Ushaw Moor
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.
It seems most likely that the name 'Ushaw' comes from
Scandinavian origin which, when translated, means wolves wood. With the addition of moor we get 'the moor near the wood of wolves'.
Parish registers suggests that the settlement dates to a least the
sixteenth century. The village existed in a largely agricultural state, with a
windmill 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 bought in 1879 by Henry Chaytor of
Witton Castle. During his ownership 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; it should be noted that such treatment was not uncommon in those times.
|
Two Dutchmen were brought to Ushaw Moor colliery to fell this chimney in 1932 |
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 ammeinities has meant it is very popular with first time buyers.
It is the location of
Ushaw College, a
Roman Catholic seminary and one of the constituent colleges of the
University of Durham. It move to Ushaw Moor in 1808, on the initiative of
Bishop Gibson. It was originally founded at
Douai in
France in 1568.
*
Ushaw Moor Community and Historical Website *
Subterranea Brittanica information on Ushaw Moor station*
Ushaw Moor Post Office Website
