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.

Etymology

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'.

History

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. 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.

Ushaw College

It is the location of Ushaw College, a Roman Catholic seminary and one of the constituent colleges of the University of Durham. It moved to Ushaw Moor in 1808, on the initiative of Bishop Gibson. It was originally founded at Douai in France in 1568.

References

* [http://UshawMoor.org.uk Ushaw Moor Community and Historical Website ]
* [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/u/ushaw_moor/index.shtml Subterranea Britannica information on Ushaw Moor station]
* [http://www.ushawmoorpostoffice.co.uk/ Ushaw Moor Post Office Website]