In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Matfen like this:
MATFEN, a village, two townships, and a chapelry, in Stamfordham parish, Northumberland. The village stands 1 mile N of the Roman wall, 5½ NE by N of Corbridge r. station, and 7½ NE of Hexham; and has a postoffice under Newcastle-on-Tyne, and an inn. The townships are East M. and West M. ...
Acres, 2,067 and 1,905. Pop., 147 and 345. Houses, 28 and 72. The manor belonged to the Feltons; passed to the Lawsons, the Fenwicks, and the Douglasses; went, by marriage, in the last century, to the Blacketts; and, with Matfen Hall, belongs now to Sir Edward Blackett, Bart. The Hall was built in 1832-5; is a very imposing edifice, in the Gothic style; has a grand entrance-hall, rising to the entire height of the edifice, and surrounded by open arcaded galleries; contains some valuable pictures, and so me curious relics; and stands in a very fine park. Fine ancient carved stone pillars are at the Wodge, and were brought from Halton Castle. An ancient standingstone, probably Druidical, is on a green before a house called the Standing Stone Farm. Kistvaens were found in a barrow near that house. Matfen Piers is a meet for the Tindale hounds.—The chapelry is larger than the two townships, and was constituted in 1846. Pop., 751. Houses, 150. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Durham. Value, £150.* Patron, Sir E. Blackett, Bart. The church was rebuilt in 1862; and is a hand some edifice, with a lofty tower.
Matfen through time
Matfen is now part of Castle Morpeth district. Click here for graphs and data of how Castle Morpeth has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Matfen itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Matfen, in Castle Morpeth and Northumberland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/9475
Date accessed: 27th April 2024
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