Easington, County Durham

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Coordinates: 54°47′N 1°21′W / 54.78°N 1.35°W / 54.78; -1.35

Easington
Easington shown within County Durham
Population	2,302
OS grid reference	NZ415432
Unitary authority	County Durham
Ceremonial county	County Durham
Region	North East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PETERLEE
Postcode district	SR8
Dialling code	0191
Police	Durham
Fire	County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance	North East
European Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Easington
List of places: UK • England • County Durham

Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington (Easington Village) and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and Houghton-le-Spring, and the A19, which travels north to Sunderland and south to Middlesbrough. As a former coal mining town, Easington is now an unemployment blackspot after the mine closed in 1993.

One of the most prominent events in the long history of the town was the hanging of two men on the village green for alleged involvement in the plot to replace Tudor monarch Queen Elizabeth with Mary Queen of Scots. Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100–1 September 1159), born Nicholas Breakspear lived here for a time.

The sinking of Easington Colliery began on 11 April 1899. The ward lies just north of Peterlee and the settlement grew up around the colliery. Development west along the B1283 road has resulted in a continuous settlement with Easington Village. However, the two places have retained their distinctive characters and continue to reflect different trends. Easington Colliery was the last pit to close on the Durham Coalfield in 1993, with the loss of 1,400 jobs.

The town is also known for being the setting of the folktale, "The Legend of the Easington hare".^[1]

The town is home to one of the few remaining 13th century domestic buildings in the country, Seaton Holme. Once an open hall medieval home, it became an archdeacons residence and was a children's home at a time before falling into disrepair. In 1992 it was finally restored to a semblance of its former stature.

Easington is the only place on earth with dolomitic limestone cliffs on the coastline.

Easington has been depleted of local banks and building societies due to the closure of the mine in the Thatcher era. It is officially recognised as being the most economically deprived town in the U.K. and has the largest percentage of long term illness and unemployment. There were 3 Post Offices in Easington. The one in the town serves the top of Easington, the middle post office serves the area which is predominantly council properties, and the lower post office served the colliery housing area. This post office has now closed as of 10 October 2008 after being cut in the closure scheme by the Post Office. Easington is notable for being the town with the highest percentage of white residents in England (99.2% white in 2001).^[2]

Famous Residents

• Matt Baker - Former Blue Peter presenter
• Dennis Donnini - VC recipient
• Steven Harper - Newcastle United goalkeeper
• Tom Simpson - Champion cyclist
• Nicholas Breakspear - Pope Adrian IV
• Kevin Scott - Newcastle United footballer
• Jez Lowe - Folksinger and songwriter

The film Billy Elliot, set in the fictional County Durham town of 'Everington', was mainly shot in Easington, though the film-makers had to go a long way north to Ellington to find the only working mine in the North East.

References