The History of Frosterley Village

Frosterley dates back to the Medieval period, but has even earlier origins. Even today you can trace the medieval street pattern, as houses have been rebuilt but kept in line with the old boundary line.

Mesolithic and Neolithic Finds
Mesolithic flints have been found on a number of sites around Frosterley as well as stone axes dating from the Neolithic. A bronze looped spearhead which probably dates from c1000-700bc (the bronze age) was uncovered in crevise whilst quarrying work was being carried out.

St Botolphs Chapel
On the north of the village, next to the Village Hall car park there is a field enclosed by the modern Kirk Rise housing development which has a large earthwork mound. This is the site of St Botolph's Chapel, now a scheduled ancient monument. Excavations of the site were carried out in advance of the housing development of Kirk Rise in 1995. Among the remains were walls and fragments of painted wall plaster, which indicates that this building was ecclesiastical. Named after a East Anglian Saint from the 7th century, the chapel was probably built during the 10th/11th centuries when there was a revival of St Botolph. An Anglo-Saxon strap end was also discovered which supports this pre-conquest date for the Chapel.

Medieval Frosterley and Pottery Finds
Many pieces of green glaze medieval pottery has been recovered from the back gardens of the houses on the front street. The houses which are there now are probably built over earlier houses as they follow the same pattern of medieval villages and retain their toft like appearance.

The Medieval village is first mentioned as Forsterlegh in the Close Rolls of 1239. The Froster section of its name is French and the Legh is Anglo-Saxon and means clearing. The village is therefore named after a clearing in the forest. The origins of the village are probably post- Norman Conquest date. The people who lived in Frosterley probably relied on farming and the Prince Bishops for their livelihood. From the 13th century the Prince Bishops encouraged lead mining as they profited from the mining of ore.

The Industrial Revolution
It was not until the Industrial expansion into Weardale that life in these villages would have changed a great deal. But with the mass extraction of lime, lead and iron ores more and more families would have relied upon the big lead companies. Lime Kilns can still be seen near Rogerley and Bishopley quarries.

With the mines and kilns came a need for transport. The railway was built and the remains run south of the village. The fine railway station and station masters buildings were built during the mid 19th century. Cross over the railway line by taking the Middleton In Teesdale Road, past the Black Bull Pub. Continue up the hill for wonderful views over the Weardale and forward towards the Bollihope Lead Mine Workings and the mounds of spoil heaps by the Bollihope Burn.