Tudhoe & Spennymoor Local History Society
On 2nd January 1824 an advertisement appeared in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal relating to a trip to Cambridge being made by Mr George Simpson of Tudhoe Academy. He was recruiting young gentlemen to be educated at the Academy in Classical and Commercial Education.
The academy was originally started in about 1778 by Rev Arthur Storey, a Catholic priest, as a boarding school for Catholic boys aged from 8 to 14. English Roman Catholic students were usually educated in France but in 1792 the English Catholic School at Douai was attacked during the French revolution. When some of the boys returned in 1794 they were sent to Tudhoe Academy. Plans were made to make it a Catholic College but by 1804 it was decided to build the new college at Ushaw.
The Academy buildings and lands were sold to the Salvins in 1805. Later George Simpson took over the school, he advertised his Academy in newspapers and travelled around the country to recruit students. The advertisements specified how he could be contacted, Card of Terms. By 1815 he had also opened a seminary for young ladies and in 1820 he bought the site opposite Tudhoe Hall and started to advertise a girls’ school.
Dodds said the young ladies used to walk with the young gentlemen in the green lane of Tudhoe Wood, now known as Lovers' Lane, and the parents got to know about it, and withdrew their patronage and support. In about 1829 George Simpson closed the schools.
For further information about Tudhoe Schools and the Simpson family go to The Tudhoe Schools: Tudhoe Academy, Tudhoe House and Tudhoe Place By Jeremy Hutson
or The History of Tudhoe Village: Dissent and Rebellion in County Durham by Jeremy Hutson
(The History of the Urban District of Spennymoor by J J Dodd, 1897)
A horse called Viscount, described as a beautiful grey horse, of good size, great substance, very lengthy, was an excellent racer and is Sire of many good runners. To cover blood mares at 8 sovereigns (groom’s fee included), half bred and other mares at 2 sovereigns plus two shillings and six pence for the groom.