Toft Hill, County Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toft Hill |
|
|---|---|
 Toft Hill
|
|
| OS grid reference | NZ1628 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BISHOP AUCKLAND |
| Postcode district | DL14 |
| Dialling code | 01388 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
|
Toft Hill is a small village located on a hilltop in County Durham, England. It stretches along the A68 road, a few miles west of Bishop Auckland. The village is right next to another village called High Etherley.
Toft Hill has a very old history. People settled here a long time ago because it was a good place for defense. The Romans even used this area. The name "Toft Hill" might come from old Norse or Angle languages. It likely means "Hill Hill," which makes sense for a village on a hilltop!
Toft Hill's Mining Past
Toft Hill sits on top of many coal deposits deep underground. In the 1800s, there was a big boom in coal mining. This led to the village growing a lot. The Stobart family owned the coal mines here.
Their main mine was called Carterthorne Colliery. It had many "drifts," which are like tunnels that go into the side of a hill. These tunnels created a huge network of underground "galleries" or passages beneath the village.
Open-Cast Mining's Impact
In more recent times, a different type of mining has taken place. This is called "open-cast mining." It means digging up coal from the surface, rather than from underground tunnels. This method has changed a lot of the village's old landscape and hidden historical sites.
Future Plans for Toft Hill
In 2023, the local government, Durham County Council, started looking into building a new road. This new road would be a "bypass" for the A68. A bypass is a road that goes around a town or village instead of through it.
The main goal of this bypass is to send large trucks and other vehicles away from Toft Hill. This will help reduce traffic and make the village a quieter and safer place for people living there.
