River Skerne
Encyclopedia
The River Skerne is a tributary of the River Tees
it flows through County Durham
in England
.
The Skerne is about 25 miles (40.2 km) long, the Skerne begins in magnesian limestone
hills between Trimdon
and Trimdon Grange
and ends at Hurworth Place
where it joins the River Tees.
Three miles after the source the Skerne is joined by Hurworth Burn and enters Hurworth Burn Reservoir on the borders of Stockton-on-Tees
and County Durham.
On leaving the reservoir, the Skerne heads south-west towards Sedgefield
. It flows through farmland between Fishburn
and Sedgefield and it seems likely that the Skerne is "the fish-stream" that gives Fishburn its name.
Three miles west of Fishburn, it is crossed by the A1(M) Motorway near Bradbury interchange. At this point the Skerne takes a southerly course and, for about five miles (8 km) as far south as Aycliffe
, it runs roughly parallel to the motorway and the East Coast Main Line
.
A number of smaller tributaries join the Skerne in the area and often form little islands like the Great Isle and Little Isle near Bradbury. One major tributary of the Skerne is the Woodham Burn, which rises near Shildon
and flows through Newton Aycliffe
.
The Skerne skirts the village of Aycliffe
before crossing under the motorway near its junction with the A167
. After this it passes close to Brafferton
and the farmland where the famous Durham Ox
was bred, before heading for Barmpton
, Great Burdon
and Haughton-le-Skerne on the outskirts of Darlington
, The Skerne then flows underneath 17 bridges in Darlington. The Skerne lends its name to the Skerne Park
estate in Darlington.
To the south of Darlington the Skerne passes through South Park then after flowing under the A66
bridge it leaves the town to flow through countryside for its last two miles (3 km), before joining the Tees at Hurworth Place
.
(Joins River Tees)
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
it flows through County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in 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...
.
The Skerne is about 25 miles (40.2 km) long, the Skerne begins in magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone can refer to:* For the rock made of magnesium carbonate ie Magnesian limestone see dolomite or dolostone* For the traditional name of a specific suite of Permian age rocks in north-east England see Magnesian Limestone...
hills between Trimdon
Trimdon
Trimdon is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated 9 miles west of Hartlepool. It is a former mining village which is adjacent to Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Grange, Deaf Hill and Trimdon Station...
and Trimdon Grange
Trimdon Grange
Trimdon Grange is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated ten miles to the west of Hartlepool, and a short distance to the north of Trimdon....
and ends at Hurworth Place
Hurworth Place
Hurworth Place is a village in County Durham, in England. It lies south of Darlington on the northern bank of the River Tees, opposite the village of Croft-on-Tees in North Yorkshire to which it is linked by Croft Bridge, which marks the county boundary...
where it joins the River Tees.
Three miles after the source the Skerne is joined by Hurworth Burn and enters Hurworth Burn Reservoir on the borders of Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
and County Durham.
On leaving the reservoir, the Skerne heads south-west towards Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair; he was the area's MP from 1983 to 2008,...
. It flows through farmland between Fishburn
Fishburn
Fishburn is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Hartlepool. It has a population of 2,454.-Location:...
and Sedgefield and it seems likely that the Skerne is "the fish-stream" that gives Fishburn its name.
Three miles west of Fishburn, it is crossed by the A1(M) Motorway near Bradbury interchange. At this point the Skerne takes a southerly course and, for about five miles (8 km) as far south as Aycliffe
Aycliffe
Aycliffe is part of the name of three places in County Durham, England:*Newton Aycliffe, the oldest new town in the north of England*Aycliffe Village, a village south of Newton Aycliffe...
, it runs roughly parallel to the motorway and the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
.
A number of smaller tributaries join the Skerne in the area and often form little islands like the Great Isle and Little Isle near Bradbury. One major tributary of the Skerne is the Woodham Burn, which rises near Shildon
Shildon
Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. It is situated 2 miles to the south east of Bishop Auckland and 11 miles north of Darlington. It is 13 miles away from Durham, 23 miles from Sunderland and 23 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
and flows through Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe is a town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1947 under the New Towns Act of 1946, it is the oldest new town in the north of England.-Geography:...
.
The Skerne skirts the village of Aycliffe
Aycliffe
Aycliffe is part of the name of three places in County Durham, England:*Newton Aycliffe, the oldest new town in the north of England*Aycliffe Village, a village south of Newton Aycliffe...
before crossing under the motorway near its junction with the A167
A167 road
The A167 is a road in North East England. Most of its route was formerly the A1 as most of it is the original route of the Great North Road until the A1 was re-routed with the opening of the A1 in the 1960s....
. After this it passes close to Brafferton
Brafferton, County Durham
Brafferton is a village in the borough of Darlington and the traditional and ceremonial counties of Durham in England. It is situated between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, a short distance from Coatham Mundeville....
and the farmland where the famous Durham Ox
Durham Ox
The Durham Ox was a castrated bull which became famous in the early 19th century for its shape, size and weight. It was an early example of what became the Shorthorn breed of cattle, and helped establish the standards by which the breed was to be defined....
was bred, before heading for Barmpton
Barmpton
Barmpton is a small village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county ofCounty Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the north-east of Darlington, on the River Skerne, a tributary of the Tees....
, Great Burdon
Great Burdon
Great Burdon is a village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north east of Darlington....
and Haughton-le-Skerne on the outskirts of Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, The Skerne then flows underneath 17 bridges in Darlington. The Skerne lends its name to the Skerne Park
Skerne Park
Skerne Park is a predominantly council owned housing estate in the southern part of the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated on the southern edge of Darlington. Skerne Park comprises streets named after well-known British rivers, such as Tweed...
estate in Darlington.
To the south of Darlington the Skerne passes through South Park then after flowing under the A66
A66 road
The A66 is a major road in northern England which in part follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria...
bridge it leaves the town to flow through countryside for its last two miles (3 km), before joining the Tees at Hurworth Place
Hurworth Place
Hurworth Place is a village in County Durham, in England. It lies south of Darlington on the northern bank of the River Tees, opposite the village of Croft-on-Tees in North Yorkshire to which it is linked by Croft Bridge, which marks the county boundary...
.
Settlements
from source- FishburnFishburnFishburn is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Hartlepool. It has a population of 2,454.-Location:...
- Bishop MiddlehamBishop MiddlehamBishop Middleham is a village in County Durham, in England. It is close to Sedgefield.-History:Bishop Middleham lies in a valley about 9 miles south-west of Durham. Although much of County Durham had probably first been settled in the Mesolithic period, the first evidence for occupation in the...
- BradburyBradbury-People:*Baron Bradbury, a peerage title in the United Kingdom*Bill Bradbury, American politician, the Oregon Secretary of State*Bettina F. Bradbury, American soap opera writer*Edward Kinder Bradbury, soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross*Edward P...
- Newton AycliffeNewton AycliffeNewton Aycliffe is a town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1947 under the New Towns Act of 1946, it is the oldest new town in the north of England.-Geography:...
- AycliffeAycliffeAycliffe is part of the name of three places in County Durham, England:*Newton Aycliffe, the oldest new town in the north of England*Aycliffe Village, a village south of Newton Aycliffe...
- BraffertonBrafferton, County DurhamBrafferton is a village in the borough of Darlington and the traditional and ceremonial counties of Durham in England. It is situated between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, a short distance from Coatham Mundeville....
- BarmptonBarmptonBarmpton is a small village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county ofCounty Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the north-east of Darlington, on the River Skerne, a tributary of the Tees....
- Great BurdonGreat BurdonGreat Burdon is a village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north east of Darlington....
- Haughton-le-Skerne
- DarlingtonDarlingtonDarlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
- Hurworth PlaceHurworth PlaceHurworth Place is a village in County Durham, in England. It lies south of Darlington on the northern bank of the River Tees, opposite the village of Croft-on-Tees in North Yorkshire to which it is linked by Croft Bridge, which marks the county boundary...
(Joins River Tees)