Swinburne of Dilston, Northumberland
Dilston is a very small village about 2 miles to the east of Hexham. Dilston Hall was the home of the Radcliffe family, (baronets and 1st Earl of Derwentwater) and Swinburne's were employed by them, appearing in the family papers. The early origins of this branch of the Swinburne Family are quite difficult to plot as there are only a loose collection of references stretching over a long period before a clearer family line appears. They were a Roman Catholic family and early references in the area include John Swinburne of Wooley (Slaley) and his wife, convicted 1599 and 1601 (probably in connection with Roman Catholicism); and a William Swinburne of Dilston 1629 who married Mabel.
ALEXANDER SWINBURNE, of Corbridge, he and his wife were convicted in 1619, 1625 and 1629, he was buried 14 July 1667 St. Andrew's, Corbridge, Northumberland; married ISABELLA, buried 31 December 1668 St. Andrew's, Corbridge

They were possibly parents of:

  • MARTIN SWINBURNE, born circa 1635, of Slaley, he and his wife were indicted in the quarter sessions 6 October 1680 and convicted at the assizes 9 August 1682 then indicted again in 1683; Martin became guardian of the title deeds to Dilston Hall and other valuable family papers of James Radcliffe, Earl of Derwentwater, when Radcliffe joined the Jacobite rising of 1715 (Radcliffe was beheaded on Tower Hill in 1716), the papers were removed to a cottage at Upper Dilston, they remained in the care of Martin until taken to Capheaton Hall for better concealment; mentioned in brother Francis's Will, living in 1715 aged over 80, married before 1659 MARY, Martin's sister-in-law Ann Swinburne left him and his wife 20 shillings each in her Will (issue - see below)

    View of Dilston - February 2003

  • FRANCIS SWINBURNE, of Dilston, Yeoman, born circa 1640; possibly the Francis Swinburne who witnessed an indenture of Sir Edward Radcliffe of Dilston on 8 August 1654; he received an annuity of £5 by the Will dated 18 December 1668 of Elizabeth, widow of Sir Edward Radcliffe; his own Will was dated 19 March 1678/9 and in it he mentions brothers Martin and George, sister Ann, wife Ann, godson Francis Swinburne and nephews and nieces; he was buried 23 March 1679 St. Andrew's, Corbridge, he married 28 January 1668/9 Corbridge ANN BLENKINSOP, as a widow she continued to receive her husband's annuity from the Radcliffe's; her Will was dated 1 October 1702, buried 6 December 1703 St. Andrew's, Corbridge, there was probably no issue from this marriage as none are mentioned amongst extensive bequests in both Wills

  • ANN SWINBURNE, mentioned in Will of brother Francis 1679

  • GEORGE SWINBURNE, mentioned in Will of brother Francis 1679; possibly buried 25 May 1697 St. Andrew's, Corbridge

    Martin and Mary were parents of:

  • ISABELLA SWINBURNE, left £5 in the will of her aunt Anne Swinburne 1702

  • RICHARD SWINBURNE, died in infancy, buried Corbridge 1658

  • WILLIAM SWINBURNE, died in infancy, buried 1 October 1662 St. Andrew's, Corbridge

  • MARY SWINBURN, baptised Corbridge 19 November 1665, buried 15 April 1672 St. Andrew's, Corbridge

    Shield Hall, Slaley - February 2003

  • FRANCIS SWINBURNE, mentioned at Shield Hall, Slaley 1690 (Shield Hall, see picture, is about 4 miles south of Hexham on the Slaley road, about a mile and a half from Slaley) and Wooley 1708; left 20 shillings in Anne's will 1702; a Francis Swinburn of Wouley was buried at St. Mary the Virgin, Slaley 5 May 1731(c)

  • MARTIN SWINBURNE, ?of Shield Hall 1680-84; left 20 shillings in Anne's will 1702; non-juror of Wooley 1708; a Martin Swinburn sen(ior) of Woolley was buried 9 February 1742 St. Mary the Virgin, Slaley; he probably married 24 November 1711 Shotley ANN HOPPER, they may be parents of CUTHBERT SWINBURN (son of Martin of Woolley) who was buried 5 May 1778 St. Mary the Virgin, Slaley (see also note (d))

  • THOMAS SWINBURNE, left 20 shillings in Anne's will 1702; non-juror of Wooley 1708

  • WILLIAM SWINBURNE, baptised Corbridge 21 April 1675; left 20 shillings in Anne's will 1702; a William Swinburn of Wouley was buried 23 October 1743 at Slaley(c)

    Dilston Hall - February 2003

  • CUTHBERT SWINBURNE, senior, Tailor, of Dilston; born c.1677; left 20 shillings in sister-in-law Anne's will 1702; non-juror of Wooley 1708; papist non-juror 1716; bequeathed a large 'wenscote table and deal chest of drawers' by the widowed Countess of Derwentwater c.1720; in a letter of 1722, about rents to be paid, the agent for the estates of the Countess of Derwentwater mentions 'Swinburne the tailors of Hexham' (the Swinburne tailors are believed to have moved from Dilston to Hexham after the downfall of the Radcliffes); mentioned September 1745 in a list of reputed papists and non-jurors in Hexham Borough; he received an allotment of 6 acres at the division of Hexham East and West Commons 3 May 1755; buried St. Andrew's, Hexham 22 December 1755 aged about 78

    Cuthbert was father of:

    St. Andrew's, Corbridge - February 2003
  • a still born daughter buried 9 February 1704 St. Andrew's, Corbridge (see pictures)

  • ? CUTHBERT SWINBURN he may be the Cuthbert Swinburn, junior, Tailor, mentioned in the list of reputed papists and non-jurors 1745, married SARAH GREEN (issue - see Swinburne of Benwell)

    Corbridge Church

  • MARY SWINBURNE, buried 8 January 1714 St. Andrew's, Corbridge

  • JOHN SWINBURN, of Dilston, born 1712, described himself as Clockmaker to the Earl of Derwentwater; a John Swinburn, Clockmaker, appears in the September 1745 list of reputed papists and non-jurors of Hexham*; died 1748, married 13 August 1730 Halton, Northumberland JANE (or JOAN) SMITH, of Bywell St. Andrew (issue - see below)

  • THEODOSIA SWINBURNE, baptised 26 May 1716 Corbridge, buried 6 April 1718 St. Andrew's, Corbridge aged 2

    John and Jane were parents of:

  • JOHN SWINBURN, born 1735; (poss. baptised 29 April 1735 Shotley, son of John -IGI); in 1755 a John Swinburn, Clockmaker, received an allotment of 6 acres; clockmaker in Dilston c.1760 then in Hexham up to c.1780, (a John Swinburn of Hexham, Watchmaker, advertised in the Newcastle Chronicle 11 November 1769), possibly died 18 November 1821, St. Andrew's, Hexham, aged 96 (another John Swinburn, Tailor, Hexham, born c.1735, died 23 March 1810 aged 75) issue - see below.

  • WILLIAM SWINBURN, (a William Swinburn of Hexham, 'Taylor, now in the Royal Artillery', married 15 November 1798 Monkwearmouth JANE LESLIE, (daughter of THOMAS LESLIE), native of Gateshead; they had a son WILLIAM, born 23 October 1799, baptised 18 November 1799 St. Nicholas, Newcastle)

  • DOROTHY SWINBURN, married by licence 8 October 1761 Hexham, ROBERT WILSON, issue.

  • THEODOSIA SWINBURN, baptised 5 October 1744 Stonecroft with Hexham R.C., Northumberland, confirmed 12 June 1757, married after banns 31 July 1768 Hexham, JOHN HOPPER

    (a Joseph and Elioner Swinburne were confirmed on the same day as Theodosia and were probably related, this Joseph married 25 Jan. 1769 Hexham, Mary Forster, daughter of John Forster of Eshells in Hexhamshire. They had a daughter Sara bap. 18 Aug. 1771 and a son Joseph bap. 25 Sep. 1776, both at Stonecroft with Hexham)

    John was father of:

  • CUTHBERT SWINBURN(b), born 1771; ?married c.1790-1810; died 12 February 1822

    Cuthbert was father of:

  • WILLIAM SWINBURN, born 1805 Hexham, Northumberland, died 18 October 1852, possibly married Q4 1851 Newcastle/Tyne, (could be the William Swinburn on the 1851 census at 94 Back Street, Hexham, Clock and Watch Maker, aged 46, unmarried)

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    Sources: W. Percy-Hedley's 'Northumberland Families'; M.Oakes; 1881 census; GRO; IGI; Joiner Marriage Index

    NOTES:
    (a)IGI
    (b)Possibly married 22 April 1800 Barnard Castle CATHERINE HOPPER with children, ROBERT born 22 October and baptised 24 October 1802; MARIA born and baptised 7 April 1804; ELIZABETH born 6 November and baptised 9 November 1806; CUTHBERT born 9 July and baptised 11 July 1809, SARA ANN born 30 October and baptised 31 October 1811 (died young?), JOHN born and baptised 15 December 1813; CATHARINE born 3 December and baptised 11 December 1815; SARA ANN born 20 December and baptised 30 December 1817 and twins JANE and JOHN born and baptised on 8 June 1820 all at Lartington Catholic Church, Yorkshire (IGI) note-Lartington is in Durham a few miles from Barnard Castle
    OR 1 September 1804 Hexham, MARY CINNAMON
    (c)Slaley Parish Registers

    *A William Swinburn, tailor, is also on this list
    Another William Swinburn, of Hexham, Clockmaker, named his clocks 'Derwentwater Clocks'

    (d)Martin Swinburn of Wooley (Slaley) and Sunnyside, about a mile south of Hexham; (possibly Martin Swinburn, farmer of Pound Ridge who was buried 27 July 1792 Slaley) and Ann Swinburn of Hexham married 15 June 1766 Slaley; she was buried 4 December 1775 at St. Mary the Virgin, Slaley, three days after her baby (un-named) who was buried on 1 December 1775 at Slaley; they also had the following children, ANNA baptised 25 June 1766, ANN baptised 21 January 1768, MARTIN baptised 25 June 1769, JOANNES baptised 13 April 1771, and MARIA baptised 14 May 1774 all at Stonecroft with Hexham

    The 1901 census has the following who may be connected to this branch:
    William Swinburn, a Turner Fitter aged 34, born c.1867 Hexham and wife Sarah, aged 28, born c.1873 Usworth, living at Elswick, Durham with children, James, aged 4, born c.1897 Newcastle and Theodosia, aged 2, born c.1899 Newcastle.

    Last updated 4 December 2004 1