Tanfield, County Durham

Tanfield
County Durham
Location
Grid reference:	NZ191557
Location:	54°53’49"N, 1°42’11"W
Data
Post town:	Durham
Postcode:	DH9
Local Government
Council:	County Durham

Tanfield is a former mining village in County Durham, near Stanley. It is the location of Tanfield Railway and the Causey Arch.

Churches

The village church of St Margaret of Antioch dates back to 900 AD, but the present structure was built in the 18th century. It was the parish church of Beamish Hall, former home to the Eden, Joicey and Shafto families.

There is a Methodist church in Tanfield Lea.

History

The village was first recorded in 1179 as Tamefeld, believed to be Old English for "field by the River Team", though it is mentioned in an account by John of Hexham of the Scottish invasion of 1138. The village church is originally 10th century.

Collieries

• Tanfield Lea Colliery, Tanfield Lea. Closed 25 August 1962. Owners:- Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Collieries Ltd; (1947) NCB. Location: NZ188544, 54° 53' 2" N, 1° 42' 25" W, 7 miles SW of Newcastle.
• Tanfield Moor Colliery, Tantobie. Opened before 1828. Closed Oct 1948. Owners:- Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Collieries Ltd. Location: NZ169545, 54° 53' 6" N, 1° 44' 12" W, 7.5 miles SW of Newcastle.
• East Tanfield Colliery, Tantobie. Opened 1844. Closed January 1965. Owners: - James Joicey (from 1844), East Tanfield Colliery Co. Limited (from 1917), South Derwentside Coal Co. Limited (from 1929). National Coal Board (from 1947). Location: NZ194552, 54° 53' 28" N, 1° 41' 51" W, 6.5 miles SW of Newcastle

Tanfield was the home of Tommy Armstrong (1848–1919), the "pit-man poet", whose grave is in the village cemetery.

The village has the highest rate of people aged 16–74 in England and Wales who have never worked; the figure stands at 33.33 percent.

See also

• Causey Arch
• Tanfield Railway

Outside links

• - Durham Mining Museum