Easington, County Durham

 

There is evidence of Easington having been an important pre-Norman Conquest site, including architectural fragments (dating from as early as the 8th century) found within the fabric of St Mary's Church. St Mary's itself is mostly 12th–13th century, and contains a notable amount of seventeenth-century woodwork.^[3] From 1256 until 1832 the Rector of Easington was also Archdeacon of Durham.

One of the most prominent events in the long history of the village was the hanging of two men on the village green for 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.^[4] The village is also known as the setting of the folktale, "The Legend of the Easington hare".^[5]

 

The village is home to one of the few remaining 13th-century domestic buildings (open-hall) in the country, Seaton Holme. It became an archdeacon's residence, served as the rectory until around 1960 and was a children's home for a time before falling into disrepair. In 1992 it was finally restored to a semblance of its former stature.^[6]

The sinking of coal mines near the village began on 11 April 1899. The settlement of Easington Colliery developed around the colliery. The settlements along the B1283 road has resulted in both settlements merging. 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 Coalfields in 1993, with the loss of 1,400 jobs.

There were two 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 closed on 10 October 2008 after being cut in the closure scheme by the Post Office.^{[citation needed]} Easington Academy is located in the village. It acts as the main secondary school for the village and surrounding area.

Easington is notable for being the town with the highest percentage of white residents in England (99.2% white in 2001).^[7] According to the results of the 2001 census, it also has the UK's lowest population of Jedi knights.^[8]

• Matt Baker – television presenter (Blue Peter, Countryfile, The One Show)
• Dennis Donnini – VC recipient
• Steve Harper – Newcastle United goalkeeper
• Rachel Howard – artist
• Jez Lowe – folksinger and songwriter
• Kevin Scott – Newcastle United footballer
• Tom Simpson – champion cyclist
• Adam Johnson – Sunderland footballer
• Alan Tate – Swansea City footballer
• James Isaacson – Newcastle Falcons rugby player
• Ian Cranson – Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City footballer.

The film Billy Elliot, set in the fictional County Durham town of Everington, was mainly shot in Easington, though the filmmakers had to go a long way north to Ellington to find the only working mine in the North East. The subsequent stage musical version specifically identifies Easington as its location.

Easington was one of the locations the Ken Loach directed film The Old Oak was filmed.^[9]