HAMSTERLEY, a village, a township-chapelry, and a sub-district in Anckland district, Durham. The village stands on a hill, near the river Bedburn, 2 miles SW of Witton-le-Wear r. station, and 6 W by N of Bishop-Anckland; and has a post office under Darlington. The chapelry is in Anckland-St. Andrew parish, and comprises 4, 003 acres. Real property, £2, 883; of which £310 are in mines. Pop., 522. Houses, 117. The property is subdivided. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Durham. Value, £96. * Patron, H. Chaytor, Esq. The church is ancient and cruciform, with a belfry. There are a Wesleyan chapel, and charities £16.—The sub-district contains also five other townships of Anckland-St. Andrew, one of Brancepeth, one of Gainford, and the entire parish of Witton-le-Wear. Acres, 35, 758. Pop., 15, 613. Houses, 3, 041.

(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))