Fencehouses
Encyclopedia
Fencehouses, or Fence Houses, is a small village within the parish of Houghton-le-Spring
, on the edge of the City of Sunderland
, England
.
It came into existence when Napoleonic prisoners were housed on the outskirts of Houghton-le-Spring. The prisoners were used as labour to cut a path through the hill at Houghton-le-Spring in order to get the troops from Durham
to the coast at Sunderland. Houghton Cut as it became known has now been expanded to carry a 4-lane road, the A690. The place the prisoners were housed was known as "The French Houses" and this later changed to "Fencehouses".
This origin is highly debatable. A more likely origin was put forward by the late Houghton-le-Spring historian, C.A. Smith MA, in an article in the Official Houghton-le-Spring Urban District Handbook, 1962, as:
Fence Houses derives its name from Biddick Fence which formed the southern boundary of South Biddick and included Burnmoor
The land was originally part of the Grange (a large local manor house). In about 1950, a modern housing estate was added to the village it, called the Grange estate.
A railway line was built, bringing a 2-platform station providing services to Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne
and Durham
, and a stock yard from which local farmers shipped their cattle by train. The station opened in 1836, and the Post Office two years later as a Railway Sorting Office. The line closed to passengers in May 1964, apart from a one day service for the Durham Miners Gala that year.
In the 1960s. Fencehouses had the largest telephone exchange in the area (The Police house at Shiney Row
4 miles (6.4 km) away had the number "Fencehouses 55" in the 1940s). In the 1980s the Fencehouses exchange numbers became the Durham
exchange numbers.
Fencehouses was the terminus of a tram service from Sunderland.
The village is essentially a single main street cut in two by the path of the old railway line which also splits the village into control of two local authorities – Sunderland Council for the south of the village and Durham to the north). Just near to the railway line and yards from the old station, is a new development of town houses and apartments called "the sidings".
Recently, schooling facilities in Fencehouses have undergone a massive facelift. The previous three schools in the area (Dubmire Junior School, Dubmire Infant School and Dubmire Nursery) have been amalgamated under the one roof, in a multi-million pound development.
This resulted in the Old Dubmire Junior School house being demolished in 2003, after closing the year before.
Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring is part of the City of Sunderland in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the centre of the City of Sunderland about 6...
, on the edge of the City of Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It came into existence when Napoleonic prisoners were housed on the outskirts of Houghton-le-Spring. The prisoners were used as labour to cut a path through the hill at Houghton-le-Spring in order to get the troops from Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
to the coast at Sunderland. Houghton Cut as it became known has now been expanded to carry a 4-lane road, the A690. The place the prisoners were housed was known as "The French Houses" and this later changed to "Fencehouses".
This origin is highly debatable. A more likely origin was put forward by the late Houghton-le-Spring historian, C.A. Smith MA, in an article in the Official Houghton-le-Spring Urban District Handbook, 1962, as:
Fence Houses derives its name from Biddick Fence which formed the southern boundary of South Biddick and included Burnmoor
The land was originally part of the Grange (a large local manor house). In about 1950, a modern housing estate was added to the village it, called the Grange estate.
A railway line was built, bringing a 2-platform station providing services to Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, and a stock yard from which local farmers shipped their cattle by train. The station opened in 1836, and the Post Office two years later as a Railway Sorting Office. The line closed to passengers in May 1964, apart from a one day service for the Durham Miners Gala that year.
In the 1960s. Fencehouses had the largest telephone exchange in the area (The Police house at Shiney Row
Shiney Row
Shiney Row is a village in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear. Shiney Row enjoys good travel links with the rest of Sunderland. One of the City of Sunderland College's main centres is located in Shiney Row...
4 miles (6.4 km) away had the number "Fencehouses 55" in the 1940s). In the 1980s the Fencehouses exchange numbers became the Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
exchange numbers.
Fencehouses was the terminus of a tram service from Sunderland.
The village is essentially a single main street cut in two by the path of the old railway line which also splits the village into control of two local authorities – Sunderland Council for the south of the village and Durham to the north). Just near to the railway line and yards from the old station, is a new development of town houses and apartments called "the sidings".
Recently, schooling facilities in Fencehouses have undergone a massive facelift. The previous three schools in the area (Dubmire Junior School, Dubmire Infant School and Dubmire Nursery) have been amalgamated under the one roof, in a multi-million pound development.
This resulted in the Old Dubmire Junior School house being demolished in 2003, after closing the year before.