Place:Acomb, Northumberland, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Acomb is a village in the south of Northumberland, England. The population at the 2001 UK census was 1,184 increasing to 1,268 at the 2011 UK census. It is situated to the north of Hexham, not far from the junction of the A69 road and A6079 road.

In this area there was much mining and quarrying. The coal mine at Acomb in 1886 employed 200 workers and 51,000 tons of coal per annum were raised. It was good coking coal and 41 coke ovens were in use. At Fallowfield then still working was another lead mine, where the Romans had mined and quarried. In 1886 the mine employed 120 men, mining lead and barites.

The pleasing church of St. John Lee on the hillside amid the trees is dedicated to St. John of Beverley, a local hermit and supposedly a worker of miracles.

Acomb was originally a township in the ancient parish of Lee St. John. It became a separate civil parish in 1866 and this status remains. There are also references to East Acomb and West Acomb. West Acomb appears to have been a hamlet within Acomb (not found on maps except at the largest scale), or another name for Acomb. East Acomb is a village located in the civil parish of Bywell 10 miles to the east. (Source: A Vision of Britain through Time and the map dated 1900 given below.)

From 1894 until 1974 Acomb parish was part of Hexham Rural District. In 1974 rural districts were abolished and Allendale became part of the Tynedale District until 2009 when Northumberland became a unitary authority.

Research Tips

• Northumberland Archives previously known as Northumberland Collections Service and Northumberland County Record Office. Now based within Woodhorn Museum in Ashington and providing free access to numerous records for local and family historians alike.

Full postal address: Museum and Northumberland Archives, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9YF; Phone: 01670 624455

There is a branch office in Berwick upon Tweed.

• Northumberland and Durham FHS covers both Northumberland and County Durham. The Family History Society have a research centre in Percy House in central Newcastle upon Tyne (full address on website), open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. Browse the website to see what else the society can provide.
• Further information from GENUKI
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1832 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time. This map includes the boundaries of the various Wards (or "hundreds") in existence at that time.
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1900 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• Ordnance Survey map of Northumberland 1944 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• English Jurisdictions 1851, a parish finding aid provided by FamilySearch, particularly helpful in large towns and cities.
• Unfortunately, there is no Victoria County History for Northumberland.