Anne,
Horton was/is C of E.
In the business of looking into church records in 1800s, the expression "Parish" was applied ONLY to C of E.
Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians were referred to as " Non-Comformists". ( There is a lot of history behind this)
Even today, Northumberland County Record Office
( Morpeth) files church records under separate headings..."Parish Records" for C of E, and "Non-Conformists" for the other denominations.
By the way in 1850/60s terms, a pretend Postal Address for Bebside would have been....
Front Row,
In the Colliery Village of Bebside,
In the Township* of Cowpen,**
In the Parish of Horton,
In the County of Northumberland.
*The word "township" here is not connected with "town", but is a sub-division of a parish.
** Cowpen was one of five "townships" that made up the territory of Horton Parish.
Tonight in Blyth Library, I saw your Wards in 1861 Census.
Piece 3850 Folio 89 Page 56
Bebside, Cowpen Township, Horton Parish
Head Thomas Ward, 35, coal miner, born Ryton
Wife, Mary Ward, 29, b.Ponteland.
Son, Joseph Ward, 8, b. Chester-le-Street.
Son, Robert Ward, 6, b.Bedlington.
Also browsed through the Index for Horton Parish Churchyard cemetery. But no Wards... but lots of
" Stone face down".
For photo of Bebside Colliery pithead, go to
www.dmm.org.uk and choose " mines" from left-hand menu, the go to Bebside.
Michael Dixon