Mowden, County Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mowden |
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 Mowden
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| Population | 3,708 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ264154 |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode district | DL3 |
| Dialling code | 01325 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Mowden is a part of Darlington in County Durham, England. It's located in the western part of Darlington. Some nearby places are Hummersknott to the south, Branksome to the north, and Cockerton to the north-east.
The houses in Mowden were built starting in the 1960s. The area has a pre-school and a primary school. You can also find a street with shops and two local pubs, called The Mowden and The Model T.
Contents
Former Rugby Ground
Mowden used to be the home of the Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club. In late 2012, the club sold their old playing field at Yiewsley Drive. They then moved to The Darlington Arena. This is a large stadium with 25,000 seats. It used to belong to the Darlington Football Club.
Mowden Hall's History
Mowden Hall is a beautiful old house built in the Victorian era. It was designed by a famous architect named Alfred Waterhouse. The house was built for the Pease family, who were important in Darlington. It's located on Staindrop Road. Many large houses were built for Quaker families in Darlington, and Mowden Hall is one example, like Polam Hall (which is now Polam Hall School).
Building the Hall
John Beaumont Pease bought the land where Mowden Hall stands in the 1840s. He tore down the old farm that was there in 1862. He wanted to make the grounds private. To do this, he changed the route of an old public footpath that led to High Coniscliffe.
After John Beaumont Pease passed away, his son, Edwin Lucas Pease, kept the footpath blocked. This made local people very upset. Edwin had promised to open the path again, but he didn't. He even blocked a second path!
The Footpath Fight
In 1875, people held a protest at the Mechanics Institute. This led to the creation of the Darlington Footpaths Preservation Society. This group included local leaders, lawyers, and people who enjoyed walking.
The Society took Edwin Pease to court in London. They argued about whether he had the right to block the paths. The court decided that Edwin Pease was allowed to keep the paths blocked. He used the money he won from the court case to make Mowden Hall even bigger.
Later Owners
The Pease family owned Mowden Hall until the 1920s. Edwin's son, William Edwin Pease, never married. So, Mowden Hall was inherited by his cousin, Ernest Pease. Ernest sold the hall in 1927 because he was not well and moved to the Isle of Wight.
Mowden Hall School started at the hall in 1935. However, during World War II, the students had to move away to Stocksfield in Northumberland for safety.
The hall was sold several times before the government bought it in 1966. For many years, it was used by the Department for Education and the Teachers' Pensions Agency. These government offices moved to new buildings in Darlington in 2015.
After that, Mowden Hall became a school again. It is now Marchbank Free School. This school helps children with special educational needs, especially those with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. The office buildings that were on the site were taken down and new houses were built there instead.
Gallery
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Mowden Shops
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The Mowden public house
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Bushel Hill Park
