Pittington

[5] The parish of Pittington is now part of a united benefice with St Mary Magdalene, Belmont, County Durham.

The water mill, about half a mile to the south west of Hallgarth, was the scene of the 1830 murder of Mary Ann Westhorpe, a servant girl of about 17 years old.

He claimed that they had ransacked the house for money and then assaulted him with a poker before brutally murdering Westhorpe.

Returning to the mill with the people he had informed, the girl's body was found in the kitchen with several brutal wounds including a cut to her throat from ear to ear from a breadknife, which had been preceded by severe skull wounds caused by a poker.

Her skull was broke, her throat was cut, Her struggle was soon o'er; And down she fell, and fetched a sigh, And weltered in her gore.

Her fellow servant, Thomas Clarke, To Sherburn slowly sped, And told a tale that strangers six Had done the dreadful deed.

For this thy coward lie; A youth like thee for girl like her Would fight till he did die.