Q: AN entry on the River Wear in Encarta 2001 states that, at one time, the river entered the North Sea at Hartlepool before a diversion of the lower course changed it to enter the sea at Sunderland. - Tom Purvis, Sunderland.

A: THIS implies that man has changed the course of the Wear from Hartlepool to Sunderland which would have been an enormous and pointless task. If the river had entered the sea at Hartlepool, it would have cut through the hills of magnesian limestone as it does at Sunderland and there would be traces of a gorge. It would not have been impossible for a canal link from the Wear to flow into the Tees just south of Hartlepool rather than at Hartlepool itself, but I do not know of any evidence for this either. I am not aware that the Wear ever joined the Tees by canal or any other means. There are theories that south-east Durham was flooded by a lake in Roman times and this lake could have linked the Wear with the sea at Hartlepool. However, this is only a theory and the River Wear must still have entered the sea via the gorge at Sunderland in Roman times.

Q: THE correct pronunciation for Cowpen Bewley is Coopen Bewley, but there is often confusion. What is the origin of the word Cowpen and what is the correct pronunciation? - D J Macintosh, Norton.

A: COWPEN is pronounced Coopen and is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon or Viking word kupa, meaning a cup-like depression. This may have been caused by the construction of salt pans in the area. Another theory is that the depression was a pool for catching fish. Bewley means beautiful clearing, from the Norman word beau, meaning beautiful, and the Anglo-Saxon word ley or lee, meaning field, meadow or clearing in a wood.

A: WITH reference to the Burning Question on the censuses. Censuses for 1841-1891 for the Darlington area are available at the Local Studies Centre in Darlington Library. We also have the 1881 census for the whole country on CD-ROM and we will also be getting the 1901 census for the local area in January. We also have Internet access and people can search the national census online. All these services, and many more sources of family and local history, are available free to anyone. They do not have to be a library member or Darlington resident. - Kimberley Bennett, Local Studies Librarian, Crown Street Library, Darlington.

If you have a Burning Question, or can improve on any of the answers above, please write to Burning Questions, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF or e-mail david.simpson@nne.co.uk

Published: Monday, August 13, 2001