis Benson, first incumbent of
Beltingham and Greenhead chapels, d. 21 April, 1845, and to the Rev. Anthony
Hedley M.A. d. 17 Jan. 1835, and there are memorial. to members of the
Davidson and Lowes families, the wife of the Rev. William Ives, d. 1840, and
to George Ridley, d. 1828: Mrs. Tarleton, presented a new oak lectern in
1896, in memory of her father, The Rev. George Cruddas, vicar of Warden and
rural dean of Hexham, d. Feb. 12,1895 the church was thoroughly Restored and
reseated in oak and additions made to the churchyard, at a cost of £1,400:
an organ was presented in1904 by the Dowager Countess of Crawford: there are
120 sittings: at the east end of the church is the shaft of an ancient
cross, and in the churchyard are three yew trees of great age and in a good
state of preservatio & The Hon. F. Bowes Lyon, of Ridley Hall, erected
Lichgate in 1904. The register dates from the year 1881.
The living is a vicarage, net yearly value
£240, with. Residence, in the gift of the vicar of Haltwhistle, and held
since 1901 by the Rev. Henry Christian Newbery M.A. of St. John's College,
Cambridge.
The population of the ecclesiasticalParish in
1901 was 1,022.
Wall Letter Box, Beltingham, cleared at 2 p.m.
weekdays only
Bowden Thos. Geo. Beltingham house
Newbery Rev. Henry Christian M.A. Vicarage
Wallace Edward, joiner
Wallace Thomas, wheelwright
RIDLEY is a township, which
embraces the small hamlets of. Allens Green, Beltingham, Willimoteswyke and
a number of scattered farms, near the south bank of the Tyne, here crossed
by a stone bridge of two arches, erected in 1792. It is I mile south-east
from Bardon Mill station on the Newcastle and Carlisle section of the North
Eastern railway and 6 east from Haltwhistle, and for ecclesiastical purposes
it forms a part of the parish of Beltingham with Henshaw. Ridley Hall,
originally built. About the year 1743, on the site of a much older house,
came at a later date into the Possession of John Davidson esq. and after his
death was for many years the residence of his widow, Mrs. Davidson,
granddaughter of John, 9th earl of Strathmore, who left it to John Bowes
esq. of Streatlam Castle, Darlington, for his life, with reversion to the
Bowes-Lyon family, and since 1887 it has been The property and residence of
the Hon. Francis Bowes Lyon D.L., J.P. who has rebuilt the greater portion
with Local stone in the Jacobean style: the mansion, approached by a winding
drive, is beautifully situated on the
South side of the valley of the river Tyne, and the Allen a feeder of the
Tyne, runs through the park. of the ancient structure portion of the
west end, used as offices, kitchens and .stables, is all that now remains:
the principal entrance is surmounted by the arms of the Bowes-Lyon family,
and over the doorway of a large octagonal tower on the south-west, are
carved initials and the date 1891, when the house was rebuilt: another
carved shield bears the arms of Lyon quartering those of Lindsay: the
principal staircase is of carved oak on the ground floor are reception,
drawing, dining and billiard rooms, the two latter being panelled with oak
in the Jacobean style, and in the billiard room is a fine carved mantelpiece
of the 17th century, brought From Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire, by tale
present owner; the hous9 and stables are supplied with electric light:
the ornamental grounds and the park extend over 300 acres. The principal
landowners are Sir Hugh D. Blackett bart. of Matfen Hall, Newcastle, who is
lord of the manor, the& Hon. Francis Bowes-Lyon and John Burkill Lowes esq.
of Allen's Green. The area is 3,720 acres of land and 53 of water; rateable
value, £3,101 the population in 1901 was 205.
Bowes-Lyon Bon. Francis D.L., J.P Ridley hall
Lowes John Burkill J.P. Allen's Green
Armstrong William & George, Highcrook & Burnhouse
Black David, gardener to the Hon Francis Bowes-Lyon
Bushby Thomas, farmer, The Steels ,
Davison Thomas. & Son, farmers, Wool house
Dodd Edward, hind to John B. Lowes esq. Allan's Green
Furlong Frederick, farm bailiff to the Hon. Francis Bowes-Lyon
Maughan John, farmer, Midgewham
Nicholson Richard, gamekeeper to the Hon. Francis Bowes-Lyon
Ritson James, farmer, Kingswood
Ritson Thomas, farmer, Partridge nest
Spraggo Benjamin farmer. Willimoteswyke
Usher George, farmer, Brierwood
Usher Matthew, farmer, Shaws
ALLEN'S GREEN hamlet and estate belong to J. B. Lowes esq. J.P.
WILLIMOTESWYKE
is a hamlet, owned by Sir Hugh D. Blackett Bart. Here are extensive remains
of the ancient castle, formerly the seat of the Ridley family, part of which
is at present occupied as farm building~. Nicholas Ridley D.D. master of
Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1550, and successively Bishop of Rochester
(1547-50) and London (1550-3), is said to have been born here or at Unthank,
about 1500; he was martyred at Oxford, with Cranmer and Latimer, 16th
October, 1555.