Heighington, County Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heighington |
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 Heighington
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| Population | 2,395 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ248223 |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTON AYCLIFFE |
| Postcode district | DL5 |
| Dialling code | 01325 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Heighington (pronounced HYE-ing-tən) is a lovely village in England. It's located in the area of Darlington within County Durham. In 2011, about 2,395 people lived here. The village is found between the towns of Darlington and Shildon, not far from Newton Aycliffe. One of the most special things about Heighington is its old church, St Michael's Church, which stands right in the middle of a big, grassy village green.
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St Michael's Church
St Michael's Church is a very old building. Most of it was built in the Norman style, which means it's from around the 11th or 12th century. Some parts, like the south side, were added in the 13th century, and the north side was built much later in the 1800s.
Inside the church, there's a very rare wooden pulpit. This pulpit is from before the English Reformation, a big change in the church in England during the 1500s. It has special carved panels and a message asking for prayers for the people who donated it, Alexander Flettcher and his wife Agnes.
Village Life and Changes
Heighington used to have a Methodist Chapel, but it has now been turned into homes. The village has grown over the years, with new houses built in areas like Pinewood Crescent and around Beech Crescent, Manor Court, and Orchard Gardens in 1997.
Today, Heighington has a Spar shop for groceries. There are also three pubs: The Bay Horse, The George and Dragon, and The Dog Inn, which is just outside the main village area.
The village also had a Post Office with a shop next to the village green. This shop closed down, and the Post Office, along with the postbox, moved to the village hall.
Since the year 2000, a field on the edge of the village has been turned into a football field. This area is still being developed and will even include an adventure playground for kids.
Famous Connections
A well-known person who used to live in Heighington is the actor, writer, and producer Mark Gatiss. He's famous for shows like Doctor Who and Sherlock. People sometimes mistakenly think his father worked at Winterton Hospital, which supposedly inspired ideas for his show The League of Gentlemen. However, his father actually worked at Aycliffe Hospital. This confusion happened because both hospitals were in the same district, but Mark Gatiss was born in Heighington, not in the village of Sedgefield as some believed.
Heighington's "Perfect Village" Award
In 2006, Heighington was chosen as the BBC's Perfect Village. A famous architect named Ptolemy Dean picked Heighington from 11 other villages across the UK. This was a big honor for the village!
Local School
Heighington CE Primary School is a Church of England primary school in the village. It's located in an area called Hopelands. The school teaches around 260 pupils who are between 4 and 11 years old. It has been recognized by Ofsted (the UK's education inspection body) for providing an excellent education.
Railway History
Heighington played an important part in the history of railways. It was a key stop on the Stockton and Darlington railway, which was built by George Stephenson in the early 1800s. This railway was operated by a famous steam engine called Locomotion No. 1.
The railway station in Heighington opened in 1827 and is known as the world's oldest railway station! It was used until the 1970s. The old station building, which is a very important historical site, was in bad shape but was fixed up in 1984 and became an inn. The inn closed in 2017. In 2024, there were plans to fix up this historic station again, just in time for the 200th anniversary of the railway line opening. There is also a working Heighington station on Station Road today.
Images for kids
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Heighington village green
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Heighington village sign - outside the village hall since 2000
