Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for PITTINGTON

PITTINGTON, a village, a township, and a parish, in the district and county of Durham. The village stands on Pidding brook, near an intersection of railways, 3½ miles N E of Durham; was anciently called Pidding-dune, from its situation on Pidding brook; and has a post-office under Durham, and a railway station. The township comprises 2, 552 acres. Real property, £8, 623; of which £3, 500 are in mines, £28 in quarries, and £718 in railway s. Pop. in 1851, 2, 530; in 1861, 2, 155. Houses, 449. The parish contains also the townships of Sherburn and Shad forth, and comprises 6, 727acres. Real property, £32, 543; of which £19, 847 are in mines, and £909 in railway s. Pop. in 1851, 6, 241; in 1861, 5, 699. Houses, 1, 176. The property is much subdivided. A mansion of the Priors of Durham stood to the S of the church; was built in 1524-8; and wasdismantled in the time of Elizabeth. Coal is very largelyworked, and limestone is quarried. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Durham. Value, £620.* Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Durham. The churchstands at Hall-Garth; is mainly Norman, with an early English tower; has pillars with spiral and fluted mouldings, and some twisted; was restored in 1855; and contains an effigies of a knight, and a dos-d'âne tomb. The rectory of Shad forth is a separate benefice. There are chapels for Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists, a literary institute, and an endowed national school.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village, a township, and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Pittington CP/AP       County Durham AncC
Place names: PIDDING DUNE     |     PITTINGTON
Place: Pittington

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