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Easington, County Durham

Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington Village and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery, both of which are separate civil parishes. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and Houghton-le-Spring, and the A19, which travels north to Sunderland and south to Middlesbrough. As a former coal mining town, Easington is now an unemployment blackspot after the mine closed in 1993. The population of Easington Village is 2,164.^[1]

One of the most prominent events in the long history of the village was the hanging of two men on the village green for alleged involvement in the plot to replace Tudor monarch Queen Elizabeth with Mary Queen of Scots. Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100–1 September 1159), born Nicholas Breakspear, lived here for a time.

The sinking of Easington Colliery began on 11 April 1899. The ward lies just north of Peterlee and the settlement grew up around the colliery. Development west along the B1283 road has resulted in a continuous settlement with Easington Village. However, the two places have retained their distinctive characters and continue to reflect different trends. Easington Colliery was the last pit to close on the Durham Coalfield in 1993, with the loss of 1,400 jobs.

The town is also known for being the setting of the folktale, "The Legend of the Easington hare".^[2]

The town is home to one of the few remaining 13th century domestic buildings in the country, Seaton Holme. Once an open hall medieval home, it became an archdeacons residence and was a children's home at a time before falling into disrepair. In 1992 it was finally restored to a semblance of its former stature.^{[citation needed]}

Easington is the only place on earth with dolomitic limestone cliffs on the coastline.^{[citation needed]}

Easington has been depleted of local banks and building societies due to the closure of the mine in the Thatcher era.^{[citation needed]} It is officially recognised as being the most economically deprived town in the United Kingdom and has the largest percentage of long term illness and unemployment.^{[citation needed]} There were 3 Post Offices in Easington. The one in the town serves the top of Easington, the middle post office serves the area which is predominantly council properties, and the lower post office served the colliery housing area. This post office has now closed as of 10 October 2008 after being cut in the closure scheme by the Post Office.^{[citation needed]} Easington is notable for being the town with the highest percentage of white residents in England (99.2% white in 2001).^[3]

Notable people

Matt Baker - Former Blue Peter presenter

Dennis Donnini - VC recipient

Steve Harper - Newcastle United goalkeeper

Tom Simpson - Champion cyclist

Nicholas Breakspear - Pope Adrian IV

Kevin Scott - Newcastle United footballer

Jez Lowe - Folksinger and songwriter