Waldridge, County Durham

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Waldridge Fell
latitude= 54.8418
longitude= -1.6083
population = 215 (2001) [http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/Lookup/Chester%20le%20st%20Settlement%20Summary%20Sheets%20Numbers/$file/Chester+le+st+Settlement+Summary+Sheets+Numbers.pdf]
shire_district= Chester-le-Street
region= North East England
shire_county = County Durham
constituency_westminster= North Durham
post_town= CHESTER LE STREET
postcode_district = DH
postcode_area= DH
dial_code= 0191
os_grid_reference= NZ251497

Waldridge is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the south west of Chester-le-Street. It is known as either Waldridge Fell or Waldridge Village, the 'Fell' referring to the surrounding area of moorland.

The current village dates back to the 1890s, the original village having been located on the fell which overlooks the present location.

Rainwater runs into the Cong burn to the north and the South Burn to the south, both of which flow into the River Wear which is a few miles to the east.

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The Fell.

There are car parks and trails/tracks which have changed locations over time. It is typical area moorland, but with evidence of coal mining subsidence and other features related to the colliery and pits. This typical vegetation and wildlife consists of Heather, Bracken, Gorse, Rabbit, Game birds, Blackberry, Bilberry and Raspberry. In recent decades commercial style berry harvesting has swiftly swept the fell clean of fruit to the detriment of the family outing/share oriented harvesting by hand that was common and worthwhile in prior decades.

Farming.

Over recent decades Waldridge area farms have engaged in typical farming such as free range poultry, dairy processing, beekeeping, potatoes and rapeseed. Farmland area continues to reduce as housing expands out from Chester-le-Street, ever closer to Waldridge. The List of farms in Waldridge, County Durham shows farm names, dates and production in more detail.

Coal mining.

Waldridge became a coal mining village. Waldridge Colliery was located on the hill south of Waldridge overlooking the village and the Wear valley. It opened in 1831 and closed in April 1926. The large slag heap was to the south of the colliery winding gear and buildings. There were other pits on the fell. A waggonway which was in service until 1955 took Waldridge coal to the Tyne via Ouston Colliery. The most recent mining ended in 1992 after 5 years. It was opencast at Daisy hill to the southwest of the fell.

Roman times.

The Waldridge Fell region south of the Cong burn is suspected to be the location of the Roman road from Chester-le-Street to Lanchester and the aqueduct to Chester-le-Street. The Cong burn may have been utilized for heavy supplies to and from the Chester-le-Street Roman fort and other locations on the river Wear. Opportunities to confirm existing finds/suspicions are becoming more limited due to the housing expansion from Chester-le-Street, so archaeological work is encouraged.

Points of interest.

At one time anyone traveling on the main road through Waldridge would have been able to see the topiary animal figures carved out of the hedges at one of the Lime Cottages.

Transport.

The only form of scheduled public transport to/from Waldridge Village/Fell is by bus.

Tourism.

The Fell and the Cong burn woodland are the main tourist attractions.

External links

Durham Mining Museum - Waldridge Colliery [http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/w026.htm]

Durham Mining Museum - Daisy Hill Opencast [http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/d700.htm]

Durham Mining Museum – Waldridge Fell Drift [http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/w109.htm]

Waggonway Maps [http://www.geocities.com/waggonways/north-50/urpeth.html]

Northern Archaeology Group [http://www.n-a-g.freeserve.co.uk/]

Chester-le-Street Roman fort - Concangis [http://www.armatura.connectfree.co.uk/concangis/]

Lanchester Roman fort - Longovicium [http://www.derwentside.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1211]