Darlington
Darlington began life as an Anglo-Saxon settlement on the banks of the River Skerne, a northern tributary of the more famous Tees. The township was captured and settled by Danish Vikings in later centuries, and there are still many place names of Viking origin in its vicinity. Since the Norman occupation Darlington has been a borough and the site of an important market. Until recent times it has been unofficially the ‘capital' of southern Co. Durham, with its population of over 80000 being much greater than that of Durham City. However, since the boundary changes of 1974 Darlington falls within the new borough of Cleveland, and is no longer officially part of Co. Durham, except in historical terms.
Darlington's name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Dearthington , which meant ‘the settlement of Deomoth's people', but by Norman times its name had changed to Derlinton . Many years later during the 17 th and 18 th centuries, the town again underwent a name change, being generally known by the new name of Darnton or somewhat less politely as Darnton i' the Dirt . This unfortunate name was probably due to the once unpaved streets of the town, which are said to have inspired King James of Scotland to make the following uncomplimentary remark'...but Darnton is a mucky, mucky town...'
‘Mucky town' is certainly no longer an accusation that can be aimed at modern day Darlington, as like many large towns in north east England that were once regarded as grimy, it now affords a very pleasant and attractive aspect. Darlington is especially well endowed with town parks and leafy suburbs, although, despite it's very long history the centre of town is now largely of a Victorian and 20 th century nature. The ‘bonny church' of St Cuthbert's remains one of the most admirable features of Darlington. Built in the 12 th century by Hugh Pudsey, a Prince-Bishop of Durham, the church is sometimes referred to as the ‘Lady of the North' and is one of the largest churches in the region.
In the 17 th century Darlington became a popular place of residence for members of the Quaker faith, who formed an influential and wealthy community in the town by the 1800's. The best-known member of this Darlington fraternity was Edward Pease, the man responsible for Darlington's fame as the ‘Cradle of the Railways'. It was Pease who rejected an early 19 th century plan by local businessmen to build a canal for shipping coal from south Durham to the Tees estuary, suggesting instead that steam locomotives would be more economic - his suggestion was accepted. The famous Tyneside engineer George Stephenson was employed by Pease to design the locomotives and develop the railways.
The famous Stockton & Darlington Railway was opened on 27 th September 1825 and history was created, for as well as carrying coal the train included 600 passengers, most travelling in coal wagons but some in a specially designed carriage called ‘The Experiment'. The Stockton & Darlington Railway was thus the world's first public railway. On the historic day, the coal wagons for the journey were linked up to the locomotive called ‘Locomotion Number One' at Shilden. From Shilden the Locomotion travelled for two hours with only minor hitches before arriving at Darlington where coal was distributed to the poor. From Darlington the Locomotion and its train of passengers steamed on to Stockton.
Stephenson's original ‘Locomotion Number One' that hauled its train on that historic opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, can still be seen on display in Darlington's wonderful North Road Stockton Museum - one of the oldest railway stations in the world. The Locomotion Number One is of course an older engine than Stephenson's more famous ‘Rocket', which won the victory at Lancashire's Rainhill Trials in 1829.