Edmundbyers
{{Short description|Village in County Durham, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name = Edmundbyers
|country = England
|region = North East England
|shire_county = Durham
|unitary_england = County Durham
|civil_parish= Edmondbyers
|population = 118
|population_ref = (2001 census)
|post_town = CONSETT
|postcode_area = DH
|postcode_district = DH8
|dial_code = 01207
|constituency_westminster = Bishop Auckland
|os_grid_reference = NZ016501
|coordinates = {{coord|54.846|-1.976|display=inline,title}}
|static_image_name = East side of Edmundbyers - geograph.org.uk - 6317057.jpg
|static_image_alt =
|static_image_caption = East side
}}
Edmundbyers is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Consett, near Derwent Reservoir. In 2001 it had a population of 118.{{cite web |title=Wear Valley Settlement Summary Sheets |publisher=Durham County Council |url=http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/Lookup/Wear%20Valley%20Settlement%20Summary%20Sheets%20Numbers/$file/Wear+Valley+Settlement+Summary+Sheets+Numbers.pdf|accessdate=4 August 2021 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007090304/http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/Lookup/Wear%20Valley%20Settlement%20Summary%20Sheets%20Numbers/%24file/Wear+Valley+Settlement+Summary+Sheets+Numbers.pdf |archivedate=7 October 2007}}
The civil parish of Edmondbyers had a population taken at the 2011 Census of 173.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11123107&c=DH8+9NH&d=16&e=62&g=6420358&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1454241329516&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=31 January 2016}}
Etymology
Edmundbyers means "Eādmund's dwellings", from the Old English personal name Eādmund (modern Edmund) and bur "dwelling", modern bower, here in the dialect form byer. An undated record of the name lists the village as Edminber.
History
There is evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area from the Neolithic era onwards.{{Cite book|title=Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne. Volume 5|year=1893|pages=216}} It is listed in the Boldon Book (1183): "Alan Bruntoft holds Edmundbires for his service in the forest”. However, Bishop Hatfield's survey of c. 1382 shows that the land had been transferred to Durham Cathedral: “The Prior holds the vill of Edmundbires, sometime of Alan Bruntop, by forest service”.{{Cite book|last=Surtees|first=Robert|title=The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 2|year=1820|pages=363–364}}
File:St Edmund's Church, Edmundbyers, County Durham.jpg
The village church, St Edmund's, has evidence of pre-Norman building,{{Cite journal|last=Featherstonhaugh|first=W.|date=1858|title=Notes on St Edmund's Church, Edmundbyers|journal=Archaeologia Aeliana|volume=3|pages=263–268}} but it mainly dates from the 12th century, with renovations from 1859 onwards. The pre-Reformation stone altar was rediscovered and replaced in the church during the restoration.{{Cite web|title=Historic England listing|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1229331|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195417/https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1229331 |archive-date=24 June 2021 }} There is a list of rectors beginning with Richard de Kirkeby in 1275 and ending with John Durie, A. M., on 2 July 1629. The incumbents after 1629 have also been in charge of the parish of Muggleswick.
A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was erected in 1835. The Primitive Methodists met in a private house. The parish school was erected in 1825.{{Cite book|title=History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham|year=1856|pages=894}}
The youth hostel (dated 1936 over the lintel) is made up of three houses built in the mid- to late 18th century.{{Cite web|title=Historic England listing|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1229332|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195448/https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1229332 |archive-date=24 June 2021 }}
Edmundbyers Cross is one of only three wayside crosses still in its original position in County Durham, and the only known example on the route between Stanhope and Edmundbyers.{{Cite web|title=Historic England listing|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1017309|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815021350/https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1017309 |archive-date=15 August 2020 }}
Amenities
File:Edmondbyers Village Hall, The Closes, DH8 - geograph.org.uk - 3314250.jpg
Today, the village has a pub, a youth hostel, a church, a village hall and a small shop. A bus service, the 773, serves the village, connecting it to Townfield, Hunstanworth and Consett.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Edmundbyers}}
{{Civil parishes in County Durham}}
{{authority control}}