Middridge

Last updated

Middridge
The Bay Horse , Middridge - geograph.org.uk - 212736.jpg
The Bay Horse
Durham UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Middridge
Location within County Durham
Population312 (2011) [1]
OS grid reference NZ251261
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Newton Aycliffe
Postcode district DL5
Dialling code 01325
Police Durham
Fire County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance North East
List of places
UK
England
County Durham
54°37′48″N1°36′43″W / 54.630°N 1.612°W / 54.630; -1.612

Middridge is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated east of Shildon and north-west of Newton Aycliffe. The village is situated near a quarry that was mined by the people many generations ago. There is one public house in the village: the Bay Horse. In 2011 the parish had a population of 312.

Contents

History

Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Angles arrived in the area around 500 AD and created several settlements, including Middridge. The name "Middridge" is derived from its location at that time on the "middle ridge" between Eldon and School Aycliffe (near the current Aycliffe golf course).

Anglo-Saxon Middridge lasted for five hundred years before being destroyed by the Normans during William the Conqueror's Harrying of the North. Those who survived this massacre (and the resulting disease and starvation) were enslaved by the invaders. They were forced by the Bishop of Durham to toil in the surrounding fields as serfs, and forcibly relocated to gloomy huts centred on the village green. The "serfs" eventually gained their freedom and the village green survives to this day, although the housing has improved considerably.

The arrival of the industrial age in the nineteenth century resulted in two coal mines: Charles Pit and Eden Pit. [2] These pits were collectively known as Middridge Colliery, and provided employment for hundreds of people in their heyday while producing a combined daily total of 600 tons of coal, [3] before closing in the early 20th century. The remains of this era live on in the names of places such as Charles Row, Eden Grove and the "pit heap", a small hill used in the winter as a sledge run. Until recently, the pit heap was also used to host the annual village bonfire.

Notable buildings, structures and features

Middridge Grange is a Grade II listed building [4] situated just outside the village itself, between Shildon and School Aycliffe. It is one of the oldest buildings in the region, beginning life as a large Elizabethan manor in 1578. However, the current Middridge Grange bears little resemblance to the original manor, much of which was destroyed by fire in the 19th century.

Used as a farmhouse, it has been owned by the Scott family since the early 20th century but has not been lived in since the 1970s, after falling into serious disrepair. A site of great interest to historians, it is currently undergoing an extensive renovation.

Middridge Village Hall was originally built as a school for the children of the village and local farming community. It served this purpose for many years, but due to a continuing fall in pupil numbers in the 1950s and 1960s and changes in education policy, it closed.

To prevent the building becoming derelict, the committee of the village association took over the administration of the hall. After various repairs and alterations, it became the village hall, which it has been for well over thirty years. The village hall is used as a venue for discos, church services, parties and social gatherings such as the monthly wine club. The hall has recently been refurbished, with an entirely new roof section, plumbing structure and electrical system.

Middridge Quarry is a site of special scientific interest.

Notable residents

The Byerley Turk, the great stallion owned by the then Captain (later Colonel) Robert Byerley, was arguably Middridge's most famous resident. The Byerley Turk was one of the three [5] founding stallions of today's thoroughbred horses and was stood at Middridge Grange, until being moved to Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, when his owner married his cousin, Mary Wharton, in 1692.

Robert Byerley was the son of Colonel Anthony Byerley, a cavalry officer who served Charles I in a unit known as "Byerley's Bulldogs". The Byerley line eventually died out, but their name lives on in place names around the region, such as Byerley Park and Byerley Road.

It is believed that King Charles I of England took refuge in Middridge Grange during the English Civil War. [6]

John Marley (geologist) was born at Middridge Grange in 1823. He made the commercial discovery of Cleveland ironstone which led to the industrial growth of Middlesbrough.

Legends and folklore

The Middridge fairies (or faeries) are, according to legend, very different from the kind, winged fairies of popular culture. They are rumoured to be evil demons that scourge people and generally cause mischief. The story goes that the fairies chased a traveller, who took refuge in Middridge Grange, getting inside the building just before the pitchfork struck the door. The pitchfork mark was reputedly on this door for many years afterwards. They were also blamed for disruptions to the building of the Stockton and Darlington railway.

The village fete

Middridge village fete is a yearly event for the local community (but people come from miles around). It is usually a combination of a jumble sale, children's entertainment, competitions and other events, usually ending in a barbecue that is enjoyed alongside copious amounts of alcohol.

Archeology

In 1974, during excavations for the foundation of the Bay Horse Pub extension, a hoard of coins mainly dating from Edward 1 era was found. Known as "The Middridge Hoard", the significant hoard was mainly distributed at an auction by Dinning in 1976, although some remain in the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough, and the British Treasury Museum in London. The hoard of 3072 coins was estimated to be buried in 1311, and consisted of mainly English, but also Irish, Scottish and Continental coins.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byerley Turk</span> 17th- and 18th-century stallion and one of the foundation stallions of the Thoroughbred breed

The Byerley Turk, also spelled Byerly Turk, was the earliest of three stallions that were the founders of the modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockton and Darlington Railway</span> English railway company, 1825 to 1863

The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863. The world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, its first line connected collieries near Shildon with Darlington and Stockton in County Durham, and was officially opened on 27 September 1825. The movement of coal to ships rapidly became a lucrative business, and the line was soon extended to a new port at Middlesbrough. While coal waggons were hauled by steam locomotives from the start, passengers were carried in coaches drawn by horses until carriages hauled by steam locomotives were introduced in 1833.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaham</span> Seaside town in County Durham, England

Seaham is a seaside town in County Durham, England. Located on the Durham Coast, Seaham is situated 6 miles south of Sunderland and 13 miles (21 km) east of Durham. The town grew from the late 19th century onwards as a result of investments in its harbour and coal mines. The town is twinned with the German town of Gerlingen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sedgefield (borough)</span> Former local government district in England

Sedgefield District was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district and, borough in County Durham, in North East England. It had a population of about 87,000. It was named after Sedgefield, but its largest town was Newton Aycliffe. Other places included Shildon, Ferryhill and Spennymoor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newton Aycliffe</span> Town in County Durham, England

Newton Aycliffe is a town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1947 under the New Towns Act of 1946, the town is 5 miles to the north of Darlington and 10 miles to the south of Durham. It is the oldest new town in the north of England. Together with the bordering Aycliffe Village and the north part of School Aycliffe, it forms the civil parish of Great Aycliffe. The population of the town at the time of the 2021 census was 26,415.

Belmont is a suburb forming the north-eastern parts of the city of Durham, England. Belmont Parish covers four old coal mining villages of Belmont, Carrville, Broomside and Gilesgate Moor, which have been joined by industrial and suburban developments since the 1950s. As such Belmont can be used either to refer narrowly to the old village area, or the wider parish, particularly the parts to the east of the A1(M) motorway which bisects the area. At the 2011 census, the parish had a population of 8,881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brafferton, County Durham</span> Human settlement in England

Brafferton is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is administered as part of the borough of Darlington. The population of Brafferton Parish taken at the 2011 census was 154. It is situated between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, a short distance from Coatham Mundeville.

Brandon is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the southwest of Durham. Brandon was originally one of the seven townships within the ancient parish of Brancepeth. It grew from a sparsely populated agricultural area into a populous mining district after the establishment of collieries and later coke and fireclay works. Until the 19th century Brandon village, formerly known as East Brandon, was one of the larger settlements in Brancepeth Parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shotton Colliery</span> Human settlement in England

Shotton Colliery is a village in County Durham, England, situated north west of Peterlee.

Monk Hesleden is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. The population of the parish at the 2011 Census was 5,722. The parish is situated to the north-west of Hartlepool, and is on the North Sea coast. Monk Hesleden village is situated a short distance to the south of High Hesleden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mordon</span> Human settlement in England

Mordon is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the north-east of Newton Aycliffe. The population recorded by the 2011 census for the parish was 260.

Heighington is a village in the borough of Darlington and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 2,395. It is situated between Darlington and Shildon, near Newton Aycliffe. One of its most significant features is St Michael's Church, which sits in the middle of a large village green. The church is Norman, except for the 13th-century south aisle and the 19th-century north aisle. A rare feature in this church is a pre-Reformation oak pulpit with six traceried linen fold panels, with an inscription bearing prayers for its donor: an Alexander Flettcher and his wife Agnes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop Auckland (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliament constituency in England since 1885

Bishop Auckland is a constituency in County Durham represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Dehenna Davison, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldsborough Hall</span> Stately home in Goldsborough, North Yorkshire, England

Goldsborough Hall is a Jacobean stately home located in the village of Goldsborough, North Yorkshire, England. It is a member of the Historic Houses Association. The house itself is a Grade II* listed building. The Hall was built for Sir Richard Hutton (1560–1639) after he acquired the Goldsborough Estate in 1598, and in the 20th century it was home to Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood as her first family home.

Witton Park Colliery was a coal mine in Witton Park, Witton-le-Wear near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, Northern England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Byerley</span> English soldier and politician

Robert Byerley (1660–1714), of Middridge Grange, Heighington, County Durham, and Goldsborough, Yorkshire, was an English soldier and Tory politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1685 and 1714. He is credited with capturing the Byerley Turk, a famous stallion considered one of the three major foundation sires of the Thoroughbred breed of race horse.

Middridge Colliery was a colliery based in and near the village of Middridge in County Durham, England. The colliery, which was owned by The Weardale Iron and Coal Company, consisted of two mines: Eden Pit, sunk in 1872 and Charles Pit, sunk in 1874.

References

  1. ↑ "Parish population 2011" . Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Lloyd, Chris. "Come friendly bombs and fall on...Eden (From The Northern Echo)". Thenorthernecho.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "Durham Mining Museum - Middridge Colliery".
  4. ↑ "Keys To The Past, Ref No D15753". Keystothepast.info. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  5. ↑ The Byerley Turk by Jeremy James, publ. Merlin Unwin Books, ISBN   978-1-873674-98-7
  6. ↑ "The road to the Toad (From the Northern Echo)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.