Whickham, Quaker burial ground

The notion that there was a Quaker burial ground in a field at the west end of Whickham stems from the early 19th century antiquarian, Surtees. He reported that there were 2 gravestones in Whickham churchyard, close to the church, commemorating George and Aibiah Hodgson, 1667 and 1669, and on one of them an inscription recording their removal from the above field in 1784. He then said they were Quaker memorials. There is no evidence, however, that the Hodgsons were Quakers, but a local field (Ordnance Survey field 670) said to be known locally as the "Graveyard" or "Kirk Garth field" is reported to be the source of the 2 stones and other stones were apparently seen there in the early 19th century. The 2 stones may still be in the churchyard.