Greatham, County Durham facts for kids
Greatham is a village in County Durham, England. It's located about three miles south of Hartlepool. In 2011, about 2,132 people lived in Greatham and the nearby area called Newton Bewley.
Greatham's Past
Greatham village wasn't mentioned in the famous Domesday Book from 1086, which was a big survey of England. The first time we see Greatham written down was in 1196, where it was called Gretham.
Greatham is home to the Hospital of God. This place was started in 1273 by Robert de Stichell, who was the Bishop of Durham at the time. The Hospital of God was originally set up to help people who were poor. By the 1500s, it wasn't used much for helping the poor anymore. Instead, it was more like a guesthouse for rich people. But after 1610, things changed. The hospital went back to its original goal of helping those in need.
During World War II, Greatham was also the location of a short-lived air force base called RAF Greatham.
In May 2021, the local councils for Greatham and nearby villages like Elwick, Hart, and Dalton Piercy all voted. They wanted to leave the Hartlepool Borough Council and become part of County Durham again.
Places to See
Today, Greatham village has about a thousand people living in different areas. These include Saltaire Terrace, Hillview, The Grove, The Drive, The Green, Front Street, and Ashfield Close. A new housing area called Station Manor is being built near the school.
For a long time, there were salt factories near Greatham. But this industry became less important in the 1700s and 1800s. In the middle of the 1900s, the Cerebos salt company had a factory here. Later, another company called Sharwood's took it over. This factory has now closed down and been taken apart. The area where it stood is now mostly flat ground and old building pieces.
The Greatham railway station was located near the old Cerebos factory, a bit away from most of the village. It stayed open even after many other stations closed in the 1960s. However, it was later made into a simpler stop and finally closed on November 24, 1991. This was because not many people were using it. The station was part of the Durham Coast Line.
Village Life and Amenities
Greatham is its own village, separate from Hartlepool. It has two pubs and a village green, which is a grassy area in the center. Other useful places in the village include:
- Whitfield's General Store: A local shop for everyday items.
- Post office: This is currently closed.
- Greatham Sports field: A big field with places for different sports, like tennis courts, and a small playground.
Greatham also has a small Church of England primary school. Children of all backgrounds are welcome there. The school has four classrooms, a large hall for many activities with gym equipment, a kitchen, and a special area for younger children. Outside, the school has a nature garden looked after by the students, a formal garden, and a big playing field.
The village church, named St. John the Baptist, was built in 1270. It was rebuilt in 1792 and has had updates since then. The outside of the church looks nice and welcoming.
Getting Around
A bus service is run by Stagecoach. The number 36 bus comes every 15 minutes. It goes towards Middlesbrough by way of Stockton, Billingham, and Norton. It also goes to Hartlepool. There used to be another bus, the 527 Service, run by Arriva. This bus came every hour and went into Hartlepool. However, this service stopped in 2011 because the local council no longer provided money for it. People in the village signed a petition to try and get the bus back, but it hasn't been started again.
There used to be a train station at the edge of the village, but it is now closed and falling apart. However, trains going from Middlesbrough to Carlisle still pass through Greatham.
