Dawdon
Human settlement in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawdon is a former pit community to the south of Seaham, in County Durham, England.[2] An area of the beach near Dawdon (known locally as "the Blast", a former waste coal dumping site) was used in the opening scenes of the science fiction film Alien 3.[3]
| Dawdon | |
|---|---|
 Lumps of coal among the rocks on Dawdon Blast Beach | |
  Dawdon Location within County Durham | |
| Population | 7,220 (2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NZ433484 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SEAHAM |
| Postcode district | SR7 |
| Dialling code | 0191 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| UK Parliament | |
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History
The township of Dawdon (commonly spelled Dawden on old records and maps) was in the parish of Dalton-le-Dale[4] and consisted of an area of 1,088 acres between the Durham coast and the townships of Seaham, Dalton-le-Dale and Cold Hesledon. Seaham Harbour was built in the township. The port and town grew during the 19th century. In 1866 Dawdon became a separate civil parish and became part of Seaham Harbour urban district, on 1 April 1937 the parish was abolished and merged with Seaham.[5] and became part of the new Seaham urban district.[6]
"The population in 1801 was 22; in 1811, 27; in 1821, 35; in 1831, in consequence of the construction of a new harbour, it had increased to 1022; in 1841, 2017; in 1851, 3538; in 1861, 6137; in 1871, 7132; in 1881, 7714; and in 1891, 9044."[7] In 1931 the parish had a population of 19,399.[8]
Climate
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Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Dawdon has a temperate climate. At 643.3 millimetres (25 in)[9] the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1,125 millimetres (44 in).[10] Equally there are only around 121.3 days[9] where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 154.4 days.[10] The area sees on average 1374.6 hours of sunshine per year,[9] compared with a national average of 1125.0 hours.[10] There is frost on 52 days[9] compared with a national average of 55.6 days.[10] Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) and 5.2 °C (41.4 °F)[9] compared with a national averages of 12.1 °C (53.8 °F) and 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) respectively.[10]
The table below gives the average temperature and rainfall figures taken between 1971 and 2000 at the Met Office weather station in Durham:
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Dawdon Colliery
Dawdon Miners' Welfare Club
The Club was a prominent community hub built in 1909 and funded by contributions from local coal miners. The club served as a central venue for social gatherings, including weddings, wakes, and public meetings, and held cultural significance in the area. It also featured in the 2000 film Billy Elliot, symbolizing the community's mining heritage.[18]