Langley Park, County Durham
Encyclopedia
Langley Park is a village in County Durham
, England
. The historic city of Durham
lies 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east whilst the larger city of Newcastle upon Tyne
is 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north.
The village has a wide variety of shops and amenities and is also home to Diggerland
, where children of all ages can take control of a variety of heavy machinery and take rides over the former colliery ground on bulldozers and Landrovers. The village has a primary school which includes nursery, reception and junior classes.
The Lanchester Valley Railway Path
runs along the northern edge of Langley Park on the site of the disused Consett Iron Works railway line. It is designated as National Route 14 on the Sustrans
National Cycle Network
which runs from Haswell, via Durham City, to Consett.
Langley Park has grown steadily in recent years and has benefited from the influx of new residents, attracted to the village by the construction of several housing developments. Current housing projects are underway on the site of the former Kings Picture house and Hilltop View and plans are in hand to construct houses on the current site of Anderson & Young coachworks.
The River Browney
, which flows to the north of the village, has recovered from the effects of contamination caused by a century of local industry and is fished regularly both by anglers and by otters who have made a welcome return to the river in recent years.
filmed one of the scenes in the changing rooms of Langley Park school. This was just one of many occasions where the village has been used as a location for film and television productions. These include Days of Hope
(1974), The Stars Look Down
(1975), A Captain's Tale (1982) and Ripping Yarns
(1977). The BBC television comedy The Fast Show
also used the village as a location, with Railway Street being frequently employed as a set to film scenes of "Unlucky Alf". Railway Street's main attraction for film and TV companies is that it has remained essentially unchanged from the time of its construction in the late 19th century (although most – if not all – residents no longer have to leave their house and cross the street to the outside lavatories that remain as a reminder of a bygone age).
released the album From Langley Park to Memphis
. Group members Paddy and Martin McAloon were brought up in the nearby village of Witton Gilbert
.
The village was also the childhood home of former English national football team manager Sir Bobby Robson, who went to school here. His family still live in the village.
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The historic city of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
lies 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east whilst the larger city of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
is 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north.
The village has a wide variety of shops and amenities and is also home to Diggerland
Diggerland
Diggerland is the name of four theme parks in England based around the theme of diggers and JCBs. Diggerland is owned by the excavator hire firm H.E...
, where children of all ages can take control of a variety of heavy machinery and take rides over the former colliery ground on bulldozers and Landrovers. The village has a primary school which includes nursery, reception and junior classes.
The Lanchester Valley Railway Path
Lanchester Valley Railway Path
The Lanchester Valley Railway Path is located in County Durham, in northeast England. It uses the route of the railway originally built to carry iron ore to Consett Steelworks. The single-track line opened in 1862, with stations at Bearpark, Witton Gilbert, Lanchester, Knitsley and Consett. The...
runs along the northern edge of Langley Park on the site of the disused Consett Iron Works railway line. It is designated as National Route 14 on the Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
which runs from Haswell, via Durham City, to Consett.
Langley Park has grown steadily in recent years and has benefited from the influx of new residents, attracted to the village by the construction of several housing developments. Current housing projects are underway on the site of the former Kings Picture house and Hilltop View and plans are in hand to construct houses on the current site of Anderson & Young coachworks.
The River Browney
River Browney
The River Browney is a river in County Durham, England, and the largest tributary of the River Wear.According to Durham County Council Internet GIS, the River Browney rises from a spring in Park Head Plantation, on the eastern slope of Skaylock Hill, roughly a mile south east of Waskerley...
, which flows to the north of the village, has recovered from the effects of contamination caused by a century of local industry and is fished regularly both by anglers and by otters who have made a welcome return to the river in recent years.
Langley Park Colliery
The sinking of the first shaft was begun in 1871. This shaft was still in existence in 1975.Film and TV
The producers of the 2000 film Billy ElliotBilly Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
filmed one of the scenes in the changing rooms of Langley Park school. This was just one of many occasions where the village has been used as a location for film and television productions. These include Days of Hope
Days of Hope
Days of Hope is a BBC television drama serial produced in 1975. The series dealt with the lives of a working-class family from the turmoils of the First World War in 1916 to the General Strike in 1926...
(1974), The Stars Look Down
The Stars Look Down
The Stars Look Down is a 1935 novel by A. J. Cronin which chronicles various injustices in an English coal mining community. A film version was produced in 1939, and television adaptations include both Italian and British versions....
(1975), A Captain's Tale (1982) and Ripping Yarns
Ripping Yarns
Ripping Yarns is a British television comedy series, shown on BBC 2 from 1976 to 1979. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame...
(1977). The BBC television comedy The Fast Show
The Fast Show
The Fast Show, known as Brilliant in the US, was a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for three series from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and...
also used the village as a location, with Railway Street being frequently employed as a set to film scenes of "Unlucky Alf". Railway Street's main attraction for film and TV companies is that it has remained essentially unchanged from the time of its construction in the late 19th century (although most – if not all – residents no longer have to leave their house and cross the street to the outside lavatories that remain as a reminder of a bygone age).
People
In 1988 the group Prefab SproutPrefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout are an alternative English pop rock band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham, England who rose to fame during the 1980s. Eight of their albums have reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and one of their singles, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", peaked at number seven in the UK...
released the album From Langley Park to Memphis
From Langley Park to Memphis
From Langley Park to Memphis is the third album by English pop band Prefab Sprout, and was released in March 1988.The title is taken from a lyric to the song, "The Venus of the Soup Kitchen", and refers to the village of Langley Park, County Durham in England, and the city of Memphis, Tennessee in...
. Group members Paddy and Martin McAloon were brought up in the nearby village of Witton Gilbert
Witton Gilbert
Witton Gilbert is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north-west of Durham.The village once had a railway station on the...
.
The village was also the childhood home of former English national football team manager Sir Bobby Robson, who went to school here. His family still live in the village.