Tow Law facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tow Law |
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 High Street, Tow Law, A68 |
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 Tow Law
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| Population | 2,138 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ119393 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BISHOP AUCKLAND |
| Postcode district | DL13 |
| Dialling code | 01388 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Tow Law is a small town in County Durham, England. It is also a civil parish, which is a local area with its own council. The town is located a few miles south of Consett. It is also about 5 miles northwest of Crook.
In 2011, about 2,138 people lived in Tow Law. The main road through the town is the A68. This road starts in Darlington and goes north. It ends near Dalkeith in Scotland. The River Deerness starts from a spring on the eastern edge of the town.
Tow Law is home to the Tow Law Town football club. The town is also mentioned in a song. It appears in "Hill Farmer's Blues" by Mark Knopfler. This song is from his album The Ragpicker's Dream.
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The History of Tow Law
The name "Tow Law" comes from old English words. Tot hlaw means "lookout mound." This was the name of a house that stood there long ago. It was there before the iron works and the village were built.
St Philip & St James' Church Tow Law was finished in 1869. C. Hodgson Fowler designed this church.
How Tow Law Grew
The town grew very quickly in the mid-1800s. This happened after the Weardale Iron and Coal Company started there in 1845. The company built large furnaces to make iron. They also opened coal mines.
In 1851, about 2,000 people lived in Tow Law. By 1881, the population had grown to 5,000. From 1894 to 1974, Tow Law was an urban district. This meant it had its own local government.
Tow Law in the 21st Century
Since December 2001, Tow Law has had a wind farm. It has three wind turbines that are 50 meters tall. These turbines make 2.3 megawatts of electricity. This is enough power for many homes.
During the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, there was a serious animal illness. The government buried many affected animals at the old Inkerman Pit site. This caused a lot of worry for local people. They were upset by the many vehicles and bad smells. Many people protested at the site every day for six months. However, the site stayed open until spring 2002.
Famous People from Tow Law
Many interesting people have connections to Tow Law.
- Albert Ernest Hillary was an English chocolate maker. He was also a Liberal politician.
- Sean Hodgson was a person who was wrongly held for a long time. He was later proven innocent.
- Alan Milburn is a British Labour politician.
- Alice Pickering (1860-1939) was a tennis player. She reached the Wimbledon Championship Final twice.
- Katherine Ashton Simpson (1858–1951) was a British author, poet, and painter.
- Chris Waddle is a former Premier League footballer. He played for Tow Law Town A.F.C..
