WITTON-le-WEAR, a parish in the north-western
division of DARLINGTON ward, county palatine of
DURHAM, 4 miles (W. N. W.) from Bishop-Auckland,
containing 531 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual
curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Durham, endowed
with £400 private benefaction, and £400 royal
bounty, and in the patronage of W. Chaytor, Esq. The
church, dedicated to St. Philip and St. James, js an ancient
structure. The village is situated on the southern
acclivity of an eminence rising from the north bank
of the river Wear, which is here crossed by a bridge.
There is a commodious grammar school, founded by
John Cuthbert, Esq., and formerly endowed with the
interest of £200; but the building has been long occupied
as a private boarding school, and the endowment
transferred to a smaller establishment. On the
south side of the river stood Witton castle, built about
1410, formerly the baronial mansion of the Lords de
Eure, many of whom signalized themselves in the
border warfare: it was a large oblong edifice, with
towers and turrets, and, while recently undergoing
repair, was accidentally destroyed by fire. In the
great civil war it was held by Sir William D Arcy for
the king, and was besieged and taken by the parliamentarians,
under Sir. Arthur Haslerigg. Coal abounds
in the neighbourhood.