Greatham, County Durham

54°38′28″N1°14′17″W / 54.641°N 1.238°W / 54.641; -1.238Greatham/ˈɡriːtəm/ is a village and civil parish in the borough of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The population of the civil parish (including Newton Bewley) was taken in the 2011 census was 2,132.^[1] Greatham village is located approximately three miles south of Hartlepool town centre.

Greatham village is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but appears first in written sources as Gretham in 1196.^[2]

Greatham is the site of the Hospital of God, founded in 1273 by the then Bishop of Durham, Robert de Stichell.^[3] Greatham Hospital was originally a foundation to aid poor people. By the 16th century the foundation was used more as a "house of entertainment for gentlemen" and it was not well used for helping the poor. After 1610 there were reforms, and its original mission was resumed.^[4]

During World War II it was the site of the short-lived RAF Greatham base.

In May 2021, the parish council of Greatham, alongside the parish councils of the villages of Elwick, Hart, and Dalton Piercy, all issued individual votes of no confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council, and expressed their desire to re-join County Durham.^[5]

At present the village has around a thousand occupants, separated into varying areas, Saltaire Terrace, Hillview, The Grove, The Drive, The Green, Front Street and Ashfield Close, with some village residents living in the houses located at the extremes of the village parish. A new estate is currently being built near Hill View, next door to the school and will be known as Station Manor.

En las cercanías existe una larga tradición de salinería, pero esta actividad decayó durante los siglos XVIII y XIX. A mediados del siglo XX, la salinera de Cerebos tenía allí una fábrica, que posteriormente fue adquirida por Sharwood's . La fábrica ya cerró y fue demolida. El terreno ahora consiste en grandes extensiones de suelo pavimentado y escombros.

La estación de tren de Greatham estaba situada cerca de la antigua fábrica de Cerebos, alejada de la mayor parte del pueblo. Sobrevivió a los recortes de Beeching, pero posteriormente fue degradada a simple parada antes de cerrar definitivamente el 24 de noviembre de 1991 ^{[ 6 ]} debido a la falta de uso. La estación formaba parte de la línea costera de Durham .

Greatham es un pueblo independiente de Hartlepool, con dos pubs y una plaza central. Otros servicios incluyen:

• Tienda del pueblo de Hadj
• Tienda de artesanías Pigeon Post Emporium
• El campo deportivo de Greatham es un gran terreno con diversas instalaciones deportivas, que incluyen pistas de tenis y un pequeño parque infantil de aventuras.

Greatham también cuenta con una pequeña escuela primaria anglicana. La escuela está abierta a niños de todas las religiones. Está bien equipada, con cuatro aulas, un amplio salón de usos múltiples con gimnasio, una cocina y una zona infantil. El recinto escolar incluye un jardín natural, cuidado por los propios alumnos, un jardín formal y un gran campo de deportes.

La iglesia, dedicada a San Juan Bautista, fue erigida sobre los cimientos de un antiguo edificio sajón por el obispo Stichell de Durham en 1270. Fue reconstruida en 1792, con un claristorio añadido por el reverendo H.B. Tristram en 1869 y una nueva sacristía y órgano, con un coste de 650 libras, por el actual vicario en 1881. Consta de nave, naves laterales, presbiterio y una torre cuadrada occidental de modestas dimensiones. El exterior de la iglesia es pulcro y atractivo; las adiciones recientes, especialmente el claristorio, iluminado por elegantes cuadrifolios, se han realizado con acierto y realzan considerablemente el aspecto general de la estructura.

[De Historia, Topografía y Directorio de Durham, Whellan, Londres, 1894]

A bus service is operated by Stagecoach. The number 36 bus route comes every 15 minutes, heading towards Middlesbrough via Stockton, Billingham and Norton and to Hartlepool via the Fens. There was also the 527 Service, operated by Arriva, which came every 60 minutes, and headed into Hartlepool, terminating at Maritime Avenue on the Marina. This service was axed in 2011 due to the withdrawal of financial support from Hartlepool Borough Council. A petition was signed by residents to encourage this decision to be re-evaluated but has not had the service reinstated.^[7]

There was once an operating railway station at the bottom of the village, but this is now disused and derelict. However the Middlesbrough to Carlisle trains still pass through the village.

Media related to Greatham, County Durham at Wikimedia Commons