St John's Chapel, County Durham
| St John's Chapel | |
|---|---|
 St Johns Chapel | |
| OS grid reference | NY883380 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode district | DL13 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
St John's Chapel is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated in Weardale, on the south side of the River Wear on the A689 road between Daddry Shield and Ireshopeburn.
Nightlife: Pubs in the village include the Blue Bell and the Golden Lion which are both open from dusk till dawn.
The 2001 census reports a population of 307[1], of which only 43 are children under 16 (as of 2001). In 1980 there were 160 children in the village.[citation needed] The nearest secondary school is now 14 miles away, as is the nearest swimming pool, and the nearest library is 22 miles away. This population makes the village marginal in terms of thresholds for service provision. Although the population of the ward (1,446, including surrounding hamlets)[2] has remained fairly stable for 30 years, this masks the out-migration mainly of the younger generation affecting the population structure. Although this area has a high quality of life with low pollution and crime rates, in 2001 16 residents were unemployed and 26% of households were without a car.[1] This pocket of rural poverty is largely due to the decline in agricultural employment. This is made worse by reduced state support and reduced demand for some food due to health scares. This is worsened as it is a victim of Rural Depopulation. Originally St John's chapel was a medieval hunting stop, it then grew as a centre of lead mining after 1600. The area is also keen for hikers and walkers alike, this is because the area is host to many areas of natural beauty.
Railways
St John's Chapel was the penultimate stop of the Weardale Railway extension which opened on 21st October 1895, being mainly a freight line carrying limestone, iron ore, lead ore and fluorspar to the industrial areas of North East England. It closed to passenger traffic in 1953 and later to freight in 1963. The station was entirely demolished.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Wear Valley Settlement Summary Sheets" (PDF). Durham County Council. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
- ^ "Census 2001 Summary Sheets" (PDF). Durham County Council. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
- ^ Nick Catford. ""St. John's Chapel Station"". Disused Stations in the UK. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
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