Hetton-le-Hole: Difference between revisions

| country = England

| official_name = Hetton-le-Hole

| coordinates = {{coord|54.8208821|-1.4488449|display=inline,title}}

| os_grid_reference = NZ354474

[[Great Eppleton Wind Farm]], a [[wind farm]] originally of four dual-bladed [[alternatorsalternator]]s, provides electricity to the [[National grid (UK)|National Grid]]. The original wind turbines have been replaced by larger three-bladed versions. The turbines are far enough away from local houses not to cause any audible disturbance.

The history of the Hetton area can be traced back for up to a thousand years. The name of Hetton-le-Hole derives from two [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] words which were spelt together "Heppedune", meaning Bramble Hill. The name was adopted by a local landowning family, the le Hepdons, who owned part of the Manor. The ancient manor, which was bounded by that of Elemore, was divided into two parts known as Hetton-on-the-Hill and Hetton-in-the-Hole. The latter, a more sheltered vicinity, was where the village arose. Records exist of the many holders of the manor back to the 14th century. William de Hepdon held half the Manor by deed in 1363 and in 1380 William de Dalden held the other half. Even earlier charters go back to 1187 and mention the early village of Heppedune, its people, houses, crofts, [[oxgang]]s and strips of land for the villagers in the three great fields around the settlement. In 1187 Bertram de Heppedune held the manor for the King; other de Hepdons were his descendants.

By 1896, Hetton-le-Hole was a mining village in its own right; the district parish of Eppleton had been formed from Hetton-le-Hole which, by then, included that part of Hetton-le-Hole known as the "Downs". The village "comprised an area of 512 acres, with a population of 5,000".<ref>{{cite book |title=The Social History of Hetton - The Hetton Village Atlas |publisher= |url=http://www.limestonelandscapes.info/media/12437/The-Hetton-Village-Atlas---Chapter-16/pdf/HettonVillageAtlas16.pdf |access-date=27 July 2021 |quote=... comprises an area of 512 acres, with a population of 5,000 in 1896.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Lacey |first1=Robert |title=Battle of Brothers |date=2021 |publisher=William Collins |location=London |isbn=978-0-00-840854-1 |page=59 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.com.au/books/edition/Battle_of_Brothers/HVErzgEACAAJ?hlid=enHVErzgEACAAJ |access-date=27 July 2021 |quote=Today Hetton is effectively a suburb of Sunderland, but it was a mining village in its own right in 1896...}}</ref>

Coal has been mined in the surrounding area since [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times. Coal was then obtained by [[drift mining]], but by the 14th century shafts were used. In 1819 the Hetton Coal Company was formed and its first shaft was sunk a year later. It was a highly controversial undertaking, with geologists doubtful as to whether coal of any value existed there. The Hetton Coal Company's owners also decided to build a wagonway from their new Hetton colliery to the [[River Wear]] at [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]]. [[George Stephenson]] was hired to build the {{convert|8|mi|km}} line. The trains were powered by gravity down the inclines and by locomotives for its level and upward stretches. It was the first railway to use no animal power at all. These methods were used until 1959, as was some of the original machinery. These activities led to a rapid increase in the size of Hetton and over 200 houses for the miners were built at once. These have all but gone now, but twelve of these former mining cottages from Francis Street in the Hetton Downs area of the town were re-erected stone by stone at [[Beamish Open Air Museum]], [[Stanley, County Durham|Stanley]], near [[Chester-le-Street]]. The [[UK miners' strike (1984–1985)]] brought about hardship for many of the workers. Two local unsigned bands (The Pigeon Fanciers and Haswell Crisis) recorded and released a single to raise money for the families and to recognise the contribution made by miners over the years in their locality. Their adapted version of a [[Bob Dylan]] classic failed to chart{{Clarify|date=June 2017}}, but the project made a slight profit as local support from other mining communities ensured that 'Knocking on Hetton's Floor' sold more than 1000 copies.

*[[Terence Burns, Baron Burns]] GCB, economist

*[[Albert H. Oswald]] (1879-19291879–1929), composer of light music

*[[Hetton SchoolAcademy]]

*[http://www.hettontowncouncil.gov.uk/history.html History - Hetton Town Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725073546/http://www.hettontowncouncil.gov.uk/history.html |date=25 July 2018 }}