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Dawdon | |
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![]() Lumps of coal among the rocks on Dawdon Blast Beach | |
Location within County Durham | |
Population | 7,220 (2011 census) [1] |
OS grid reference | NZ433484 |
Civil parish | |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | SEAHAM |
Postcode district | SR7 |
Dialling code | 0191 |
Police | Durham |
Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
Ambulance | North East |
UK Parliament | |
Dawdon is a former pit community to the south of Seaham, County Durham, England. An area of the beach near Dawdon (known locally as "the Blast", a former waste coal dumping site) was used in the opening scenes of the science fiction film Alien 3. [2]
The township of Dawdon (commonly spelled Dawden on old records and maps) was in the parish of Dalton-le-Dale [3] and consisted of an area of 1,088 acres between the Durham coast and the townships of Seaham, Dalton-le-Dale and Cold Hesledon. Seaham Harbour was built in the township. The port and town grew during the 19th century. In 1866 Dawdon became a separate civil parish and became part of Seaham Harbour urban district, on 1 April 1937 the parish was abolished and merged with Seaham. [4] and became part of the new Seaham urban district. [5]
"The population in 1801 was 22; in 1811, 27; in 1821, 35; in 1831, in consequence of the construction of a new harbour, it had increased to 1022; in 1841, 2017; in 1851, 3538; in 1861, 6137; in 1871, 7132; in 1881, 7714; and in 1891, 9044." [6] In 1931 the parish had a population of 19,399. [7]
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Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Dawdon has a temperate climate. At 643.3 millimetres (25 in) [8] the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1,125 millimetres (44 in). [9] Equally there are only around 121.3 days [8] where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 154.4 days. [9] The area sees on average 1374.6 hours of sunshine per year, [8] compared with a national average of 1125.0 hours. [9] There is frost on 52 days [8] compared with a national average of 55.6 days. [9] Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) and 5.2 °C (41.4 °F) [8] compared with a national averages of 12.1 °C (53.8 °F) and 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) respectively. [9]
The table below gives the average temperature and rainfall figures taken between 1971 and 2000 at the Met Office weather station in Durham:
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A new pit was created at Dawdon and new shafts sunk in the rocky coastal area of Noses Point, near Dawdon beginning in 1900. The colliery opened for production in 1907.