WIDDRINGTON, a chapelry (parochial), in the
eastern division of MORPETH ward, county of NORTHUMBERLAND,
8 miles (N.-E. by N.) from Morpeth, containing
388 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy,
in the archdeaconry of Northumberland, and diocese of
Durham, endowed with £200 private benefaction, and
£ 800 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Hon. Mr.
and Mrs. Verrion. The church is ancient, and appears
to have been once much larger. A Scotch church was
erected here in 1765.' Widdrington was separated from
the parish of Woodhorn, and invested with distinct parochial
rights, in 1768. A small colliery is worked near
the village. There is a school-room, with a house and
garden occupied by the master, whose salary of £25 a
year is paid by the lady of the manor, for teaching the
poor children of the parish.. The ancient castle, which
stood in a noble park of six hundred acres, was burned
down more than fifty years ago, and the present edifice,
which occupies the site of the former, is much out of
repair, and now uninhabited. This was long the seat
of the family of Widdrington, of whom many have at
various periods distinguished themselves against the
Scots. Sir William, in 1642, was expelled from the
House of Commons for raising forces in defence of
Charles I., who, in the following year, elevated him to
the dignity of Baron Widdrington of Blankney. After
the battle of Marston Moor he left the kingdom, when
his estates were confiscated by the parliament; but returning
in the service of Charles II., he was slain at
the battle of Wigan. His son and successor, William,
Lord Widdrington, was attainted in 1715, and his
property, to the amount of £ 100,000, was sold for the
public use.