This is www.oldpway.info/weardale
It is Ernest Bate's on-line archive of information about Weardale Railway History.
The information includes research notes, extracts of old published books, and scans of original documents relating to Weardale Railway history. All the documents are pdfs, which are reached by the links, and which can be read on-line here or can be downloaded using your browser. Some of these are large files.
After viewing any of these pdfs with the link, you must use your browser back button to return to this page.
Note that Ernest Bate has a lot more information about Weardale Railways that is not on-line here. Please contact him if you wish to discuss anything.
Contents of this webpage:
  • Stanhope Railway records
  • Iron Works and Mining
  • 1861 Census
  • 1857/8 25 inch maps
  • WW1 POW camps

  • Stanhope Mineral Agent's Office Records
    These are guard's train records and daily paperwork from the 1890s, kept by the Stanhope Mineral Agent.
  • List of Records (0.1 MB) Link
  • Details of Guard's Record Books (0.5 MB)Link
  • Guard's Book 1 (70.6 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 2 (66.3 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 3 (65.5 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 4 (69.1 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 5 (63.1 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 6 (67.2 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 7 (61.4 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 8 (59.7 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 9 (61.4 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 10 (56.9 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 11 (57.6 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 12 (45.8 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 13 (58.0 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 14 (55.2 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 15 (59.2 MB) Link
  • Guard's Book 16 (70.5 MB) Link
  • Mineral Guard's Book 17 (64.0 MB) Link
  • Mineral Guard's Book 18 (79.6 MB) Link
  • Mineral Guard's Book 19 (71.0 MB) Link

  • Research into the blast furnaces at Stanhope and Tow Law, owned by Weardale Iron Company.
    Including details of all primary evidence about these furnaces, from newspapers, reports, books etc. This history traces the numbers of furnaces, building dates, numbers in blast, accidents etc.
  • Weardale Iron Company Blast Furnace Notes (0.6 MB) Link

  • Copies of parts of Hunt's Mineral Statistics, relating to Weardale blast furnaces, iron works and iron ore production and transport.
    With a summary of all this information, concerning Stanhope, Tow Law and Witton Park Iron Works and the iron ore mines and quarries in Weardale.
  • Summary of Weardale Blast Furnace Statistics from Mineral Statistics (0.6 MB) Link
  • Weardale_Furnace_Stats_1850s (3.4 MB) Link
  • Weardale_Furnace_Stats_1860s (6.1 MB) Link
  • Weardale_Furnace_Stats_1870s (10.5 MB) Link
  • Weardale_Furnace_Stats_1880s (13.7 MB) Link
  • Weardale_Furnace_Stats_1890s (7.6 MB) Link

  • Weardale information in "The Mining and Smelting Magazine", 1862-1865.
  • Summary of 1860s Weardale Information in "The Mining and Smelting Magazine" (0.5 MB) Link
  • Extracts of "The Mining and Smelting Magazine" concerning Weardale in 1860s. Including all monthly Trade Reviews for Northumberland and Durham Counties. (8.5 MB) Link
  • Summary of "On the Present Position of the Metallurgy of Iron in England" by Gruner and Lan, 1861, in Mining and Smelting Magazine, 3 Feb 1862 (0.5 MB) Link
  • "The Iron Manufacture of the North of England. Districts of Cleveland, Durham, and Cumberland" by Gruner and Lan, 1861, in Mining and Smelting Magazine, 3 Jun 1863 (0.9 MB) Link
  • Summary of "On the Weardale Iron Ores", by Charles Attwood, 1863, given at the Meeting of the British Association, in Mining and Smelting Magazine, 3 Oct 1863 (0.2 MB) Link
  • "Report on the Metallurgy of the District", by I Lowthian Bell, T Sopwith, Dr Richardson and T Spencer, 1863, given at the Meeting of the British Association. Including sections on "The Manufacture of Iron in Connection with the Northumberland and Durham Coal-field", "Lead Metallurgy of the District", and "The Manufacture of Steel in Northumberland and Durham". In Mining and Smelting Magazine, 3 Nov 1863 (1.0 MB) Link

  • Stanhope Parish 1861 Census Returns.
    These are the 1861 census books for Stanhope Parish. They are the Public Records Office (National Archives) images, downloaded from the FindMyPast website. There are 14 books covering the area as follows.
  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 1. (14.1 MB) Link
  • Extent: Park Township (Part of). All that part of the Park Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the South West side of the River Wear, including Stanhope Common, Westernhope Common, Ludwell, Horsley and Brother Lee.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 2. (23.9 MB) Link
  • Extent: Park Township (Part of). All that part of the Park Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the North East side of the River Wear, including North Gate, Rose Hill, Old Park, Brown Rigg Side, Crooksalter, Westgate and Middlehope Common.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 3. (9.7 MB) Link
  • Extent: Forest Township (Part of). All that part of the Forest Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the West side of Rookhope Burn, including Rookhope Common, Linsgarth Common and Hangingwells.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 4. (19.9 MB) Link
  • Extent: Forest Township (Part of). All that part of the Forest Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the South West side of the River Wear, bounding on the park Quarter on the East, and on Chapel Burn on the West, including Hill House, Windy Side, Dadry Shield, Wood Meadows, Chapel Common, St Johns Chapel and Burnfoot.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 5. (23.9 MB) Link
  • Extent: Forest Township (Part of). All that part of the Forest Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the South West side of the River Wear, bounding on Chapel on the East and on Ireshopeburn on the West, including Harthope Common, Ireshope Plain, Hawkwellhead and Earnwell.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 6. (19.5 MB) Link
  • Extent: Forest Township (Part of). All that part of the Forest Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies on the South West side of the River Wear, bounding on on Ireshope Burn on the East and on Burnhope Burn on the West, including Brier Hill, Ireston and Burnhope Common.

  • District: Weardale Union. Sub-District: St Johns. Enumeration no.: 7. (15.7 MB) Link
  • Extent: Forest Township (Part of). All that part of the Forest Quarter of the parish of Stanhope which lies between Burnhope Burn and Wellhope Burn down to their point of junction at Wearhead, including Stone Cross, Bents, North Grain and Wellhope Common.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 1. (22.7 MB) Link
  • Extent: Stanhope Parish (Part of). Stanhope Township (Part of). Rookhope Chapelry (Part of). All that part of the Township of Stanhope which lies on the North side of the Rivulet called Stotsfieldburn, including Boltsburn Village, Redbourn, Rispey, Bolts-law, Chapel Row, part of Stotsfieldburn Hamlet and that part of Stanhope Common in a line therewith.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 2. (11.1 MB) Link
  • Extent: Stanhope Parish (Part of). Stanhope Township (Part of). Rookhope Chapelry (Part of). All that part of the Township of Stanhope which lies between the Rivulet called Stotsfield Burn, and the road leading past High Farm to East Gate and Hagg Bridge, including part of Stotsfield Burn Hamlet, Brandon Walls, part of East Gate Village and that part of Stanhope Common in a line therewith.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 3. (8.4 MB) Link
  • Extent: Stanhope Parish (Part of). Stanhope Township (Part of). All that part of the Township of Stanhope which lies between the road leading past High Farm to East Gate and Hagg Bridge on the West, and Stanhope Burn on the East, with the exception of that part of the Town of Stanhope which lies on the West side of Stanhope Burn, including High Farm, Bewdley, Greenhead, Noahs Ark and that part of Stanhope Common in a line therewith.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 4. (15.6 MB) Link
  • Extent: Stanhope Parish (Part of). Stanhope Township (Part of). All that part of the Township of Stanhope (with the exception of the Town of Stanhope) which lies on the East side of Stanhope Burn, including Weather Hill, Stewart Shield Meadows, Stanhope Lead Mill, Crawleyside, Ashes House, Jolly Body, Shittlehopeside, Shittlehopeburn, Rogerley Hall and that part of Stanhope Common in a line therewith. Note: including Parkhead, upon Stanhope Common.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 5. (35.5 MB) Link
  • Extent: The Town of Stanhope, including Stanhope Castle and grounds, Stanhope Hall, Stanhope Hall Mill, Horn Hall, New Town, Bridge End, New Field and East Lane.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 6. (8.3 MB) Link
  • Extent: Stanhope Parish (Part of). Newlandside Township (Part of). All that part of the Township of Newlandside which lies on the North side of the Rivulet called Dryburn, including that part of Bollihope Common in a line therewith.

  • District: Weardale. Sub-District: Stanhope. Enumeration no.: 7. (11.9 MB) Link
  • Extent: Newlandside Township (Part of) and Bishopley Township. All that part of the Township of Newlandside which lies on the South side of the Rivulet called Dryburn together with the township of Bishopley, including Hill End, Brown's House, Bishopley Hamlet, Bollihope Shield that part of Bollihope Common in a line therewith.


    1st edition OS 25 inch (1:2500) maps of Weardale Railways.
    These are snapshots and scans of the 25 inch OS 1st edition maps of the Weardale area, which were surveyed in 1857 and 1858. They show in great detail the state of the railways in 1857/8, except that most copies of the maps covering Frosterley to Stanhope are later reprints (e.g. 1860s or 1870s) which have had the railway from Frosterley to Stanhope and to Newlandside Quarrry added (but are still described as 1st edition).

    The survey date for each map area can be read at the bottom left-hand corner of the 1895 revisions of each map sheet, which can be viewed on-line on the National Library of Scotland website at NLS Durham Index.

    Until November 2021, the 1st edition 25 inch OS maps could be viewed on-line, for non-commercial purposes, on the website www.old-maps.co.uk. That website has now been closed, but the following files contain snapshots taken from old-maps of all the railways in the Weardale area and some other areas of Weardale with railway interest.

    Also here are high resolution scans of the 1st edition 25 inch OS maps of Frosterley as originally surveyed (from British Library) and of Crawleyside/Stanhopeburn, Weatherhill and Park Head (from original printed copies).

  • Bishop Auckland and Weardale Railway area (22.5 MB) Link
  • 106 snapshots from old-maps, covering Bishop Auckland, to Wear Valley Junction, to Crook and surrounding areas, to Tow Law and surrounding areas, to Waskerley.

  • Stanhope and Tyne Railroad area (8.2 MB) Link
  • 34 snapshots from old-maps, covering Hownsgill, to Waskerley, to Crawleyside, to Stanhopeburn.

  • Wear Valley Railway area (12.5 MB) Link
  • 57 snapshots from old-maps, covering Wear Valley Junction, to Wolsingham, to Frosterley, to Stanhope and Newlandside, and Bishopley Branch and old waggonway to Bollihope.

  • Weardale Iron Company Railway area (13.3 MB) Link
  • 66 snapshots from old-maps, covering Parkhead, to Boltslaw, to Rookhope, to Bishopseat, to Heights, to Middlehope Valley, and Rookhope Valley to Groverake and North Grain.

  • Other Weardale areas of railway interest (5.4 MB) Link
  • 23 snapshots from old-maps, covering the route from Stanhope to Wearhead and some quarries and mines, including High Slit Mine, Middlehope Bank, Harthope, Greenlaws Mine, New House, Burtreeford, Burtree Pasture Mine, Cowhorse Level and Killhope Park Lead Mine.

  • High resolution of Frosterley in 1857 on Durham XXIV.15 (2.6 MB) Link
  • Scan from British Library copy, showing railway terminating at Frosterley and with Frosterley Engine Shed (as building 240, but not connected). Zoom to 400% for close-up view.

  • High resolution of Durham XXIV.5 of Crawleyside and Stanhopeburn in 1857 (18.6 MB) Link
  • Scan from original paper copy, showing Crawley Engine, part of Stanhope Burn Iron Works, Lanehead Quarry, Red Vein Quarry, Noah's Ark Quarry, West Pasture Mine, Stanhopeburn Washing, Shield Hirst Level, Stanhope Smelting Mill. Zoom to 400% for close-up view.

  • High resolution of Durham XXIV.2 of Weatherhill Incline in 1857, left part, Stanhope Parish (10.3 MB) Link
  • Scan from original paper copy, showing Weatherhill Incline, Weatherhill Engine and Park Head Depot. Zoom to 400% for close-up view.

  • High resolution of Durham XXIV.2 of East of Park Head in 1857, right part, Muggleswick Parish (7.7 MB) Link
  • Scan from original paper copy, showing Pease's Quarry (Sandstone), near Park Head Depot. Zoom to 400% for close-up view.


    World War 1 German prisoner-of-war camps in Weardale for POWs working in quarries.
    In August 1916 the Ministry of Munitions recognised an urgent need for increased supplies of limestone and ganister for use in new blast furnaces that were being built to increase the production of iron and steel. So the ministry took over four limestone quarries and two ganister quarries in Weardale and arranged to work them with German POW labour. Four camps to house the POWs were established in Weardale, at Stanhope (Newlandside), Eastgate (Rose Hill), Castleside (Healeyfield), and Harperley.

    This section gives details of what was done and of the POW camps.

  • Details of the work done are given in the 1919 book by F H Hatch, "The Iron and Steel Industry of the United Kingdom under War Conditions". The full book is on-line on archive.org here. A pdf of selected pages from the book, relevant to Weardale, is here (8.8 MB).
  • Stanhope POW camp.
    Details are on durhamatwar.org.uk about the camp here, about one of the guards here, and about one of the prisoners here.

    Stanhope POW camp, also called Newlandside Working Camp, was near Stanhope engine shed. POWs from here worked limestone at Newlandside quarry, Rogerley quarry and Newfield quarry (at the east end of Ashes quarry, Stanhope). The Stanhope camp was established on 18 August 1916 and inspected on 19 September 1916, when it held 220 German POWs housed in 24 bell tents.

  • Eastgate POW camp.
    Eastgate POW camp report of inspection on 18 June 1917 is here (5.0 MB).
    Eastgate POW camp report of inspection on 18 February 1918 is here (6.1 MB).
    A little information is on durhamatwar.org.uk about the camp here and about one of the guards here.

    The only detailed information on Eastgate camp is in the inspection reports which are on this website. These are Swiss Embassy reports from 1917 and 1918, held in the Bundesarchiv in Berlin, reference BA/Berlin/R901/83061. Scans of copies from the Bundesarchiv have kindly been provided by Professor Panayi of De Montfort University, Leicester.
    Eastgate POW camp was at Rose Hill Farm to the west of Eastgate and east of Heights quarry. It was established on 18 September 1916.
    POWs from here worked limestone at Heights quarry, and between October 1916 and June 1917 built the Heights Quarry Incline, also called Cambokeels Incline, from Heights quarry down to the North Eastern Railway Wear Valley Branch at Cambokeels.
    The camp was inspected on 18 June 1917, when it held 210 POWs housed mainly in huts. Some POWs had been working on building the new quarry incline "until a week ago" and the incline "is now practically complete". Note that this proves that the much published date of 1915 for the building of the Heights Quarry Incline is incorrect.
    The camp was inspected again on 18 February 1918, when it held 310 POWs housed in huts.

  • Castleside (Healeyfield) POW camp.
    Details are on durhamatwar.org.uk about the camp here.

    Casleside POW camp, also called Healeyfield Working Camp, was near Healeyfield ganister quarry where the POWs worked. It was established on 18 August 1916 and inspected on 18 September 1916, when it held 110 German POWs housed in bell tents.

  • Harperley POW camp.
    Details are on durhamatwar.org.uk about the camp here.

    Harperley POW camp was initially at Harperley Farm (with tents) and then moved to Shipley Moss (with huts), near Knitsley Fell ganister quarry where the POWs worked. The camp was opened in September 1916 and inspected in June 1917 and again Febraury 1918. In June 1917 it held 230 POWs.