Consett
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Infobox England place with map Consett is a medium-sized town in the northwest of County Durham, England, and is the administrative capital of the district of Derwentside.
The town is perched on the steep eastern bank of the River Derwent and owes its origins to industrial development arising from lead mining in the area, together with the development of the steel industry in the Derwent Valley, which was initiated by immigrant German cutlers and sword-makers from Solingen, who settled in the village of Shotley Bridge (original home of Wilkinson Sword and now part of Consett) during the seventeenth century.
During the seventeeth and eighteenth centuries, the Derwent Valley was the cradle of the British steel industry, helped by the easy availability of coal from Tyneside, and the import of high quality iron ore from Sweden via the port of Newcastle upon Tyne. However, following the invention of the Bessemer process in the nineteenth century, steel could be made from British iron ore (which was otherwise too heavily contaminated by phosphorus), and the Derwent Valley's geographical advantage was lost, allowing Sheffield to become the leading centre of the British steel industry.
The closure of the British Steel works at Consett in 1980 marked the end of the Derwent Valley steel heritage, and the decline of the town of Consett. Regeneration in the 1990s, through Project Genesis, went some way to repair the damage done, and unemployment is now down to the national average, although economic inactivity due to long-term illness is high.
Small and medium-sized businesses now provide most jobs in the area, with the Department for Work and Pensions' Contributions Agency in nearby Longbenton also a major employer. Phileas Fogg Company (Co Durham), with its factory on the town's Number One Industrial Estate, were mildly famous in the mid-90s for their snack food "Made in Medomsley Road, Consett" television adverts.
The Derwent Reservoir is located just west of the town.
Since 2000 several new housing developments have taken place on the former Steel Works site and surrounding areas. Derwentside College has relocated to a new campus at Berry Edge and national retailers have moved into Hermiston Retail Park. There are plans for a new £20,000,000 sports complex, incorporating a swimming pool, regional tennis centre and new football stadium for Consett FC (The Steelmen). There are also plans to build a new hotel complex within easy reach (walking distance) of the town centre.
Consett is home to one of County Durham's oldest theatres, The Empire. Recently refurbished the theatre stages a wide range of variety acts, plays and a Christmas panto! The theatre also screens blockbuster films when there aren't any live performances.
Poltically, Consett is dominated by the Labour Party although a grouping of Derwentside Independents has grown in strength and is now the official opposition on Derwentside District Council. The town is part of the North West Durham Parliamentary Constituency represented by Labour MP, Hilary Armstrong. Armstrong has held the seat since 1987 and "inherited" the position from her father Ernest Armstrong. Prior to 1983, the town had its own Member of Parliament.
In the 2005 General Election, both Labour and the Conservatives suffered a swing to the Liberal Democrats who are beginning to get a foothold in the middle-class Shotley Bridge area. The Liberal Democrats moved from third to second place, although Hilary Armstrong retains a 5 figure majority in this safe Labour seat.
Famous people from Consett
- Rowan Atkinson, star of the Blackadder and Mr. Bean comedy series. There is speculation that he became interested in acting after visiting the Consett Empire Theatre, which was at the time owned by his grandfather.
Unsurprisingly, many places in the North East of England claim Rowan as their own. The site linked to in this line alleges he hails from Stocksfield in Northumberland, for example[1]
- Susan Maughan, singer, who reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1962 with "Bobby's Girl".
- Anthony Hutton, Big Brother 6 (2005) winner. [2]
- Alan Campbell, the present MP for Tynemouth and government whip was born in the town.