COUNTY OF DURHAM AUCTION BROADSIDE – VALUABLE FREEHOLD ESTATES COAL MINES AND MINERALS AT GREAT CHILTON – 1855

Rare mid-nineteenth-century County Durham auction broadside advertising the sale of substantial freehold agricultural and mineral estates at Great Chilton, near Merrington, in the County of Durham.

The sale was scheduled for Wednesday 13 June 1855 at the Vane Arms Hotel, Stockton, and conducted by Mr George Hardcastle, Auctioneer. The broadside offers for sale the estate known as “Kay’s Hill,” together with farm buildings, arable and meadow land, and, significantly, “all the coal mines and seams of coal and other minerals within and under the above-mentioned farm.” Also included was the nearby “Excellent Farm” known as Chilton Grange.

Particularly notable is the document’s detailed reference to the developing Durham coalfield during the height of Victorian industrial expansion. The text specifically notes the proximity of the estates to the “valuable Coking Seam called ‘The Harvey Seam’,” recently opened at Little Chilton Colliery, and emphasises the transportation advantages provided by the Clarence Railway and access to Stockton and Hartlepool.

The broadside also contains significant references to the Clarence Railway, whose expansion transformed the export and transportation of Durham coal during the mid-nineteenth century. The emphasis placed upon railway access and proximity to Stockton and Hartlepool reflects the growing commercial importance of integrated rail and maritime networks within the North-East coal trade. The document therefore captures the close interrelationship between agriculture, mineral speculation, railway infrastructure, and industrial investment in Victorian County Durham.

Printed in bold display typography with strong emphasis to “Valuable Freehold Estate” and “Excellent Farm,” the broadside possesses considerable visual and decorative appeal. Survival rates for provincial auction ephemera of this nature are low, particularly examples relating directly to coal and mineral rights during the great expansion of the North-East coal industry.

No institutional copy has been traced in Library Hub, WorldCat, or the British Library catalogue and the broadside therefore appears to be unrecorded institutionally.

The reverse contains extensive contemporary manuscript legal correspondence, dated 1855, relating to petitions, affidavits, and trial costs, providing additional insight into mid-Victorian legal and commercial practice.

Single printed broadside measuring approximately 25.4 x 23.3 cm.

Condition: Fold lines as issued with light creasing, minor handling wear, and gentle age toning consistent with survival of ephemeral material. Overall condition near fine.

An attractive and historically significant survival of Victorian North-Eastern industrial, railway, and landed ephemera, combining strong typographical appeal with important associations to the nineteenth-century Durham coal trade.

Why Buy from Hornseys?

Established in 1976, Hornseys specialises in rare books, signed editions, manuscripts, historical documents and works of enduring cultural importance. From our gallery in Ripon, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, we serve collectors, institutions and bibliophiles throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.

Our reputation is built upon careful scholarship, accurate cataloguing and a long-standing commitment to authenticity, provenance and condition. Every item we offer is selected not simply for rarity, but for its significance within the history of literature, art, politics, exploration and collecting.

Expertise and Authenticity

Each book, manuscript or historical item is thoroughly researched and professionally described. We carefully examine points of issue, bindings, dust jackets, inscriptions, provenance and bibliographical references to ensure accuracy and authenticity throughout our catalogue.

Curated Collections

Our stock is individually chosen for rarity, condition, historical importance and collector appeal. We specialise in literary first editions, children’s books, modern literature, signed and inscribed copies, Churchilliana, fine bindings, rare maps and unusual historical ephemera.

Provenance and Scholarship

We place particular importance on provenance and collecting history. Wherever possible, our cataloguing traces ownership, associations and historical context, allowing collectors to acquire objects with genuine bibliographical and historical significance.

Customer Service

We aim to provide a professional and straightforward buying experience, from detailed cataloguing and high-quality photography to secure packaging and prompt worldwide shipping. We are always happy to discuss condition, provenance or collecting advice directly with clients.

Returns Guarantee

All items are offered with an unconditional guarantee of authenticity. Purchases may be returned within fourteen days of receipt for any reason, provided items are returned in the same condition in which they were supplied. We simply request advance notice of any return.

Explore Our Collection

Discover exceptional rare books, manuscripts, signed editions and historical material at Hornseys. With nearly fifty years of experience in the trade, we continue to offer carefully curated material chosen for rarity, condition, provenance and lasting cultural importance.