Ushaw Moor
Encyclopedia
Ushaw Moor is an old pit village
in County Durham
, in England
. It is situated to the west of Durham
, a short distance to the south of Bearpark
.
n origin which, when translated, means wolves wood. With the addition of moor we get 'the moor near the wood of wolves'.
being its one feature up till the nineteenth century.
In 1858 a drift mine was established at Ushaw Moor Colliery selling coal
on the landsale system. This was purchased in 1879 by Henry Chaytor of Witton Castle
. During his tenure there was a large strike, following the deliberate sacking of an elected union leader in 1881. The strike was ended when a number of policemen were bought into the village to evict the strikers and their families; such treatment was not uncommon in those times.
Mr Chaytor, sick of the years of industrial unrest, sold Ushaw Moor colliery to Pease & Partners in 1883. From this time, the workmen and community had an easier life, the new owners helping rather than opposing them. However, Ushaw Moor colliery closed in 1960, as part of the collapse of the Durham coal fields.
In the last thirty years it has grown and become the centre of the Deerness Valley, becoming unusually prosperous where most pit villages have struggled. Good links with Durham and Newcastle
and good local schools and amenities has meant it is very popular with first time buyers.
, which until its closure in 2011 is a Roman Catholic seminary
and one of the constituent colleges of the University of Durham. The college moved to Ushaw Moor in 1808 on the initiative of Bishop Gibson. It was founded at Douai
in France
in 1568.
Pit village
A pit village is a term used in the UK for the village serving a deep coal mine.Many of the workers lived in houses that were provided by the colliery. Many villages have experienced depopulation after colliery closures forced people to move to other towns and cities where there are jobs for them...
in County Durham
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...
, in 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...
. It is situated to the west 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...
, a short distance to the south of Bearpark
Bearpark
Bearpark is a village and civil parish in County Durham in England. It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor....
.
Etymology
It seems most likely that the name 'Ushaw' comes from ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n origin which, when translated, means wolves wood. With the addition of moor we get 'the moor near the wood of wolves'.
History
Parish registers suggests that the settlement dates to a least the sixteenth century. The village existed in a largely agricultural state, with a windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
being its one feature up till the nineteenth century.
In 1858 a drift mine was established at Ushaw Moor Colliery selling coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
on the landsale system. This was purchased in 1879 by Henry Chaytor of Witton Castle
Witton Castle
Witton Castle is a much altered 15th century castle, which is the centrepiece of a holiday and caravan country park at Witton le Wear, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham. It is a Grade II* listed building.-Details:...
. During his tenure there was a large strike, following the deliberate sacking of an elected union leader in 1881. The strike was ended when a number of policemen were bought into the village to evict the strikers and their families; such treatment was not uncommon in those times.
Mr Chaytor, sick of the years of industrial unrest, sold Ushaw Moor colliery to Pease & Partners in 1883. From this time, the workmen and community had an easier life, the new owners helping rather than opposing them. However, Ushaw Moor colliery closed in 1960, as part of the collapse of the Durham coal fields.
In the last thirty years it has grown and become the centre of the Deerness Valley, becoming unusually prosperous where most pit villages have struggled. Good links with Durham and Newcastle
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...
and good local schools and amenities has meant it is very popular with first time buyers.
Ushaw College
It is the location of Ushaw CollegeUshaw College
Ushaw College was a Roman Catholic seminary near Durham, England that closed in 2011. Ushaw was the principal seminary in the north of England for the training of Catholic priests.-History:...
, which until its closure in 2011 is a Roman Catholic seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
and one of the constituent colleges of the University of Durham. The college moved to Ushaw Moor in 1808 on the initiative of Bishop Gibson. It was founded at Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1568.