ORD OF HEXAMSHIRE

A family of Ords held lands in the High Quarter of Hexham in the 16th centuries and the farms at Litterage, Stotsfold, Lillswood and Whitehall are mostly still identifiable on present day maps.

In 1637 John Ord of Brokenheugh, Hayden Bridge had holdings in these locations. In 1639 he purchased an estate at Barker House, near Dalton in the Middle Quarter of Hexham. He had two sons, Richard and John, both of whom were baptised into the infant Baptist Church in about 1652.

John senior gifted Barker House to his second son John in 1650 and on his death in 1664 left his remaining estate to Richard.

The Errington and Thirwell families helds lands in the Middle Quarter  including holdings at Nether Ardley, Ardley Stob, Dalton and Hole House. When the Errington sole male heir John Errington died in 1659 the estates passed to his young sisters, one of whom later married Richard Ord. On her death he remarried Susannah Thirlwall.

Richard was succeeded by his son, also Richard who died in 1743, having outlived his son and heir another Richard, and a Hexham solicitor. The estates then passed to his grandaughter Elizabeth Armstrong. On her death in 1770 she bequeathed her property to John Scott on condition that he change his name to Ord. His son William Ord, by his will of 1824 purported to pass the estates to the Poole sisters.

The will of Elizabeth was legally challenged by Richard Errington who was declared by the Court in 1836 to be her true heir. In 1845 the estate was broken up and sold. it then included the house at Nether Ardley in 54 acres, The Holmes 88 acres, Wally Thorne 98 acres and Ardley Stob 104 acres.

John Ord of Barker House was succeeded by his son John (d1730) who married Sarah Johnson , heiress of Hamburn Hall. Another son Abraham (d1756) was a dyer at Hole House.

The first son of John (d1730) was Thomas , a Hexham surgeon, who left his estate to his brother John in 1798. John sold Barker House in 1816. He left Hamburn Hall and the remaining estate, with a life interest to the Pigg family and remainder to his grandson James Ord of Chesterwood. On his death in 1860 the properties were sold.