Part 15

A Memory of Middle Rainton.

I remember Peter went in one day for a cup of tea, and stayed chatting. The horse got fed up waiting and came home five miles away. Peter was fuming; he had to walk home, and lost half a day’s earnings. He was ribbed rotten about this.

History: The name “Rainton” derives from a monk called Reynton who allegedly helped to carry the body of St Cuthbert from Lindisfarne to Durham, and halted near here for a rest as the party passed through this area. There is an interesting article in St Michael’s history, part of which is copied below
That relates to West Rainton, during the time of the reformation:

The Reformation:
This took place later than it did down south, people tended to hold onto the old faith until forced to change. King Edward’s proclamation for change of worship had not been heard in this part of the Kingdom. In fact there was considerable opposition in the north to the new laws.

The anti-Papal and anti-Monastic policies of Henry VIII (he demolished Finchale Abbey) were challenged by a northern rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536. It was unsuccessful, and for his part in it Sir Thomas Percy was executed. His great grandson, Blessed Thomas Percy, suffered a similar fate in 1569, when he was Duke of Westmoreland and led the rising in the north. During this rising the then rector of Houghton, Bernard Gilpin, had gone south. It is said, on his return he tried to mitigate the ferocity of Elizabeth’s officials. There is no way of knowing whether he was successful in this endeavour but what we do know is that executions were carried out in almost every village in the whole county. One execution took place in each of the following local villages:
Houghton, Hetton, Newbottle, West Herrington, East Rainton, Pittington, Seaham and Seaton and two each in West Rainton and Lumley.

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