New Hartley

Coordinates: 55°05′04″N 1°31′11″W / 55.084558°N 1.519825°W / 55.084558; -1.519825

New Hartley
New Hartley  New Hartley shown within Northumberland
Population	2,001
Unitary authority	Northumberland
Ceremonial county	Northumberland
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WHITLEY BAY
Postcode district	NE25
Dialling code	0191
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Northumberland
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Blyth Valley
List of places: UK • England • Northumberland

New Hartley is a village in South East Northumberland, England, adjacent to Hartley, Seaton Delaval and Seaton Sluice. The village is just off the A190 road about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Tynemouth and 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Blyth. In 2010 the village had a population of 2,001.

History

The village is historically linked to nearby Hartley village, which was originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement^{[citation needed]} Records show that coal mining began in 1291^{[citation needed]} A number of pits were created and exhausted at Hartley, before a new pit called Hester was sunk at a site in between Seaton Sluice and Seaton Delaval. Soon after, families settled around the new mine, and the village of New Hartley was created.

Houses were built to the North and West of the pit, in a rough L shape, which included a Methodist chapel and an Inn, the "Hartley Hastings Arms" and New Hartley Workmens Club.

The New Hartley Pit Disaster occurred on the 16th January 1862, it was during the change from the fore-shift to the back-shift when nearly all of the two shifts were still down the pit, that the beam of the pumping engine that kept the pit clear of water broke in two and 20 tons of cast iron plunged down the shaft striping the brattices and rocks and blocking the one and only shaft. It took several days of heroic effort by rescue teams to reach the entombed men and boys - all to no avail all were dead. All in all 204 men and boys perished in the disaster. Either when the beam plummeted down the shaft or as a result of being entombed. A fitting Memorial to all of them is at St. Albans Church, Earsdon. Additionally the everlasting memorial is that Parliament quickly passed a law ensuring that all future pits opened had to have two shafts

Social facilities

The village boasts a friendly local pub called the Hartley Hastings (known locally and rather obscurely as The Haggins) and also a large Working Mens Club. It also has a Post Office, a Kebab style takeaway along Double Row and within walking distance a well-supported and bucking national trend, vibrant Masonic Hall.

Transport

Local transport is reasonable with the X4 operating a twice hourly service to and from Newcastle, with a 50 minute journey time. Much to residents moans and groans the X4 takes a not very Express route to Newcastle. Local bus operator Phoenix also provides a 5 times a day service (weekdays only) to nearby Cramlington. The old Blyth and Tyne Railway cuts through the eastern end of the village. Local campaigns to re-open this line to commuters have so far not succeeded, however if and when local campaign group SENRUG's attempts prove successful the village would benefit from a re opened Seaton Delaval station.

There are many walks in the local area, with the many tracks and lanes being a testament to the village's mining history.

People of New Hartley

The village is home to ex-Liverpool and Arsenal footballer Ray Kennedy, who had begun his career with the New Hartley Juniors.

External links

Media related to New Hartley at Wikimedia Commons