One other branch, still surviving, must not be passed over. The estate
of Broomshields near to Satley has belonged to Greenwells from as far
back as 1488, when one of the many Peters lived there. The
representation of the Maddisons of Hole House in the Derwent Valley, a
family celebrated in local history and ballad, passed into this family
by marriage in 1774. A later owner of Broomshields, John Greenwell,
married Elizabeth, daughter of Alan Greenwell of Ford, and thus
re-united the two families.
Many years have passed since Robert Surtees wrote: "_Sic transit._ We
know not what are become of the descendants of Bulmer, whose ancestors
held Brancepeth and Middleham Castles. The family of Conyers, which has
had Parliamentary lords, and once consisted of nine or ten flourishing
branches (excepting some remains in the South), is reduced to a single
Baronet’s title without a fortune, and the probable descendants of
Surtees of Dinsdale are ignorant of their own origin, whilst the chief
male line is either extinct or steeped in poverty and oblivion."
The great house of Surtees derives, as its name implies, its origin from
a family resident to a remote period on the banks of the River Tees.
William, the son of Siward, was living there in the reign of Henry II.,
and his son Ralph was the first to style himself Sur Tees, the family
residence being then, as for many long years afterwards, at Dinsdale,
the adjoining seat to Sockburn where the Conyers family dwelt.
Of the dissolution of this head house of the race, Mr. Surtees added: "I
discovered by a remarkable deed at Durham (unknown to Hutchinson) how
the estates went to Brandling in prejudice of Marmaduke, heir male of
the half-blood; and that Marmaduke’s grandson Thomas sold most of what
remained in the male line; but I cannot find further as to this Thomas
except that his younger brother Richard married and had two sons, Robert
and Richard, who are the last I can trace of this branch, the undoubted
direct heirs."
The existing branches of this old family now resident at Redworth Hall,
Mainsforth, and Hamsterley, derive their descent from a William Surtees
who, in the year 1440, acquired lands in Whickham under the Halmote
Court, his sureties being Robert Boutflower and Thomas Gibson.
His descendants for some generations resided within the parishes of
Whickham in this county, and Ovingham in Northumberland.
Edward Surtees strengthened the family by marrying in 1617 Margaret
Coulson, whose mother was sister and heir of Robert Surtees, Alderman
and twice Mayor of Durham.
The eldest son of this marriage was ancestor of the famous beauty, Bessy
Surtees, who ran away with and married John Scott, afterwards Lord Eldon
and Chancellor of Great Britain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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