Weardale, Durham
Up to 1834
A parliamentary report of 1777 recorded a local workhouse in operation at Walsingham [Wolsingham] with accommodation for up to 60 inmates. Its governor in 1827 was George Adamson.
After 1834
Weardale Poor Law Union formally came into existence on 5th January, 1837. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 16 in number, representing its 4 constituent parishes and townships as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):
County of Durham: Edmondbyers, Hunstonworth, Stanhope (10), Wolsingham (4).
The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 12,775 with parishes/townships ranging in size from Edmondbyers (population 484) to Stanhope (9,541). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1834-36 had been £3,590 or 5s. 5d. per head of the population.
An existing building at Stanhope appears to have been taken over for use as the Weardale Union workhouse. In 1851, the building could accommodate 80 inmates.
In 1866-7, the old workhouse was replaced by a new building on the same site, at the east side of Union Lane. It was designed by Matthew Thompson who was also the architect of the workhouses at Chester-le-Street, Hartlepool, and Houghton-le-Spring. The site layout in 1919 is shown below.
Weardale workhouse site, 1919.
The main building at the east of the site was a two-storey T-shaped block facing to the south-west.
Weardale main building from the south, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
A single-storey dining-hall (now truncated) was attached at the centre rear.
Weardale rear of main building from the north-west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
The workhouse infirmary stood on higher ground at the rear of the workhouse.
Weardale infirmary from the south-east, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
An entrance range, originally two storeys but later reduced to one after a fire, stood at the west of the site.
Weardale entrance range from the west, 1930s.
A casuals' ward was located to the west of the entrance range. It contained sleeping cells on its east side, and stone-breaking cells on the west. The stone-breaking cells originally had apertures (now blocked in) through which small pieces of broken stone were collected. A laundry block stood to the east of the casuals' ward.
Weardale casuals' ward (with laundry to rear) from the north-west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
The former workhouse buildings were derelict for many years. The main building has now been converted for residential use. The entrance block, casuals' ward and laundry are now used by a residential care home.
Staff
Inmates
Records
- Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL. Very few local records survive. Holdings include Guardians' minutes (1865).
Bibliography
- None.
Links
- None.
This page () is copyright Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
