Ord of Sands Hall, Sedgefield, Deeds and Papers

This material is held atDurham University Archives

Scope and Content

Deeds and estate papers (farm leases and valuations, haymaking and harvest accounts, schemes of husbandry, farming diaries, etc) of the Ord family of Sands Hall, Sedgefield, Co. Durham, 1606-1858. The deeds relate to properties in Sedgefield, Mordon and Bradley, all in Sedgefield parish. The estate papers relate predominantly to the 18th century, and give a detailed picture of the farming of lands kept in hand by Ralph Ord between 1774 and 1798.

Administrative / Biographical History

By 1600 several branches of the Ord family were spread throughout the parish of Sedgefield. The Sands Hall branch was founded by Benjamin Ord (youngest son of Ralph Ord of Eastwell House, Sedgefield), who in 1719 acquired a moiety of Bradbury manor, and later purchased Sands Hall. The family remained there until 1932, when the hall was sold.

Arrangement

  • Nos 1-22: Bradbury deeds, 1628-1794
  • Nos 23-67: Mordon deeds, 1722-1785
  • Nos 68-85: Sedgefield deeds, 1637-1816
  • Nos 86-91: Miscellanea, 1710-1858
  • Nos 92-141: Estate papers, 1714-1798
Each of these 5 sections is arranged chronologically.

Access Information

Open for consultation.

Acquisition Information

Nos 1-91 purchased at Hodgson and Sotheby auctions, 1950 and 1952 (including 14 items initially bought by another purchaser and later exchanged for 7 Cumberland items in the lots purchased by the library: nos 92-141 presented in 1967 by Mrs M. Cassels.

Other Finding Aids

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Sub-Librarian, Special Collections (e-mail PG.Library@durham.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.