Crook, County Durham
| Crook | |
| County Durham | |
|---|---|
 Hope Street, Crook | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NZ165355 |
| Location: | 54°42’51"N, 1°44’43"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 10,018 |
| Post town: | Crook |
| Postcode: | DL15 |
| Dialling code: | 01388 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | County Durham |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North West Durham |
Crook is a small market town in County Durham, found about 10 miles south-west of the City of Durham and two miles west of the similarly sized Willington.
Crook lies a couple of miles north of the River Wear, on the A690 from Durham. This turns into the A689 leading up into the scenic upper reaches of Weardale, through Wolsingham and Stanhope.
The hamlet of Stanley Crook is found to the north.
History
Crook first appeared as an agricultural village around 1795.[1] 40 years later; Crook became a mining village, and thrived as the coal was very close to the surface[1] and soon there were over 20 mines around the Crook area, and by the end of the nineteenth century the town had developed rapidly in population and economy. However a lot of the population in the area had declined in the following century as the coal mines and industries closed with over 34% of the population being unemployed.[1]
Crook has a famous amateur football team, Crook Town FC. Crook Town have won the FA Amateur Cup five times, most recently beating Enfield FC in 1964, before the cup was abolished in 1974. This record is second only to Crook's near neighbours, Bishop Auckland FC. The club have also reached the third round of the FA Cup and formed a key role in the development of FC Barcelona, playing a number of friendly matches in the 1910s and 1920s.
Landscape
Crook has a backdrop of traditional and modern buildings. The tallest building in the town is the Council Building. It has 5 floors and at about 100 ft, it is a prominent feature of the Crook skyline. However, the council building is dwarfed by Crook's surrounding hills, which completely surround the town except on the south side. The tallest hill stands at 980 feet above the town..
Approximately two miles to the west of Crook on the A689 towards Wolsingham and Weardale, 400 yards past the roundabout junction with the A68, is the surviving Second World War Harperley POW Camp 93, a Scheduled Ancient Monument within English Heritage.
Sights of the town
The cenotaph stands in the market place, commemorating the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.
The Devil's Stone or the The Blue Stone is an erratic of Borrowdale volcanic. Originally lying at Dowfold Hill, it is currently placed in the market place.