Quaking Houses facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quaking Houses |
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 Quaking Houses
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| OS grid reference | NZ189508 |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DURHAM |
| Postcode district | DH9 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
Quaking Houses is a small village in County Durham, England. It is located close to the town of Stanley. This village has an interesting name, and its history is closely linked to mining.
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Discover Quaking Houses
Quaking Houses might have been started by a group of people called Quakers. Quakers are known for their peaceful beliefs. This idea is supported because a mine there in 1873 was called "Quaker House Pit."
What's in a Name?
However, there is another idea about where the name came from. An old map from 1865 shows a farm called "Quaking House" nearby. A railway line that carried coal from the mines ran past this farm. This railway was even called the "Quaking House Branch Line." So, the village might have been named after the farm or the railway.
People also used to call the village "nanny goat island." This funny name might have come from the many goats and other animals kept in the large gardens and fields around the village.
Life in a Mining Village
During the time of the Industrial Revolution, Quaking Houses grew into a busy mining village. Many traditional terraced houses were built for the miners and their families. These houses were often "tied property." This means they belonged to the mining company. Miners lived in them as long as they worked for the company.
Later, these houses became part of the National Coal Board. This happened when the coal industry in the UK was taken over by the government. Some of the houses, like those on Fellside and Woodside Terrace, were bigger. These were usually for people who had more important jobs in the mines, like managers.
Village Layout
The village can only be reached by road from the main South Moor Road. It has one main road with long rows of terraced houses on both sides. These houses face outwards. This big road has different names, such as Third Street and Fourth Street. At the west end, you can find Woodside Terrace and Fellside Terrace. There is also a large turning circle. This helps big vehicles, like buses, turn around easily.
A shorter road runs next to the main road. This road once had two streets called First Street and Second Street. Today, a building called the Community Hall stands where First Street used to be. Second Street is still there.
Mines and Water
In the past, there was a walled reservoir at the bottom of Fourth Street. A reservoir is like a big pond that stores water. At the top of the village, in the woods, there was also a dam. Both the reservoir and the dam were needed to supply water for the mines in the area.
One of the mines was called the William Pit, or "Billy Pit" by the locals. This mine was near the reservoir. There was also another type of mine called a "drift mine" in the Stanley Burn valley.
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