Wynyard Village

Wynyard is a thriving community located in the Borough of Stockton on Tees and in the ceremonially county of County Durham. The village is currently made up of 759 households and has a total population of 1,877 people, of which: -

471 people (25%) are children aged 0-15
1,288 people (69%) are of working age
117 people (6%) are retired

There are plans to substantially increase the size of Wynard by building an eco housing estate with construction of an additional 2000 houses, a 3* hotel and a 5* modern business hotel starting in August 2008.

Located within Wynyard there are a great number of amenities and businesses, including the famous Wynyard Golf Course that hosted the Seve Tournament in 2005. A restaurant called 'Nineteen' is connected to the Wynyard Golf Club.

Wynyard History

The name Wynyard was possibly derived from two Anglo Saxon words meaning “enclosed meadow” – winn (meadow) and yeard “enclosure”. Another idea for the origin of the name is from the words Wyln (female slave) and yeard (yard). However, the enclosed meadow version is generally regarded as the correct version.

Wynyard as a spelling originates in the 16th century but before this time it was spelt variously Wyneiard (1237), Winherd (1238), Wynhyard (1311) and Wyneyard (1345)

Medieval Wynyard

The de Chapell family are the earliest known inhabitants of Wynyard, settling there in about 1230 and letting the land from the Crown. In return for land, the family had to provide the King with soldiers whenever the need arose.

Sir Hugh de Chapell was the last male descendent to the estate and on his death in 1265 the land passed to his five daughters – with each being a co-heir. The estate then bounced between various owners including the de Lisle family and in 1312 – the de Langton family.

Wynyard Manor House

Thomas de Langton is regarded as the person who built Wynyard Manor House in 1417 although there are records of a fine house existing there in 1415. The house was passed in marriage to Sir Roger Conyers in 1438 and eventually was inherited by Ralph Claxton in 1524. The house remained in the Claxton family until Alex Davison – a wealthy Newcastle businessman – purchased the hall in 1633.

The Manor House is then bought and sold several times down the years, including in 1737, to John Tempest

John Tempest was MP for old Durham and Sherburn and in 1737 he purchased Wynyard Manor House for £8,200.

The Londonderry Association

In 1813 Francis Anne Vane inherited the estate and it passed to Lord Stewart, son of the Marquis of Londonderry, upon their getting married in 1819. With the death of his father in 1821 and the suicide of Viscount Castlereagh, the 2nd Marquis – Lord Stewart became the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry and this brings the Londonderry name to Wynyard.

Wynyard Hall Construction

As Wynyard flourished, the Londondery’s decided to demolish the old Wynyard Manor House and build an even grander one in it’s place. The new house was designed by Philip and Benjamin Wyatt, sons of the famous architect James Wyatt and work commenced in 1822. The total cost of construction was £150,000 and the foundation stone was laid on 3rd April 1826.

The construction was financed from the coal mines owned by Lord Londonderry.

Fire at Wynyard Hall in 1841

A fire started in the conservatory of the west wing of Wynyard Hall on February 19th 1841 and spread rapidly throughout the night engulfing two-thirds of the house before it was subdued. The news reached the Londonderry’s in Italy and they were so distressed that Marchioness Londonderry was confined to bed for three weeks!

Work soon started on restoration under the supervision of John Dobson and the new house was finally finished in 1848, at a cost of £40,000, including £100 for a new fire engine!!

Wynyard Manor House – Famous Guests

Wynyard stately home, has entertained a mixture of Royalty, leading statesmen and Politicians from all over the world. However, this in unlikely to be repeated in future as Wynyard Hall is now owned by the property Tycoon Sir John Hall – of MetroCentre fame.

King Edward VI was a frequent visitor to Wynyard and held a privy council in the mirror room of Wynyard in 1902 where a commemorate plaque still remains to this day. Royal shooting parties were often held at Wynyard. Ribbentrop’s name is seen in the visitors book and the Duke of Wellington was a frequent visitor. In fact, to commemorate his visit in 1827 an Obelisk of 127 feet high was erected in the park. It still stands today.

The Duke of York (later King George VI) paid a visit to Wynyard on the occasion of the opening of the Newport Bridge in 1934 and our present Queen Elizabeth II stayed overnight in Wynyard in 1940 before an official engagement in Stockton. She was only a Princess at the time of course.

Whilst I have mentioned above that we are unlikely to se Royalty return to Wynyard, perhaps it will still attract notable members of world society. Margaret Thatcher was at the hall in 1990 and a prestigious golf Tournament – The Seve Trophy – was held at the local Golf Course before the world’s media in 2005.

Website hosted with support from The Green Business Ltd. - Carbon Footprint, Climate Change Legislation, Carbon Offsetting and Carbon Reduction for Businesses and the Public Sector