Claxton in Greatham Deeds

Deeds, marriage settlements and papers relating chiefly to the West Pasture and other properties in the township of Claxton in the parish of Greatham, Co. Durham but also including references to properties in Hart, Seaton Carew, Stranton and Thorpe Bulmer, all in Co. Durham, 1670-1817. The final document in the series, dated 1826, is a lease to John George Lambton of Lambton Castle, Co. Durham of the right to construct a wagon-way from his colliery at the Quarter Way House, Houghton-le-Spring, Co. Durham to the River Wear. The chief families represented in the collection are the Gibsons of Stranton and Hartlepool, Co. Durham, the Watsons of Stranton and Sunderland, Co. Durham and the Byers of Newbottle and Eppleton, Co. Durham.

The first person to feature in this collection is William Gibson, gentleman (died 1671), of the Gibson of Stranton and Hartlepool, Co. Durham family. As well as property in Stranton, where they built the East Hall, the Gibsons held lands etc. in the other nearby townships and parishes mentioned under Scope and content, including Claxton, Co. Durham. In 1698 the Claxton properties represented in the collection were sold to Cuthbert Watson, yeoman, of Stranton. They remained in the possession of his Watson of Sunderland descendants until their sale to Thomas Byers, esquire, of Newbottle, Co. Durham in 1778. By 1817, the date of the last document featuring Claxton, their owner was William Byers, esquire, of Eppleton, Co. Durham.

Chronological.

Open for consultation.

Deposited with the Department of Palaeography and Diplomatic of the University of Durham (since 1990 part of the Archives and Special Collections department of Durham University Library) on 13 May 1959 by Stockton, Sons & Fortescue of Banbury, Oxfordshire through the Warwickshire County Archivist.

Catalogue

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.

Durham Probate Records: will and inventory of William Gibson gentleman of Stranton, proved 1671 (DPRI/1/1671/G6).

South Durham Deeds: agreement to postpone the payment of legacies charged on lands and messuages now mortgaged, as CLX 37 (SDD-6).

Durham Probate Records: will of Thomas Byers esquire of Newbottle (DPRI/1/1785/B16/1-2).