Tudhoe
Encyclopedia
Tudhoe is a village in County Durham
, in England
. It is situated approximately 8 km (5 mi) south of the City of Durham
. It lies just outside Spennymoor
, a short distance to the west of the Great North Road. The village is now a quiet backwater, its green
a cul-de-sac
that runs down from the main road towards the River Wear
. In former times, however, Tudhoe lay at the centre of a network of roads: one ran to Durham by way of Sunderland Bridge and Croxdale
, another to Kirk Merrington
, a third to Bishop Auckland
, a fourth to Whitworth
and Byers Green
, and a fifth across a ford to Brancepeth Castle
and village on the far side of the river. All except the Brancepeth road are shown, somewhat schematically, on Thomas Jeffrey's map of County Durham of 1758.
Tudhoe is now dwarfed by Spennymoor
, an industrial town that grew up around the Tudhoe iron works in the 19th century. The modern town of Spennymoor lies only a few fields from Tudhoe, but the contours are such that it cannot be seen from most of the village, and Tudhoe today gives the impression that it is still an isolated country village.
For most of its history, Tudhoe has been in the parish of Brancepeth. The parish church of St Brandon's, dating from the 16th century, was one of the finest village churches in County Durham until its destruction by fire in 1998. Brancepeth lies across the River Wear from Tudhoe; there has never been a bridge, and the ford was not an easy one. In winter, it was often impassable, and Tudhoe baptisms, weddings and burials then took place at Whitworth. Because of this, Tudhoe was always seen (from Brancepeth) as an isolated outpost. Tudhoe's own Anglican
churches, Holy Innocents and St David's, were not built until 1866 and 1880, respectively, though there is a large Catholic
church, dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo
, which was founded in 1858.
Tudhoe was renowned as a mining village up until the end of the 20th Century. Up until the closure of the mines, the wealthy Colliery Masters took up residence in a grand mansion known as The Loggins, which stands in several acres of its own land and overlooks the area.
Tudhoe United FC are the local football team and play in Spennymoor Sunday League.
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...
. It is situated approximately 8 km (5 mi) south of the City of 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...
. It lies just outside Spennymoor
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town in County Durham, England. It stands above the Wear Valley approximately seven miles south of Durham. The town was founded over 160 years ago...
, a short distance to the west of the Great North Road. The village is now a quiet backwater, its green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
a cul-de-sac
Cul-de-sac
A cul-de-sac is a word of French origin referring to a dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
that runs down from the main road towards the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
. In former times, however, Tudhoe lay at the centre of a network of roads: one ran to Durham by way of Sunderland Bridge and Croxdale
Croxdale
Croxdale is a village in the civil parish of Croxdale and Hett, about 3 miles south of Durham City, in County Durham in England and on the A167 road, formerly part of the Great North Road.It is the location of Croxdale Hall, a Grade I listed building...
, another to Kirk Merrington
Kirk Merrington
Kirk Merrington is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated between the towns of Bishop Auckland and Ferryhill.It is part of the Spennymoor township....
, a third to Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
, a fourth to Whitworth
Whitworth, County Durham
Whitworth was a civil parish in County Durham, in England, centred around Whitworth Hall. It was one of several parishes abolished in 1937 to create the parish of Spennymoor. Whitworth Hall is on the road between Spennymoor and Brancepeth, and is close to Tudhoe...
and Byers Green
Byers Green
Byers Green is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Bishop Auckland, between Willington and Spennymoor, and a short distance from the River Wear....
, and a fifth across a ford to Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle is a castle in the village of Brancepeth in County Durham, England, some 5 miles south-west of the city of Durham . It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
and village on the far side of the river. All except the Brancepeth road are shown, somewhat schematically, on Thomas Jeffrey's map of County Durham of 1758.
Tudhoe is now dwarfed by Spennymoor
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town in County Durham, England. It stands above the Wear Valley approximately seven miles south of Durham. The town was founded over 160 years ago...
, an industrial town that grew up around the Tudhoe iron works in the 19th century. The modern town of Spennymoor lies only a few fields from Tudhoe, but the contours are such that it cannot be seen from most of the village, and Tudhoe today gives the impression that it is still an isolated country village.
For most of its history, Tudhoe has been in the parish of Brancepeth. The parish church of St Brandon's, dating from the 16th century, was one of the finest village churches in County Durham until its destruction by fire in 1998. Brancepeth lies across the River Wear from Tudhoe; there has never been a bridge, and the ford was not an easy one. In winter, it was often impassable, and Tudhoe baptisms, weddings and burials then took place at Whitworth. Because of this, Tudhoe was always seen (from Brancepeth) as an isolated outpost. Tudhoe's own Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
churches, Holy Innocents and St David's, were not built until 1866 and 1880, respectively, though there is a large Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
church, dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo was the cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure during the Counter-Reformation and was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests...
, which was founded in 1858.
Tudhoe was renowned as a mining village up until the end of the 20th Century. Up until the closure of the mines, the wealthy Colliery Masters took up residence in a grand mansion known as The Loggins, which stands in several acres of its own land and overlooks the area.
Tudhoe United FC are the local football team and play in Spennymoor Sunday League.