Local History


It is known that Ranulf de Fissebourne executed a deed of convention with the prior, concerning his chapel of Hardwick by the sea in 1084, of which the manor of Fishburn was a part. His son Simon de Fissebourne with, the consent of his brothers Robert and Ranulf and his sister Meliora confirmed this.
William-de-Fissebourne held one knights fee under Hugh Pudsey (Bishop Of Durham at the time) and then, over a century later, Ranulf de Fissebourne ceased with eleven messages and a hundred acres of land in Fishburn, to which the manorial superiority was still attached.
He left only two daughters to inherit the manor, however they must have sold the inheritance, as, in 1380 Sir William Caxton ceased of the manor of Fishburn which was charged with an annuity for life to Margaret and Elizabeth de Fissebourne of nine marks each.
At this time there weren't any hedgerows or fences to determine field boundaries, so they used marks. A mark could be a tree or stone or whatever, and the land was cultivated between the marks there could still be one of these markers left in Fishburn today in the large field to the south of stone cross.
In 1338 lands in Fishburn were part of the forfeitures of Michael de la Pole, who was the earl of Suffolk at the time, they were then restored in 1416.
In 1484 Robert Claxton (grandson of Sir William) died without male issue and left the large inheritance of his family to be divided amongst his four daughters of whom Anne. The wife of John Carrington accepted the Manors of Hawthorne and Dilston in lieu of all claims on the manor of Fishburn. It then appears to have been divided into three parts amongst the remaining co.-heirs. Margaret, wife of Sir William Elmdon, whose daughter married sir William Bulmer; Philice, wife of Richard Widdrington; Elizabeth, wife of Richard Conyers.
From then until today, the manor has remained split, passing through many family names such as Burtrumorde, Woodfield and Beckwith.
In 1686, the freeholders in Fishburn were Nicholas Farrow, Thomas reed, Ralph Butler, Edward Richardson, John Woodfield, Christopher Wardell, Thomas Orde, of Northumberland. William Mason of Sedgefield, Thomas Ewbank of Yorkshire. Martin Dunn, Anthony Armstrong, Richard Richardson, George Wardell of Trimdon, William Reed, Robert Craggs and William Woodfield.
In 1821 there were 51 dwellings in the parish and a population of 192, in 1851 Fishburn was the property of Captain Beckwith, Gerald Salvin, Robert Naylor and John Giles. Who were the trustees of Dr. Hartwell and Henry Swailes, each of whom claimed the manorial rights etc. of his own property .the whole area of Fishburn was 2,2082 acres and the annual value was £1,325.45
In the early part of the 20^th century the village comprised of the Front Street with houses, farmsteads the church school, chapel and a few small shops along both sides of the green, together with Fishburn Hall. The mill and the Beehive Inn at the cross-roads all surrounded by open fields.
Fishburn was a quiet village with seven farmsteads. Heavy industry came to the village in the form of coal mining and coke production, and disrupted the peace and quiet somewhat.
Today, all of the industry has disappeared, the village has seen the development of several housing estates and the population has grown to around 2,500.


Colin Gibson (copyright reserved 1999)