Fencehouses: Station Hotel & Village

The once-village of Fencehouses grew up around its railway station which was established in 1844 on what was then the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway. It is believed that Fencehouses was so-named due to the existence of the substantial 'Fence House' which can be seen on the first edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1857 just to the east - and on the opposite side of the tracks - of the station. Unfortunately there are no known pictures of Fence House.

Also shown on this map is the Fence Houses Hotel to the west of the new railway. Note the pleasant layout of gardens to the south and east of the hotel as well as the row of stable blocks adjacent.

Note: Map reproduced courtesy of: old-maps.co.uk

The map below is a modern map with the 1895 OS map overlaid showing where 'Fence House' once stood. Even by 1895 there is still no housing lining the main road through the area. Co-operative Terrace was not built until 1907 and was named after the Chester-le-Street Co-operative Society store (now B&S Stores) which was opened in 1904. Morton Crescent was built in 1909 and Station Avenues North and South in 1910. All of this new construction is another indicator of the prosperity brought to the area by the railway and its station.

Fencehouses Station was the nearest station to Houghton-le-Spring and as such was very popular. In the immediate vicinity of the station sprang up a post office, a cattle market - both shown on the above map - as well as a good-sized hotel to cater for the needs of the weary traveler and businessman, just opposite the station itself. This was first known as Fence Houses Hotel and the first mention of it being called The Station Hotel was in a local newspaper article in 1856. Mention of the hotel is first made in 1849 by way of an advertisement in the local press by its first owner, Mr R.P. Spoor:

31 August 1849

Fence Houses Hotel

York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway.

R.P. Spoor, proprietor of the above establishment, returns his warmest acknowledgement to his friends and the public for the extensive support he has received since his commencement in business and begs most respectfully to solicit a continuance of their patronage. The House being situated immediately contiguous to the railway station, is well adapted to the convenience of parties travelling either to the north or south. The accommodation is extensive, both in sitting and sleeping rooms; the stabling is also excellent and is capable of receiving 12 horses with the addition of loose boxes, lock-up coach-houses, &c., &c. R.P.S. has added Hack and Post Horses to the establishment; which he trusts will prove a great convenience to the public and especially to commercial gentlemen. Fence Houses is 3½ miles from Chester-le-Street, 2 from Houghton-le-Spring and 3½ from Hetton-le-Hole and is in the centre of the Lambton and Pensher Collieries. * Wines, spirits, &c., of the very best qualities.

Fence Houses Hotel, Aug. 28, 1849.

This was Mr Robert Potts Spoor. The 1851 census gives his age as 34 and profession as innkeeper and postmaster. He hailed from South Shields and had married Mary Ann Stratford in 1838. In 1844, their first son, Martin William Spoor was born. Rebecca sadly passed away in the hotel on 4th June 1853, aged just 45.

From the outset, the hotel was frequented not only by travelers but by numerous local clubs and organisations who gathered there for their many meetings, dinners and other functions. Testimonials (eg. to retirees, long service awards, sport awards, etc.) were held there; auctions of houses, land, property and possessions took place there; many accident and death inquests were held there, most of which were either railway- or mining-related; leek and other vegetable shows were held there; quoit matches were held in its grounds and the surrounding fields. If you would like more information on any of these, or a name-lookup, please send an email to the webmaster via the email address on the Home page of this website.

In December 1858, the hotel found itself at the centre of a 'scandal' when one of Mr Spoor's servants at the hotel, Ann McDonald (22) was charged with concealing the birth of a child. Ann was found not guilty.

In 1859, the hotel appears in the an early railway guide "Railway Guide for March, 1859, Containing the Clearest Information Respecting Railway Routes, Stations, Fares, and Steamboats ... of Great Britain, etc." R.P. Spoor is named as hotelier.

In June 1860, the hotel was put up for sale and advertised as follows:

01 June 1860

Hotel For Sale

To be Sold By Private Contract, all that commodious, well-built house, called Fence Houses Hotel, with the large garden and pleasure ground in front, pleasantly situated, and close adjoining the North Eastern Railroad Station at Fence Houses. In the house is a long room and many excellent sitting and bedrooms, with good cellaring, coach-house and stabling, with every other suitable convenience. Is well adapted for an extensive business. Now occupied by R.P. Spoor, who will show the premises. Further particulars may be had of Mr Potts, South Shields.

The Mr Potts mentioned in this article is Mr George Potts, aged 79, a retired Notary and Borough Magistrate, resident in South Shields.

The 1861 census shows the hotel now in the hands of Mr William Wheater, innkeeper, aged 29, and wife Rebecca. Interestingly, the address of the hotel is given as '10 Fence Houses'. William had married Rebecca in Bradford in 1854. Their son, William Snowball Wheater was born in 1860. This census also shows that the previous innkeeper, Mr Potts, had now moved out and was living only a short distance away at '12 Fence Houses' with family members.

The 1871 census shows that two more children had been born to William and Rebecca during their time at the hotel, however Rebecca is not present in the hotel at the time of the census. Son Thomas Snowball Wheater was born in 1861 and Edmund Cook Wheater in 1864. Note: William and Rebecca had a child in 1862 who they named Edmund Cook Wheater but he sadly passed away in 1863 and they named their next child after him.

By the 1870s, other hotels had started to open in Fencehouses in the direction of Chilton Moor, namely Mary Greaves' Wellington Inn and Hotel by 1874 and Mr Isaac Palmer's Britannia Inn and Hotel, by 1878.

The 1881 census shows William, aged 50, living at the Station Hotel with son William, now aged 21. Sadly, William jnr. is described on the census as 'imbecile.' Rebecca is not present, however two of William's (snr.) sisters are: Sarah Wheater, aged 69 and Elizabeth Johnson, aged 58.

The last mention of William Wheater being at the hotel is in a newspaper article of 1887 when a death inquest was held there into the suffocation of two miners at Lambton D Pit.

In 1889, William Wheater sadly passed away, aged 58.

By the 1891 census, the reins had been taken over by William's sister, Sarah Wheater, widower, aged 44, who is described as 'licensed victualler.'

The following year, the hotel was advertising meals with businessmen clearly in mind:

30 January 1892

Station Hotel, Fence Houses

To commercial gentlemen. An ordinary dinner from 12 to 2 o’clock daily at Station Hotel, Fence Houses. Tea, with chops, steaks, &c at all times.

By September the same year, the hotel had passed to Mr Robert Nichol and wife Emma. Similar food advertisements to the above continued:

20 May 1893

Cold Luncheon Teas, &c., supplied at all times during the Whitsuntide Holidays to tourists, &c. at the Station Hotel, Fence Houses.

It is interesting to note that the Station Hotel was described as a 'Country Hotel' in an 1894 advertisement for staff:

15 January 1894

Housemaid-Waitress, English, experienced, wanted for country hotel. Apply Mrs Nichol, Fence Houses.

By 1895, Mr Nichol's hotel was also offering 'outside catering' and provided food and refreshments for Burnmoor Cricket Club at their ground. This cricket club also held some of their meetings in the hotel.

The 1901 census shows Robert Nichol (aged 60) and wife Emma (aged 58) still in charge of the Station Hotel. They have one son, William Herrington Nichol, born 1884, aged 16.

In the 1911 census, the hotel was now under the management of Mr Henry Hall (aged 56) and wife Alice (aged 48). Living with them were their three children Elizabeth Ann Hall (20), William Hall (18) and Ernest Hall (14). Henry Hall was known locally as Harry and hailed from Haswell, Co. Durham. He passed away in 1916, aged 62 leaving a will which was reported locally:

August 11, 1916

Local Will

Estate valued at £5,497 13 2 with net £3,711 3 2 has been left by Mr Henry Hall, of 2 Station Avenue and late of the Station Hotel, Fence Houses, whose death occurred on April 14^th last.

Not much is known about the ownership of the hotel in the succeeding years. The next-known owners were Mr and Mrs Berriman in 1925 and ownership remained with them until at least 1950.

1938 Kelly's Directory

Station Hotel (Jas. Berriman)

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