Willington, County Durham

infobox UK place

country = England
official_name= Willington
latitude= 54.71
longitude= -1.69
population = 4,534 (2001) [http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/Lookup/Wear%20Valley%20Settlement%20Summary%20Sheets%20Numbers/$file/Wear+Valley+Settlement+Summary+Sheets+Numbers.pdf]
shire_district= Wear Valley
region= North East England
shire_county = County Durham
constituency_westminster= North West Durham
post_town= CROOK
postcode_district = DL15

postcode_area= DL
dial_code= 01388
os_grid_reference= NZ108507

Willington is a former-pit town in County Durham, England. It is in the foothills of the Pennines and near the River Wear close to Crook and Bishop Auckland. Like many communities in the area, Willington's economy was largely based on coal mining. The closure of the colliery in 1967 therefore hit the town hard. Similarly to many former mining communities this is a blow that Willington has struggled to recover from.

Meaning of the place-name

Willington comes from Old English "tun" (farm or homestead) among Wifel's people, and was recorded as "Wyvelintun" in "c." 1190. [Ekwall|520]

References