Eggleston Parish Profile

About the Parish

The parish of Eggleston lies between the river Tees to the south and Eggleston Fell to the north, which is the border with Weardale.

The view from Folly Bank, which lies to the east of Eggleston village, commands one of the finest views in the country, looking on to Upper Teesdale and the high Pennines. Eggleston village lies just to the north of the B6282, which is the main road through Teesdale on the north side of the river Tees. Roads lead off Folly Top to Woodland, Staindrop and Barnard Castle and at the bottom of Folly Bank, south to Romaldkirk, Mickleton and west to Middleton in Teesdale and to the north to Stanhope. These junctions makes Eggleston the gateway to the area.

Eggleston village green is well known for its collection of trees. Generous seating has been provided for people to enjoy the views from the green which is bordered by traditional terraced housing on the west side and on the opposite side is a modern housing development at Green Bank with a mixture of houses and flats built in stone in the vernacular style. To the north there are bungalows for elderly people. Traditional houses continue along Green Bank and Church Bank to the junction with the B6282. The whole of the area is designated as Conservation Area.

Clusters of houses known as The Terraces are Grade 2 listed. Gordon Bank and Hill Top lie outside the Conservation Area. The outer area of the parish consist of small settlements at Folly Top, Egglesburn, Newtown and Blackton. Farms in the parish are traditional mixed stock-rearing holdings. Land to the north of the B6282 is included in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which covers two thirds of the whole parish area. ‘Finger Posts’ are situated at Hill Top; Blackton; Egglesburn and Folly Top, to denote our different areas.

The parish now has only one place of worship: Holly Trinity Parish Church, at the foot of Church Bank.

Sadly both the the Methodist Chapel, off the north side of the green, and the independent Baptist Chapel at Egglesburn, both closed in the 1990s.

There is one public house, which serve traditional food and ales. The Moorcock Inn at Hill Top, also has Glamping Pods as well as rooms in the main building. It also has a small convenience shop.

The recently refurbished Recreation Park is near the village hall and has the most up to date facilities for all age groups. The Memorial Garden next to the old Methodist Chapel building was built in 2023 to provide a place for parishioners to remember those who has died. Named stones provide a focal point. Whilst many died during in ‘Covid’ lock downs, none actually died of the infection. However their funerals where seriously curtailed.

Eggleston Hall, lies to the south of the village, and is a hive of business activity, set in attractive grounds, part of which can be enjoyed by visitors. Eggleston Hall Gardens is a renowned horticultural nursery garden. It was the venue for the Channel 4 series “Ladette to Lady”.)

Gatehouse Garage has a repair service, but no petrol supply at the bottom of Folly Bank.

Eggleston Fell provides excellent grouse shooting and a shooting syndicate also uses Stobgreen Plantation.

Post Office facilities are now provided twice a week in the Village Hall (Monday and Friday mornings). On the first Monday of each month a Community Coffee Morning is held in conjunction with the Post Office opening times, so residents can meet and socialise. A wide range of activities take place there on a regular basis including  Bridge Club, Quiz nights and craft & chat. Domino Drives and Concerts. The Hall is also available for hire for private parties, wakes, meetings.

A regular bus service runs through the village, connecting to Middleton-in-Teesdale and Barnard Castle, where connecting services travel on to the larger towns such as Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle.

The village carnival in June was reinstated in 2000 for the millennium celebrations and has continued with the backing of a very strong and enthusiastic committee. The carnival generates funds, which are used to benefit all residents from the very young to the very old, and community facilities. The lighting of the trees on the village green at on 1st December is well worth a view. More trees have been lit over recent years and very much supported by residents.

The Eggleston Agricultural Show, established in 1864, is the last big show in the Durham Dales calendar held on the third Saturday in September following the shows at Wolsingham and Stanhope in Weardale. The location at present is across the river at Hayberries Farm.

Eggleston is a very attractive place to live, with much to commend it. Employment is likely to remain for the most part outside the parish in centres of greater economic activity. However, there are a number of cottage industries run from within the village.

Small enterprises can be established to provide jobs within the parish to enable people to live and work locally, without the need to travel. It is hoped that some means, including the provision of affordable housing, will be provided to enable our young people to continue to live in the village once they have found work. The future of the Parish farming community is rather uncertain; there are no milk producing farms left; many have diversified while continuing cattle and sheep production. A thriving community of mixed age groups and occupations is what is hoped for in the village of Eggleston in the future.