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The Rectory in around 1841. Click to enlarge

April 2009 marked the 60th anniversary since the unveiling of the Rectory grounds as a public park. The Park was opened to much celebration and has remained a favourite place to visit for many Houghtonians. Here Paul Lanagan looks back at the history of the Rectory and its grounds. Copyright © Books of the North 2000 - 2008.

???? – The Rectory was built around a fortified Pele (tower). Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1311 – Stephen de Manley became rector of Houghton but was locked out of the Rectory by his predecessor’s wife, the widow of William de Sancta Botolpho [tbc]. Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1483 – Henry Keeling (aka John Kelyng) fortified part of the Rectory; he embattled the house above the lower porch with a wall of lime and stone, and built a hexagonal tower at the east. This was a time of unsettlement, with raids from across the English/Scottish border. A year later a Durham pardon licence to crenelate was issued by the Bishop of Durham to John Kelyng, Rector. The document read: “Has pardon for having without licence begun to fortify a house within his rectory; and licence to continue the works.”
In 1484?, John Kelyng, clerk, rector of the parish church of Houghton was granted, by Bishop Dudley, (In year 8 of his reign) a Durham Pardon licence to crenellate (Houghton le Spring Rectory)

1528 – William Franklyn (or Frankeleyn), was Rector. He held numerous positions in the Church but never lived in Houghton. The Rectory, which would have had the appearance of a fortified manor house, fell into disrepair during his incumbency. One local historian has suggested that men-at-arms would have been stationed at the Rectory during this time.

1664 – George Davenport became Rector. He rebuilt the Rectory from the ground, making alteration and additions, such as a chapel to the west.

1710 - Sir George Wheler was appointed as Rector, and he went on to establish a charity school for girls, which was housed in the Rectory gatehouse.

c1780 – A drawing by Samuel Hieronymus Grimm, a Swiss artist, shows the Rectory as having a tower known as a ‘solar block’, the Rector’s private withdrawing chamber, which was attached to a hall. Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1789 – Edward South Thurlow became Rector, and had the longest incumbency upon his death in 1847 at the age of 82 years. He removed the embattlements of the Rectory, demolished Keeling’s tower and Davenport’s chapel, and built two wings which projected to the east of the older part.

1794 – This date is embossed on the metal rainwater heads.

The Rectory archway before it was relocated

1800s – A Victorian archway and gatehouse was erected at the entrance to the Rectory grounds, opposite St Michael’s church. Find out more about this archway and its shields by clicking HERE. Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1847 - Rev John Grey succeeded Rev Edward Thurlow as rector of Houghton-le-Spring, when Rev Thurlow died at the age of 82. John would have been aged 35 years old when he moved into the Rectory with his wife, Georgiana, 46 years, and their 9 year old daughter, Mary, and two sons, Charles, 5 years, and Frederick, 3 years. Copyright © Houghton Heritage Society 2000-2012
If you are reading this on a website other than Houghton Heritage Society's please check to see that the Society has been referenced - and not plagiarised.

August 1854 – Sixteen members of the clergy were buried in a mass grave within the Rectory grounds (the churchyard was full) following an outbreak of cholera.

1855 – Rector John Grey allowed St Michael’s National School to be erected on land belonging to the Rectory on Dairy Lane. The school was a merger of Rector Wheler’s charity school from within the Rectory Gatehouse and the Barrington School from behind Newbottle Street. The School was built on the site of the old Glebe Farm buildings. In 1914 the Master was Joseph J Longstaff. The site is now the Park’s Rose Garden.

1870 – The Gilpin Thorn was measured at 11 ¼ feet at 2 feet from the ground.

The remnant of Bijou's tombstone in Houghton Park

1878 – Bijou, Rector John Grey’s favourite pet dog, died in March 1878 and was buried in the Rectory grounds. A small tombstone was erected on the grave and read: DEAR LITTLE BIJOU | THY CHERISHED MEMORY WILL BE | A BEATUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF AFFECTION | AND GENTLENESS | AND TRUSTING LOVE. | MARCH 13 1878. | J. AND H.M. G.

1882 – A new Church Hall was formally opened by the Lord Bishop of Durham, Bishop Lightfoot, on Tuesday, January 10th, 1882, at 4:30pm. It was followed by a public tea in St Michael’s School, Dairy Lane, and a special service in church at 8 o’clock that evening. The hall was referred to as ‘the New Room at Rectory Gate’ but was re-named as ‘St Michael’s Hall’ in 1884.

1886 – The hosting of Sunday School Treats in the Rectory grounds was common at this time. On Saturday August 7th 1886, day two of the treat for children commenced at 2:30pm from the Rectory Fountain. After the tea, the two-hundred and sixty children had the full run of the Rectory grounds (around three-hundred and twenty older children had visited the day before).

1887 – May – Rector John Grey commissioned Mr Thomas Todd to replace the collars and supports on the Gilpin Thorn. Mr Todd’s father and grandfather had been employed many years earlier in the same capacity.

1887 – Towards the end of the year, Newbottle Street was widened and the Rectory Garden wall had to be rebuilt, following the sale of land from the Church to the Local Board of Health.

The Victorian archway in around 1900

c1890 – Rector John Grey employed Alice Hamilton as a lady gardener to tend to the flowerbeds in the Rectory grounds.

1891 - The 1891 census tells us that Rector John Grey (79 years), his wife Helen Mary (54) [she was actually 59], were accompanied by Lady Elizabeth Grey (74, a widow), plus Charles Allen the butler, Sarah Ann Norman (ladies maid - visiting), another ladies maid (name unreadable), Ellen Abbey (ladies maid), Mary Jane Charlton (housekeeper), Mary Ann Holmes (laundry maid), Margaret Chris (housemaid), and Elvina Simmons (kitchenmaid) - all at the Rectory.

1894 - Rev Charles Edward Osborne Griffith M.A., curate of St Michael’s Church, resided in Clergy House on Dairy Lane.

1895 - November 11th – The 83 year old Rector, Rev John Grey, died at the Rectory. While on his deathbed, he could hear the mean blasting rock at Hillside Cemetery in preparation of the grave he was soon to occupy. Find out more HERE.

1905 - 30 square yards from the Rectory Glebe Farm were sold for £15 on November 27th 1905 to Sunderland District Electric Tramways Co Ltd, for use in the tramway extension to Fencehouses via the Lindens, Winter’s Bank and Dubmire.

1938 – Rev John Wylie resided in Clergy House, Dairy Lane.

c1940s – It is thought that soldiers returning to Houghton after the War brought with them a piece of travertine rock, a form of limestone usually formed at the mouth of a hot spring, for use as a fountain in the Rectory garden. The rock, which is still in use as a fountain, is thought to have come from Tivoli (Tibur), Italy.

c1946 – The last people to occupy the Victorian gatehouse were Arthur Box and his wife, Peggy. Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1947 – St Michael’s School, on Dairy Lane, closed, and the site was developed into the Park’s rose garden. In June, 1947, plans were drawn up showing the proposed division of Kepier Hall into two houses, with one possibly used as a new Rectory.

1948 – Rev Oswald Noel Gwilliam became Rector and took up temporary residence in Clergy House on Dairy Lane. This building was originally used as a curatage, however financial issues with the sale of the old Rectory and grounds, led to Rector Gwilliam remaining in the building, which eventually became the new Rectory following a series of costly renovations. Gwilliam’s predecessor, Rev Hugh Ashdown was the last incumbent to reside in the original Rectory building.

1948 – July – Newton Jealous, a sign writer (est 1909) of 37 Edwin Street, vacated the garage at the rear of Clergy House (later the new Rectory) and moved his business into the smaller part which was formerly stables (now referred to as the ‘old tithe barn’ in Rectory Park).

Rectory Park in the days after its unveiling, 1949

1949 – April 9th - The grounds were unveiled as a public park on April 9th 1949. Over 500 people attended, including civic dignitaries, members of the clergy and Houghton residents. The local press reported that Julie Alloses, a visitor to the town, was the first person to visit the Park.

1949 – July 30th – The Rectory building and gardens were purchased by Houghton Urban District Council for £10,000 on July 30th 1949.

1949 – The first park keeper was Charles Barratt. Charles had been badly injured during World War I and lost an arm but he didn’t let this stop him; he was a popular park keeper, particularly with the children during conker time, and was described as a “lovely person”. He was there until around 1955/56.

1950 – On the 26th April 1950, the Rectory became a listed building; the listing is as follows:

List Entry Number: 456/7/20
Date Listed: 26.04.50
Address: Broadway, Houghton-le-Spring
Building Type: Rectory now Offices
Building Name: Houghton-le-Spring Area Offices of Sunderland City Council
Conservation Area: No. 8
Occupied: Yes 3
Ownership: Local Authority 4
Grade: II*
Description: Rectory, now Council Offices. Early C17, altered C18 (date of 1794 on rainwater head behind) C19 and C20.
Exterior: 2-storey, 6-bay south front in Tudor style: some windows 3-light stone-mullioned with label moulds; fifth bay,
a canted projection, contains three sashes with glazing bars; third bay has flattened Tudor arch to modern door in stop-chamfered surround between slender pilasters supporting raised panel. Massive stone chimney stack, having 5 set-backs, at rear. East elevation re-built c.1950. Crenellated parapet conceals roof.
Interior: Closed-string well staircase has 7 fat turned balusters to 5 treads; half balusters abut square, panelled newel posts with low pyramidal tops; high moulded handrail.
Source: "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne" series 3, volume v, 45-62. Copyright © Books of the North 2002 - 2011.

1950/51 – The Rectory was redeveloped and large portions were demolished (along with St Michael’s Hall) during the conversion to council offices for Houghton Urban District Council. The archway entrance to the Rectory grounds was dismantled and rebuilt opposite as the entrance to the churchyard.

1951 - June – The expected sum of £1000 (from the sale of the Rectory and grounds) for use on improvements to Clergy House on Dairy Lane was not made available and Rector Gwilliam faced the prospect of living there longer and not in a newly built Rectory as expected. Gwilliam wrote to the Church Commissioners, asking for assistance, and suggested that the home “might quite possibly be considered as suitable for subsequent treatment as a permanent Rectory.” The building was subsequently renovated by Isaac Berriman, Woodlands Joinery, Fencehouses, and became the new Rectory.

1951 – December 22nd – The Council offices in the Rectory building were officially opened by Councillor J Lowery on December 22nd 1951.

1967 - The foundation stone for the new Council Offices was laid on land belonging to the Rectory Park. The foundation stone reads:
THIS FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID BY
COUN. J. MAWSTON, J.P., CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL
18TH NOVEMBER 1967

1968 – The new Council offices were opened on November 1st 1968 by Councillor E. Kelly, J.P., Chairman of Houghton UDC.

1985 – Seeds were taken from the Gilpin Thorn by Peter Tate, a forestry officer for Sunderland City Council. A couple of seedlings grew!

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PAGE UPDATED: 16/02/2012