Greatham, County Durham
| Greatham | |
| County Durham | |
|---|---|
 Greatham | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NZ492275 |
| Location: | 54°38’28"N, 1°14’17"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Hartlepool |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Hartlepool |
Greatham is a village in County Durham, sitting about three miles south of Hartlepool town centre, in the south-east of the county.
The population of the civil parish (including Newton Bewley) was recorded at 2,132 by the 2011 census.
Parish church
The parish church, St John The Baptist, was built between 1180 and 1190 and was subsequently redeveloped.[1]
In 1894 it was recorded:
The Church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was erected over the foundations of an early Saxon building, by Bishop Stichell of Durham, in 1270. It was rebuilt in 1792, a clerestory added by the Rev. H. B. Tristram in 1869, and a new vestry and organ, at a cost of £650, by the present vicar in 1881. It consists of nave, aisles, chancel, and a square western tower of modest dimensions. The exterior of the church is neat and attractive; the recent additions, especially the clerestory, which is lighted by elegant quatrefoils, have been well carried out, and add much to the general appearance of the structure.'[2]
History
County Durham was not included in the Domesday Book: the first in written source for this village records it as Gretham in 1196.[3]
In 1273, Robert de Stichell Bishop of Durham founded 'the Hospital of God'.[4] Greatham's hospital was originally a foundation to aid poor people. By the 16th century the foundation was used more as a "house of entertainment for gentlemen" and it was not well used for helping the poor. After 1610 there were reforms, and its original mission was resumed.[5]
During Second World War, a short-lived airbase was established here; RAF Greatham.
There is a long history of salt works nearby, but this declined in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the middle of the 20th century, Cerebos salt works had a factory there, which was later taken over by Sharwood's. The factory has now closed and has been demolished. The site is now large areas of hardstanding and rubble.
Greatham railway station was positioned near the old Cerebos factory, away from the majority of the village. It survived the Beeching cuts but was later downgraded to a halt before eventually closing on 24 November 1991 due to lack of use. The station was part of the Durham Coast Line.
About the village
Greatham is a village on its own, with two pubs and a village green at its heart. A small place, it has a general store and formerly a post office, and a small Church of England primary school.
Greatham Sports Field in the village is a large field with various sports facilities including tennis courts and a small adventure playground.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Greatham, County Durham) |
References
- ↑ St John The Baptist, Greatham
- ↑ 'History, Topography and Directory of Durham' (1894)
- ↑ Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 1960. p. 204 ISBN 0198691033
- ↑ "The Hospital of God at Greatham". http://www.hospitalofgod.org.uk/.
- ↑ A History of the County of Durham - Volume 3 pp 242-247: Parishes: Greatham (Victoria County History)
