BRANCEPETH, a parish in the north-western
division of DARLINGTON ward, county palatine of DURHAM,
comprising the townships of Brancepeth, Brandon
with Byshottles, Crook with Billy-Row, Hedley-Hope,
Hemlington-Row, Stockley, and Willington, and containing
1905 inhabitants, of which number, 539 are in
the township of Brancepeth, 4 miles (S. W.) from
Durham. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Durham, rated in the king's books at
£ 60.10.5., and in the patronage of R. E. D. Shaftoe, Esq.
The church, dedicated to St. Brandon, is a fine cruciform
edifice, highly decorated within: the chancel is stalled
and wainscoted with oak carved in tabernacle work, and
has an ornamented ceiling: there are several monuments
to the memory of deceased members of the family of
Nevill, the ancient noble owners of Brancepeth castle,
which stands a little to the south-west of the village:
the old castle was almost wholly pulled down by the
late Matthew Russel, Esq., who erected the present
magnificent edifice on its site. Brancepeth is supposed
to be a corruption of Brawn's path, from the number of
wild boars that roamed throughout the district, for
the purpose of chasing which, Richard III., when Duke
of Gloucester (who was maternally descended from the
Nevill family), frequently repaired hither. There are
some coal-works and stone-quarries in the parish,
also medicinal springs of a vitriolic and sulphureous
kind.