High Friarside

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates High Friarside is a village in County Durham, England classified as a suburban area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is situated a short distance to the west of Burnopfield.<ref name=OS88>Template:Cite map</ref>

The placename is variously recorded as Frevejohanside, Frerejonside, and Freresyde meaning "Friar (John’s) hill".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> There are also localities called Low Friarside and Middle Friarside.

From High Friarside to Low

At Low Friarside there are the ruins of a chapel. The date of the foundation of the chapel (sometimes referred to as a chantry or house, and possibly connected to a hospital) is unknown. However, it was in existence in 1312 when Bishop Kellawe collated John Eryum to 'the house, chapel, or chantry of Friarside (Frerejohanside) near Derwent.'<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In Bishop Hatfield's Survey (1383), the warden of the chantry of Friarside held a messuage and 22 acres of land in Wolsingham. In 1439 Bishop Neville appropriated it with all its revenues to the chantry of Farnacres after that site had suffered floods and a decrease in finances.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

A list of masters of the chantry/chapel include, John Eryum, 1312; Richard de Egglescliffe, 1376 (?) William Thorp, 1376; Oswald, bishop of Whithorn, d. 1417; Robert Frend, 1418; William Cross, 1422; and, John Gare, 1423.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The hospital seems to have been demolished in 1450 Template:Citation needed. However, the chapel survived and with the closure of the chantries in England 1548 it was recorded that Friarside still had one bell perhaps indicating continued usage.<ref>Longstaffe, W. Hylton Dyer. (1970). Early history of Ebchester, Friarside, and Medomsley. Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland 2. Vol 2, p.130.</ref>

At Middle Friarside there is moat with multiple embankments and ditches.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

There was a coal mine, South Garesfield Colliery, also known as Friarside Colliery and North Lintz Colliery that operated 1865-1960 (located to the west of Low Friarside.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Further reading

Longstaffe, W. Hylton Dyer. (1970). Early history of Ebchester, Friarside, and Medomsley.. Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland 2. Vol 2, pp. 125-133.Template:Durham-geo-stub