England
& Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index |
The ParishThe parish of Monkwearmouth lies in northeastern Durham forming a lengthy stretch of the county's North Sea coastline. Monkwearmouth is located immediately across the River Wear from the industrial town of Sunderland there being merely a half mile between the two. Monkwearmouth sits on the A1018 road which links Sunderland with South Shields. The parish name is a conjoining of a geographical reference, that of its presence at the mouth of the River Wear. with the history of its foundation by monks in c673. The core of the parish sits around the northern end of the initial bridging point across the Wear and consisted of Lower Town, a ramshackle collection of narrow streets of fisherman's cottages, together with Upper Town, within the wider parish were also the discrete villages of Fulwell and Southwick, both of which are now absorbed into the broad metropolitan area that is classified as Metropolitan Sunderland. Today built areas stretch for almost 4 miles inland and for a similar distance along the coast as a large urban area. Whilst the monastery suffered the depredations of the "Vikings" and was eventually removed to Jarrow by Bede, the port of Monkwearmouth developed primarily as a fishing port in its earliest days. Later the excellent location lead to the parish becoming one of the country's major ship building areas, ropes, blocks, chains, masts and anchors being especial trades. In addition the local clays were exploited as one of the major earthenware centres of the country. Deep seams of coal were also exploited by Messrs Pemberton's deep shafts employing many. The port grew largely through trade across the North Sea with Germany, Scandinavia and the Low Countries especial markets whilst the fishing fleet extended their range to encompass the colder waters of the Atlantic especially Newfoundland & Icelandic waters. Modern developments have come to the area, freight rail lines serving the port are supplemented by lines to both Newcastle Upon Tyne and to South Shields as part of the extensive Tyne/Wear transportation network. Today's Monkwearmouth is a bustling industrial port although much of the heavy industry has since gone to be replaced by lighter forms, a regional shopping location and home to many thousands. As a coastal location drainage is simply to the nearby North Sea either through the Wear, itself, or numerous outfalls. Monkwearmouth is sited at between sea level and 50 metres higher in the northern portions of Southwick in an area that is largely below that height for some distance. Monkwearmouth parish was extensive, like most northern parishes, covering just short of 5,200 acres its population would have risen during the transcription period to around 12,500 parishioners by its end. Like most of northern England Monkwearmouth is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area. |
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Register No | Covering Dates | Deposited With | Register Style | Quality Standard | Comments |
1 |
1757 - 1785 |
Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP24 |
Plain, ruled & margined book containing combined Banns
& Marriages |
Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low
likelihood of misreads |
The original register for this period was destroyed by fire, an
appeal was made for citizens married in the period to submit their
marriages and they were complied in this volume. We have decided not
to include this register as there are marked discrepancies with the
surviving Bishops Transcripts making it an unreliable source.
Other web sites list the marriages so listed/ |
2 | 1754 - 1784 | Durham University Library |
Bishops Transcripts on loose-leaf folios | Grade 4 Register - there are notable quality issues with this
register which may have resulted in many misreads |
As mentioned there are significant differences between the
official BTs and those collected in response to the appeal. The
extant BTs are, therefore, used as the resource. Quality is mixed
but the main reason for the rating is the substantial gaps which
result in many marriages lost to history |
3 | 16th October 1785 - 19th December 1806 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP27 | Plain, ruled & margined book containing Marriages |
Grade 3 Register - there are sufficient quality issues with this
register to indicate that some misreads will occur albeit few in
number |
A short period of fading during the last decade may result in a
few misreads |
4 | 20th December 1806 - 27th December 1812 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP28 | Plain, ruled & margined book containing Marriages |
Grade 3 Register - there are sufficient quality issues with this
register to indicate that some misreads will occur albeit few in
number |
Prior to the point at which marital status starts to be recorded
entries are crammed onto the page in a tony hand which may result in
a few misreads |
5 | 2nd January 1813 - 5th October 1822 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP29 | Standard Rose style preprinted and prenumbered Marriage register |
Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low likelihood of
misreads |
None |
6 | 7th October 1822 - 2nd August 1825 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP30 | Standard Rose style preprinted and prenumbered Marriage register |
Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low likelihood of
misreads |
None |
7 | 3rd August 1825 - 23rd May 1832 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP31 | Nonstandard Rose style preprinted Marriage register, it is
nonstandard in not being pre-stamped with its numbering that being
left for the clerk to complete |
Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low likelihood of
misreads |
None |
8 | 27th May 1832 - 19th June 1836 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP32 | Nonstandard Rose style preprinted Marriage register, it is
nonstandard in not being pre-stamped with its numbering that being
left for the clerk to complete |
Grade 3 Register - there are sufficient quality issues with this
register to indicate that some misreads will occur albeit few in
number |
Intermittent fading within this register may result in one or two
misreads |
9 | 23rd June 1836 - 27th June 1837 | Durham County Record Office - Reference EP/Mo.SP33 | Nonstandard Rose style preprinted Marriage register, it is
nonstandard in not being pre-stamped with its numbering that being
left for the clerk to complete |
Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low likelihood of
misreads |
None |
Washington
Holy Trinity
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Boldon
St Nicholas
Whitburn St Andrew |
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Washington
Holy Trinity
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Houghton
le Spring St Michael & All Angels
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Bishopwearmouth
St Michael
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Bishopwearmouth
St Michael
Sunderland Holy Trinity |
1770 1780 1785 1790 1795 1800 1805 1810 1815 1820 1825 1830 1835
Corrections to Tinstaafl Transcripts