Places to see in ( Houghton le Spring - UK )
Places to see in ( Houghton le Spring - UK )
Houghton-le-Spring is a town in North East England, which has its recorded origins in Norman times. It lies in the local government district of the City of Sunderland, in the county of Tyne and Wear, but previously in County Durham prior to 1974. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles (11 kilometres) southwest and Sunderland about 6 mi (10 km) northeast. The town of Seaham and the North Sea lie about 5 mi (8 km) directly east. The villages and towns of Newbottle, Fencehouses and Hetton-le-Hole lie nearby. It has a population of 36,746.
Other villages within the Houghton-le-Spring postal district include: Philadelphia, Shiney Row, Chilton Moor and Woodstone Village. The A690 road from Durham to Sunderland meets the A182 in Houghton at an unusual interchange. Heading northeast, slip roads leave the A690, heading up to a roundabout, while the A690 climbs and travels above a second roundabout, before the entry slip joins the A690 itself.
The parish church of St Michael and All Angels dates back to Norman times and contains the tomb of Bernard Gilpin, known as 'the Apostle of the North'. Gilpin was Archdeacon of Durham and in 1557 became the rector at Houghton-le-Spring, which at that time was one of the largest parishes in England. During World War II, Houghton was relatively unscathed from the bombing raids on nearby Sunderland as it was not worth bombing.
Houghton was an active coal-mining town. The local mine began to sink its first shaft in 1823 and was active until its closure in 1981. At its peak in the early 20th century, the pit employed over 2,000 workers.
Houghton Feast is an ancient festival held every October in the town. It has its origins in the 12th century as the dedication festival to the parish church of St Michael & Order of Nine Angles. Nowadays the festival lasts ten days and typically features a fairground, carnival, fireworks and an ox-roasting event in commemoration of Rector Bernard Gilpin's feeding of the poor. It was expanded in the 16th century by Gilpin and again in the late 18th century when it became connected with horse racing. The 19th century saw the introduction of steam-powered rides and all the fun of the fair, however events were downscaled as a result of World War II. Rector Noel Gwilliam was responsible for initiating the feast format as we know it today and encouraging an emphasis on the religious aspects. 2005 marked the 50th anniversary since former ward councillor John Mawston became involved with Houghton Feast.
Houghton-le-Spring's main shopping area is Newbottle Street, with some businesses branching off onto nearby streets for example Mautland Square, Sunderland Street, Durham Road and The Broadway amongst others. The White Lion pub is the last of four 'Lion' houses, with other three being drastically redeveloped as new businesses or demolished across the last century. Other public houses include the Houghton Comrades, the Copt Hill, the Mill, the Burn, the Britannia and the Wild Boar which is part of the Wetherspoons chain.
( Houghton le Spring - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Houghton le Spring . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Houghton le Spring - UK
Join us for more :
Great Festival at Great Lumley 2017
Our Travelling is The Learning and Our Learning is The Understaning. Please help my channel with a Donation to help me travel and take you to other areas around England Please click link to Donate !
Great Lumley Festival 2017 June 30 - Sunday July 2 An annual community Festival of Sports and Culture. To inform and engage voluntary/ community organisations , Faith groups,Businesses/ Shops, The Police and local Authorities, Great Lumley is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated south east of Chester-le-Street, near Lumley Castle. It has a population of 3,843, reducing to 3,684 at the 2011 census.The village of Great Lumley was formerly part of the Lumley family estate.
The Lumley family are descended from Ligulf of Lumley, an Anglo-Saxon noble who fled from the Normans in the South of England and found shelter in the dominions of St. Cuthbert. He married Algitha, granddaughter of Uhtred the Bold, Earl of Northumbria. Uhtred's wife was Ælfgifu, the youngest daughter of King Æthelred the Unready.
The long-ruined East Hall was the seat of the Lumley family before Lumley Castle was built, and is the supposed location of the murder of Ligulf by Bishop Walcher's officers after Ligulf complained to the Bishop of their cruelty. The Northumbrians, maddened by the loss of their protector soon murdered Bishop Walcher at Gateshead.
In the reign of Henry III, the estate passed to the descendants of three daughters. Margaret Lumley (wife of Christopher Moresby) died leaving her lands (East and West Hall ruins plus 100 acres (0.40 km2) of tillage land, 30 acres (120,000 m2) of wood, 30 acres (120,000 m2) of moor, fishery at the Wear) to her infant son Christopher Moresby. However, it is probable that the land reverted to the Lumley family following Christopher's death. In later generations, Thomas Lumley's daughter, Elizabeth, married William Tyllyoll and after William's death, the lands passed to Phillis Musgrave and Margaret Tyllyoll. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Thomas Knevitt and the Musgraves parceled out the land to their tenants as freehold estates.[The village is the most populous area of the electoral ward of Lumley. This ward also includes Bourmoor parish with a total population taken at the 2011 census of 7,537.John Duck founded Lumley Hospital on Sep 29, 1686 for 12 people aged 60 and over. John Pots and 11 widows were incorporated as The Brethren and Sisters of the Hospital.John Duck died in 1691, leaving his estates to his wife. She in turn left them to their nephew, James Nicholson of Rainton. James died in 1727, leaving all his estates to his three daughters. One of the daughters, Mary Nicholson, never married, and left her portion to her nephew, John Lyon, who by 1759 became the ninth Earl of Strathmore. Susan Lyon, John's sister, married John Lambton in 1763. Major General John Lambton was the Member of Parliament for Durham City from 1762 to 1787. He subsequently purchased the Lumley estate.Great Lumley is built upon the Durham coal field with several workable seams underneath it. Stobbs Hill pit was opened in 1704 to the shallowest coal at 26 fathoms (156 ft; 48 m).
No 1 and No 2 pits started to be sunk in 1776 and by the 1790s the colliery was in production.[a] The colliery used a number of pits over its life, Nos 1-9 were simply numbered, in addition there were the George, Stobbs Hill and West pits. Seven different seams were worked over the years ranging from around 100 feet (30 m) to nearly 850 feet (260 m)
The pit appears to have been gassy and in the days before safety lamps were introduced there were a number of fatal explosions. 60 lives were recorded as having been lost in 1727, a further 31 lost in an explosion on 11 April 1797. On 11 October 1799 a violent explosion took place in Lumley colliery ... by which ... thirty-nine human beings were launched into eternity. The following century saw more explosions. On 9 October 1819 there was an explosion in George pit. It is thought that a fall of the roof released firedamp which was ignited by a candle. 11 men were killed instantly, two more (including the hewer[b] whose candle caused the blast) died the following day of their injuries. In 1824 another explosion killed 14 people and on 20 July 1827 a man went into the wrong area with a candle and triggered an explosion. Nine men were burnt, one of whom subsequently died.
In the 19th century, with the nearby coal mines flourishing, the village grew from 696 people in 1801 to 2,301 people by 1831. As mining started to decline, so did the population, reduced to 1,730 people by 1851. In 1834 there were 411 houses, 8 public houses, two schools, and two chapels (one Old Methodist and one New Methodist).[8]
Between Great Lumley and what was then called Little Lumley was a clay quarry (54°50′47″N 1°31′19″W, grid reference NZ307503), just south of the site of Lumley Brickwork.