Houghton-le-Spring — Chambers's Encyclopaedia

Houghton-le-Spring, a town in the county, and $6\frac{1}{2}$ miles NE. of the city, of Durham. Its rapid growth is mainly due to the extension of neighbouring collieries. The fine cruciform parish church contains the cinque-cento altar tomb of Bernard Gilpin (q.v.), who founded a grammar-school here, and among whose successors were Peter Heylin and Archbishop Sancroft. Pop. (1851) 3224; (1891) 6746.