St John's Chapel, County Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Chapel |
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 St John's Chapel Town Hall |
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 St John's Chapel
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| Population | 307 (2001 census) |
| OS grid reference | NY883380 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bishop Auckland |
| Postcode district | DL13 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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St John's Chapel is a small village located in County Durham, England. It sits in a beautiful area called Weardale, right next to the River Wear. The village is on the A689 road, between Daddry Shield and Ireshopeburn. In 2001, about 307 people lived here.
Contents
Discover St John's Chapel
What's in the Village?
St John's Chapel has its own primary school. In 2014, this school was rated "outstanding," which means it's a really great place to learn! For older students, the closest secondary schools are in Alston (about 12 miles away) and Wolsingham (about 14 miles away).
The village also has two pubs, the Blue Bell and the Golden Lion. There is also a cafe called Chatterbox. In 2013, a Visitor Information Point opened in the Market Place. This is a helpful spot for people visiting the area.
A Look Back in Time
St John's Chapel started out a long time ago as a place where people would stop during hunting trips in the medieval period. After the year 1600, it grew into an important center for lead mining.
The village church is called St John the Baptist Church. This is where the village gets its name! The building you see today was built in 1752. It stands on the spot where an older medieval chapel used to be. The church was made bigger between 1881 and 1883.
Other important buildings include the Primitive Methodist chapel, built in 1852 (but taken down in 1960), and the Wesleyan Methodist chapel, built in 1869. St John's Chapel Town Hall was finished in 1868.
The Old Railway Line
St John's Chapel was once a stop on the Weardale Extension Railway. This railway opened in 1895. It was mainly used to carry heavy materials like limestone, iron ore, lead ore, and fluorspar to factories in North East England. The railway stopped carrying passengers in 1953 and closed completely for freight in 1963. The old station was later taken down.
Fun Things to Do
St John's Chapel is located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This means it's a very special and beautiful natural area. Because of this, it's a popular spot for outdoor activities. Many people enjoy cycling, walking, and watching birds here.
The Weardale Show is a big event held in the village every year. It's a family-friendly agricultural show organized by the Weardale Agricultural Society. You can usually find it happening on the last weekend of August.
