Ouston, County Durham

Coordinates: 54°53′02″N 1°35′53″W / 54.884°N 1.598°W / 54.884; -1.598

Ouston is a village in County Durham, approximately 5 miles to the south-west of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. The main village of Ouston (formerly called Ulkerton in earlier medieval times) is adjoined by the 1970s built housing estate known as Urpeth Grange but both are referred to colloquially as Ouston by locals.

Schools

There are three schools in Ouston: St. Benet's Catholic Infant & Junior School, Ouston Infant and Ouston Junior school. Ouston Junior School was opened in December, 1964 and is often the venue for local cross country events.^[1] The Junior School also provides a venue for several community activities.

Ameneties

There are two pubs: the Red Lion in Ouston and The Cherry Tree in Urpeth Grange. A Working men's club (The Ranch) is also situated in the neighbouring village of Perkinsville. Shops are limited to a Post Office and a couple of general stores. Organisations based in the village include the Ouston and Urpeth Conservation Volunteers.

Transport

There are regular bus routes through Ouston with the Go North East bus company. The 34 and 34A run from Ouston to Chester-le-Street and the 28 and 28A buses run from Chester-le-Street through Ouston and into Newcastle upon Tyne via Gateshead. The 28 and 28A buses are named "The Waggonway" and are decorated with the picture of a coal train. The inside of the buses advertise Beamish Museum, a local outdoor museum which is renowned for its "real life" interaction with visitors and information about life in County Durham during different time periods.

Locality

The village itself was mostly constructed in 1961 with the showhomes being in Ardrossan opposite the Junior School which opened in 1964. Over time the village expanded to its current size with further expansion continuing from Penhill, Urpeth, in the early 1970s onwards. In recent years the housing development has rebegun in earnest in Turnberry and Woodlands, the former being a disused farmer's field with some World War II bunkers in it and the latter being an area next to the council estate (The Brooms) in an area near Walter's Wood.

Ouston is a quiet village with only one main road through it, which even at busy times of the day is still quiet. The village is surrounded by countryside, farm life and stunning views of Newcastle upon Tyne.

References

1. ^ "District & Schools Athletics". http://www.chester-le-streetschools.org.uk/athletics/. 

External links

• Ouston Junior School website
• [1] Community Amenties in Ouston
• [2] Cross Country at Ouston Junior School

Media related to Ouston, County Durham at Wikimedia Commons