HOUGHTON'S BUILDINGS OF NOTE
Have you ever wondered about the particular history of a building in Houghton-le-Spring? Perhaps a place you pass often when out and about?
This section of the Houghton Heritage Society website looks at all the magnificent buildings scattered around our town.
Thanks are extended to all those owners and custodians who kindly granted us access into these special places.
If you live or own one of the buildings featured (or that should be featured) and would be happy for the Society to visit and take photographs, please do get in touch.
THE KEPIER HALL
The Royal Kepier Grammar School, or Kepier Hall as it is now known, is located within the grounds of the churchyard, just behind St Michael & All Angels Church. The school, which dates from c1574, closed in 1922.
[KEPIER GRAMMAR SCHOOL]
HOUGHTON HALL
Houghton Hall was built around 1575 and was home to the Huttons before being owned by Sir George Elliot. Read about its history as a social club and YMCA plus its secret underground tunnels!
[HOUGHTON HALL]
ROBINSON'S BREWERY
The former malting house of the City Brewery is located in the centre of Houghton, on Durham Road, perched next to a large roundabout above the A690, and was owned by the influential Robinson family.
[ROBINSON BROS BREWERY]
PARISH CHURCH
St Michael & All Angels Church in Houghton-le-Spring is a Grade I Listed Building. The present building is mostly 13th/14th century but it is thought that the site was used for worship up to 1,000 years ago!
[PARISH CHURCH]
CATHOLIC CHURCH
St Michael's Roman Catholic Church on Durham Road opened in 1837 having been designed by Ignatius Bonomi, an architect who worked on Lambton Castle and many other well known northeast landmarks.
[CATHOLIC CHURCH]
METHODIST CHURCH
There have been three different Methodist Churches in Houghton-le-Spring – a Primitive, a United and a Wesleyan. These occupied a variety of sites, before being either demolished or amalgamated.
[METHODIST CHURCH]
STONEYGATE PUMPING STATION
Stoney Gate Pumping Station is located north of the town, alongside the A690 Durham Road. Originally powered by steam, the Station was eventually electrified and is still in use today (Grade II Listed).
[STONEYGATE PUMP STATION]
THE STREETS OF HOUGHTON
House-by-House and Shop-by-Shop directories for all of Houghton's main streets, including: Newbottle Street; Sunderland Street; Church Street; Mautland Street; Nesham Place; Durham Road; and others.
[STREET DIRECTORIES] | [STREET NAMES]
THE ALMSHOUSES
The Davenport and Lilburne Almshouses are located behind the Parish Church. Surtees described them as: “...low and uniform, consisting of a centre and two wings, and containing six comfortable chambers.”
[THE ALMSHOUSES]
AGED MINERS' HOMES, DAIRY LANE
The Aged Miners’ Homes, built 1926 (the year of the General Strike), are located on Dairy Lane and back onto Greenwood Avenue. There are two rows of terraced bungalows, which are numbered 1 to 12.
[AGED MINERS' HOMES]
UNION WORKHOUSE
Houghton's Workhouse was located on William Street, just off Sunderland Street. Prior to its demolition, it was known as Heath House. The Heath Grange development was built on the site of the old Workhouse.
[UNION WORKHOUSE] | [INMATE RECORDS]
THE COTTAGE HOMES
Houghton's Cottage Homes were located within the grounds of the Workhouse. The house was divided into two, for boys and girls, and was home to orphaned children or this taken into the care of the State.
[COTTAGE HOMES]
ESCHOL CHURCH
The Eschol Pentecostal Church, on Burn Promende, was built without debt in 1949 out of old air raid shelter bricks. It has a dwindling congregation but was once the hub of a vibrant and action community.
[ESHCOL CHURCH]
GARAGES FOR HIRE
Each and every garage in the stock of Houghton Urban District Council was identidied by a small metal plaque featuring the words HUDC RATINGS DEPT and followed by a three or four digit number to identify it.
[HUDC GARAGES]
HOUGHTON GREYHOUND STADIUM
The Houghton Greyhound Stadium Club was managed by the Hetton Race Company Ltd. The first Annual General Meeting of the Club was held on 22 November 1939. Horse racing was held there before the War.
[HOUGHTON RACECOURSE & STADIUM]
HOMELANDS ESTATE, SUNNISIDE
The Homelands was a pre-War social housing estate at Sunniside, alongside North Row, Middle Row and South Row. It was demolished around 2007 to make way for a new private estate. Find our more on the links below.
[HOMELANDS ESTATE] | [HOMELANDS MAP]
PENSHER MONUMENT
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[PENSHAW MONUMENT]
HOUGHTON'S LIBRARIES
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[LIBRARIES]
DENE HOUSE FARM
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[DENE HOUSE FARM]
OVER-THE-HILL FARM
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[OVER-THE-HILL FARM]
THE DRILL HALL
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[THE DRILL HALL]
HALLIWELL HOUSE
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[WALLIWELL HOUSE]
HOUGHTON BLIND CENTRE
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[HOUGHTON BLIND CENTRE]
JUBILEE COTTAGES
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[JUBILEE COTTAGES]
MINERS' WELFARE HALL
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[WELFARE HALL]
POLICE STATION & COURT
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[LIBRARIES]
WELFARE CLINIC
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[WELFARE CLINIC]
COLLIERY SUB-STATION
This electrical sub-station can be found on Houghton Road, next to the entrance of Houghton Quarry. It is a remnant of Houghton Colliey and is now one of only a couple of remaining colliery buildings.
[COLLIERY SUB-STATION]
HOUGHTON POST OFFICE
The Earl of Durham Monument, known locally as Penshaw Monument on Penshaw Hill, was inspired by the Theseion, Temple of Hephaestus. It was built in 1844 out of gritstone. Find our more below.
[HOUGHTON'S POST OFFICE]
LAMBTON COLLIERY BATHS
The Lambton Pithead Baths and Canteen on Lambton Lane opened in March 1940 at a cost of £24,000. These are not to be confused with the Lambton (swimming) Baths a few yards down the road.
[PITHEAD BATHS & CANTEEN]
FACEBOOK GROUP
You can join Houghton Heritage Society by becoming a member on Facebook - or Fyass Byuk as we call it. We have almost 3,300 members and the group is very popular with residents, descendants and ex-pats.
[FACEBOOK]
VIDEOS OF HOUGHTON
Houghton Heritage Society's YouTube Channel features exclusive videos of Houghton-le-Spring as well as footage from our heritage events throughout the year - and of course the ancient festival of Houghton Feast!
[YOUTUBE VIDEOS]
OLD PHOTOGRAPHS
Houghton Heritage Society has over 5,000 images in its collections. Many can be found on our Flickr page while our Facebook group has thousands of exclusive photographs as uploaded by our many members.
[FLICKR] | [ARCHIVE CATALOGUE]
