Cockerton
{{Short description|Area of Darlington, County Durham, England}}
{{Other uses|Cockerton (surname)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|54.534345|-1.574194|display=inline,title}}
| official_name= Cockerton
| static_image_name= Cockerton Green.jpg
| static_image_caption= Cockerton Green
| population = 9,502
| population_ref= (2011.wards){{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13690039&c=Cockerton&d=14&e=62&g=6377477&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1437756259043&enc=1|title=Cockerton West Ward population 2011|accessdate=24 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13690038&c=Cockerton&d=14&e=62&g=6377460&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1437756511496&enc=1|title=Cockerton East ward population 2011|accessdate=24 July 2015}}
| unitary_england= Darlington
| region = North East England
| lieutenancy_england= Durham
| constituency_westminster=
| post_town=
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area=
| dial_code=
| os_grid_reference= NZ275155
| london_distance=
}}
Cockerton is an area in the north-west of Darlington in the borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The Cocker Beck flows through the area and empties into the River Skerne via The Denes, an area and string of valleyed parks donated for the town in the early 20th century. It is also near Mowden, Branksome, West Park and Faverdale.{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 93 Middlesbrough (Darlington & Hartlepool)|ISBN= 9780319228777 |publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2010}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendatadownload/products.html |title=Ordnance Survey: 1:50,000 Scale Gazetteer |format=csv (download) |date= 1 January 2016 |publisher=Ordnance Survey |website=www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk |accessdate=18 February 2016}}
Etymology
The -ton of Cockerton is from Old English tūn 'estate'; the cocker- element is less certain but seems to have been a Cumbric river-name, still represented as the name of Cocker Beck.Allen Mawer, The place names of Northumberland and Durham (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1920), s.v.; Bethany Fox, 'The P-Celtic Place-Names of North-East England and South-East Scotland', The Heroic Age, 10 (2007), http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox.html (appendix at http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox-appendix.html).
Cockerton Village
The original village layout, known still as "Cockerton Village", remains recognisable. This is mainly due to the village green and surrounding houses and cottages being well preserved, with most rebuilding having been carried out with sympathy to the adjacent surroundings. The village is also largely covered by the [https://web.archive.org/web/20071107060633/http://www.darlington.gov.uk/dar_public/documents/Development%20and%20Environment/Development%20and%20Regeneration/Planning%20Services/Conservation/Appraisals/CoCA_Appraisal.pdf Cockerton Conservation Area], which is managed by Darlington Borough Council.
Amenities, facilities and services
File:Parade of shops on West Auckland Road (geograph 6980267).jpg
A selection of mostly independent retailers are based around this area with some chain stores such as a Co-operative food store and a post office. There is local pubs, chemists, a florist, a fruiterer, bakers, butchers, a discount food store, barbers, cafés, estate agents, insurance brokers and financial advisers.
Cockerton Library has been housed in an award-winning building from 1970.
There are several churches on and adjacent to the green, including [http://www.stmaryscockerton.org St. Mary's CofE], Holy Family Roman Catholic and Cockerton Methodist Church.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}
Cockerton Band
The village is also home to the historic [https://web.archive.org/web/20110427122626/http://www.cockerton.org/ Cockerton Prize Silver Band]. The band was established in 1863, when James Hoggett, a local music teacher, brought a number of young Cockerton men together to form a small band. The band was originally known as "The Chickens" but was changed later by Hoggett to "reflect the true values of the band". The band still rehearse twice a week and are regularly out performing.
Governance
Cockerton was formerly a township in the parish of Darlington,{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4181|title=History of Cockerton, in Darlington and County Durham|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=31 March 2024}} in 1866 Cockerton became a separate civil parish, on 1 April 1915 the parish was abolished and merged with Darlington and Archdeacon Newton.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10132484|title=Relationships and changes Cockerton Tn/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=31 March 2024}} In 1911 the parish had a population of 1099.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10132484/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Cockerton Tn/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=31 March 2024}} It is now in the unparished area of Darlington.
Education
The community of Cockerton is served by schools across the town of Darlington but particularly by local schools. These include:
Primary:
- [http://www.cockerton.darlington.sch.uk/ St. Mary's Cockerton Church of England Primary]
- [http://www.darlington.gov.uk/Education/Schools/Choosing+A+School/School+Finder/Primary+Schools/Alderman+Leach+Primary+School.htm Alderman Leach Primary School]
- [http://www.holyfamilydarlington.ik.org/p_WelcometoHolyFamilyRCPrimarySchool.ikml Holy Family RC Primary School]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110726172657/http://www.mountpleasantprimary.ik.org/ Mount Pleasant Primary School]
Secondary:
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Cockerton}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110427122626/http://www.cockerton.org/ Cockerton Prize Silver Band]
{{Darlington}}
{{authority control}}