Easington, County Durham

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name = Easington
latitude = 54.78
longitude = -1.35
population = 2,302
shire_district = Easington
region = North East England
shire_county = County Durham
constituency_westminster = Easington
post_town = PETERLEE
postcode_district = SR8
postcode_area = SR
dial_code = 0191
os_grid_reference = NZ415432

Easington is a town in Easington district in east 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 village 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 village is also known for being the setting of the folktale, "The Legend of the Easington hare". [cite book |last=Grice |first=Frederick|title=Folk Tales of the North Country |origyear=1944 |url=http://www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/easingtonvillage/page740076.aspx |accessdate=2007-05-18 |publisher=Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd. |id=ASIN|B000PCXLEA ]

The village 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 Village is the home of Norma & June Fashions Ltd. This company supplies top designer labels of mother of the bride outfits and special occasion-wear to customers all over the world. Starting business in a former Walter Wilson shop at the bottom of the village green they have built up a solid customer base and even collect and return visiting customers from the local airports who have flown in from all parts of the UK and EU. their website http://www.thebridesmother.co.uk attracts upwards of a million site hits each year.Easington has been sadly 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 village serves the top of Easington, the middle post office serves the area which is predominently council properties, and the lower post office served the colliery housing area. This post office has now closed as of 10th 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). [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7281107.stm 'The whitest place in England'] "BBC News Magazine". Accessed 06 March 2008]

The Saint Mary's Anglo Saxon church situated at the upper side of the village green is said to be the venue for the first marriage of Ulrika Johnson.

Famous residents

*Matt Baker - Former "Blue Peter" presenter
*Dennis Donnini - The youngest British VC
*Steven Harper - Newcastle United goalkeeper
*Tom Simpson - Champion cyclist
*Gordon Bell - Famous storyteller
*Nicholas Breakspear - Pope Adrian IV
*Kevin Scott - Newcastle United footballer

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