BOWES, in the NORTH RIDING of YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND.
THE HOME OF MY ANCESTORS


THE LONGSTAFF'S OF CHARITY LANDS, BLADESFIELD and MELLWATERS

The parish of BOWES, is situated on the banks of the river Greta, near Stainmoor, in the wapentake of Gilling West, in Richmondshire, just 4 miles south west of Barnard Castle, where my great great gransdmother, JANE LONGSTAFF, nee WATSON, worked as a seamstress for Lord Barnard. She is said to have made Lord Barnard's shirts, for him.
The church of St. Giles, a Methodist chapel, is where many of my ancestors were baptised, married and buried, in it's small churchyard, which I visited in October 2005.

St. Giles Church, Bowes, Yorkshire.

West Charity Farm
On the banks of the River Greta and approximately 1.25 miles west of St. Giles Church.

Jane Hird was the daughter of William Wilson by his wife, Ann Allison of Sleightholme, Bowes. She was baptised on the 18th December 1834 and died at Bowes on the 8th of November 1914. She married John, son of Thomas Hird born circa 1828 at Arkengarthdale. He died in Bowes on the 1st of March 1878.
Jane was a elder sister of Margaret Wilson, who was the great grandmother of the photographer, Jack Miller.
In 1899 Jane Hird agreed to have the Bowes Cross in her front garden, until the Lords of the Manor decided otherwise. As you can see from the photograph, it is still there today.

Dotheby Hall lies on the main street of Bowes. Charles Dickens used it to illustrate his book, "Nicholas Nickleby."

East Mellwaters Farm 650 yds south of the A66 and 1.5 miles west of Bowes Church.

Bladesfield lies approximately 300 yards west of the A67, Bowes to Barnard Castle road. Jack was given permission by the present owners, to photograph the farmhouse for my webpage. The present family being the 4th generation to farm at Bladesfield.

Bladesfield Farm

Photograph taken and submitted by kind permission of Jack Miller.

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"MY GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY PAGES"