Sedgefield

Coordinates: 54°39′N 1°27′W / 54.65°N 1.45°W / 54.65; -1.45

Sedgefield
Sedgefield  Sedgefield shown within County Durham
Population	4,534 (2001)
OS grid reference	NZ354286
Parish	Sedgefield
Unitary authority	County Durham
Ceremonial county	County Durham
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	STOCKTON-ON-TEES
Postcode district	TS21
Dialling code	01740
Police	Durham
Fire	County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Sedgefield
List of places: UK • England • County Durham

Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.^[1]

Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

During November 2003, Sedgefield was visited by the American president George W. Bush during a state visit. He visited a local pub, as well as the local secondary school (Sedgefield Community College). This event was preceded by high-intensity security, which included fastening down manhole covers and drains, and closing the centre of the village to all traffic. An anti-war protest coincided with his visit.

St Edmund's church in Sedgefield is noted for its ornate 17th century Cosin woodwork, unique to County Durham: this is especially precious now that the display in Brancepeth has perished through fire.

The 18th century saw the architect James Paine commissioned by John Burdon in 1754 to design and construct a Palladian estate at nearby Hardwick Hall. Unfortunately the building work was never completed as Burdon went bankrupt, but sufficient landscaping was done to form the basis of the now renovated Hardwick Hall Country Park.

In the 19th century, Sedgefield was a great hunting centre, dubbed 'the Melton of the North'. Ralph Lambton, the celebrated hunting man, had his headquarters at Sedgefield: the humorous writer, Robert Smith Surtees, who lived at Hamsterley Hall, was a friend of his. On 23 February 1815, (while Lord Byron was moping at Seaham Hall, not far away) Lord Darlington writes: 'Mr Ralph Lambton was out with some gentlemen from Sedgefield, and a most immense field.'

Sedgefield was also known in the area because of the very large complex Winterton Hospital. This in its time was an isolation hospital and an 'asylum'. The site was like a village itself with its own fire station, bank and cricket team. Today little trace is left of the hospital apart from the church which is now surrounded by the Winterton housing estate and the NETPark Science park.

Sedgefield is twinned with Hamminkeln, Germany.

Education

There are two primary schools in Sedgefield, Sedgefield Hardwick Primary, and Sedgefield County Primary, and a secondary school, Sedgefield Community College.

Culture & Customs

The Shrove Tuesday Ball Game still takes place in Sedgefield and is an example of Mob Football. Another popular annual event is the Mediaeval Fayre, which takes place in mid-May.

Sport

Sedgefield is home to the Sedgefield Racecourse, a regional thoroughbred horse-racing venue. Knotty Hill Golf Centre is a 45-hole golf course, comprising of Courses A, B,C,D, & E. Course E, recently opened in the summer of 2006, is still maturing. Sedgefield Cricket Club is situated on the outskirts of the town, and is home to a number of senior and junior teams.

Sedgefield Youth Football Club (SYFC) run an under 12's team in the Teesside junior football alliance. They are based at the local community college.

Sedgefield Tennis Club play on three courts at the Community College. The club enters one Ladies team, one Mixed Team, and three Men's teams in the Cleveland Tennis League.

References

External links

• Sedgefield Town Council
• St Edmunds Church Website
• Sedgefield Racecourse
• The Sedgefield Network
• NETPark.