Walworth Gate

The hamlet used to be part of Heighington parish, but today it is part of the civil parish of Walworth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D6819|title=Keys to the past|year=2010|work=Local History: Heighington (County Durham)|publisher=DBC|access-date=13 April 2010}} It consists of a few dwellings at the crossroads of Back Lane and Walworth Road, together with the outlying Cowfold Farm, Throstle Nest and Grimshaw Cottage. Swan House Farm and New Moor Farm may be considered to be associated with either Walworth Gate or Walworth, as these farms are equidistant from both settlements. Walworth Gate has a two−hourly number 97 bus service from Darlington,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/6946822.changes-bus-services-start/|work=The Northern Echo|date=2 July 2005|title=Changes to bus services start|access-date=15 April 2010}} a service which began in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7094580.bus-service-launched-serve-villages/|work=The Northern Echo|date=27 October 2001|title=Bus service launched to serve villages|access-date=15 April 2010}}

{{Main|Demographics of Tees Valley}}

File:Grimshaw Cottage , Walworth Gate. - geograph.org.uk - 163625.jpg

The origin of the name, Walworth Gate, is made up of three elements. "Wal" was the Saxon term for the Wealas, or Welsh−speaking Britons, although to the Saxons themselves it just meant "foreign language". A worth was an enclosure, and "gate" comes from Old English gat, or roadway. The worth could be the enclosure at the nearby Walworth lost settlement, and the gat could be the road to Walworth. This would be the original line of the Roman road, Dere Street, which is thought to have passed through Walworth Gate and Walworth on its route between the Roman forts at Piercebridge and Binchester.{{Cite web|url=http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D3177|title=Keys to the past|year=2010|work=Walworth, Walworth Gate; Roman road. (Walworth), Site 1|publisher=DBC|access-date=12 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D3178|title=Keys to the past|year=2010|work=Walworth, Walworth Gate; Roman road. (Walworth), Site 2|publisher=DBC|access-date=15 April 2010}} At some time before 1852 there was a smithy on the eastern corner of the crossroads.{{Cite web|url=http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D3628|title=Keys to the past|year=2010|work=Walworth Gate; Smithy (Walworth)|publisher=DBC|access-date=15 April 2010}} Only one man, Jacob Grainger, in Walworth Gate was eligible to vote in 1868–1869.{{Cite book|last=Council, Durham (England : County)|title=Register of voters for the southern division of the county of Durham, 1868-9|publisher=T. Reed [for R.L. Pemberton]|year=1869|url=https://archive.org/stream/registervotersf00coungoog/registervotersf00coungoog_djvu.txt|access-date=15 April 2010}}

New Moor Farm, run by John Archer and his father Robert,{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2010/01/22/Farming/4866261.Dairy_farm_launches_veal_meat_business/|work=The Northern Echo|last=Bridgen|first=Mike|date=22 January 2010|title=Dairy farm launches veal meat business|access-date=15 April 2010}} previously kept Holstein Friesians but the herd was lost in the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2001/07/04/The+North+East+Archive/7105365.Hope_for_crisis_end_as_D_zones_are_lifted/|work=The Northern Echo|date=4 July 2001|title=Hope for crisis end as D zones are lifted|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2001/07/03/The+North+East+Archive/7105442.More_restrictions_lifted/|work=The Northern Echo|date=3 July 2001|title=More restrictions lifted|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2001/06/21/The+North+East+Archive/7106463.Fiction_with_more_than_ring_of_truth_for_Jessica/|work=The Northern Echo|date=21 June 2001|title=Fiction with more than ring of truth for Jessica|access-date=15 April 2010}} Today it is run by John and Susan Archer and is known in Darlington for its Archers ice cream which has been made on the premises in two converted garages and an old forge since 2004 using 4% of the milk from the Jersey herd of 330 cows.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2009/06/23/living_food/4453694.Cold_comfort_farm/|work=The Northern Echo|date=23 June 2009|title=Cold comfort farm|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.archersjerseyicecream.com/the-history-of-the-farm|title=Archers Jersey ice cream|year=2006|work=The History of the Farm|publisher=Archers|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2005/12/23/The+North+East+Archive/7153244.The_yearly_ritual_of_returns/|work=The Northern Echo|date=23 December 2005|title=The yearly ritual of returns|access-date=15 April 2010}} The cattle are descendants from three herds in Cornwall, Hampshire and Jersey.{{Cite web|url=http://www.archersjerseyicecream.com/the-jersey-herd|title=Archers Jersey ice cream|year=2006|work=The Jersey herd|publisher=Archers|access-date=15 April 2010}} In summer 2005 an ice cream parlour was opened at the farm, and that Christmas it offered Christmas pudding ice cream. In 2005 the farm sold {{convert|4000|L|impgal}} of ice cream, and the following year it sold {{convert|8000|L|impgal}}. In 2006 the farm had a milk quota of {{convert|1500000|L|impgal}} and it was processed by Acorn Dairy at Archdeacon Newton.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2006/12/01/North+Yorkshire+News+(dst_northyorks_news)/1053438.Wanted__Tasty_new_ideas_for_parlour/|work=The Northern Echo|date=1 December 2006|title=Wanted: Tasty new ideas for parlour|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2007 the farm supplied 90 litres of milk a day to Flamingoland to feed a new−born Rothschild giraffe which had been rejected by its mother.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1395713.Growing_up_fast_on_milk_diet/|work=The Northern Echo|date=14 May 2007|title=Growing up fast on milk diet|access-date=15 April 2010}} New Moor Farm was one of the farms which took part in the fourth annual Open Farm Sunday in May 2008.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2008/05/26/Rural+Affairs+(northernecho_ruralaffairs)/2296655.Hundreds_expected_to_join_farmers_for_annual_open_day/|work=The Northern Echo|last=Bridgen|first=Mike|date=26 May 2008|title=Hundreds expected to join farmers for annual open day|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2008 the farm opened another ice cream parlour at The Station in Richmond.{{Cite web|url=http://www.archersjerseyicecream.com/the-station|title=Archers Jersey Ice Cream|year=2006|work=The Station|publisher=Archers|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2009 the ice cream received the Taste of the North−East of England accreditation in the 2009 North−East England Tourism Awards. In 2010 a second business, Newmoor Veal, was started because the herd produces 150 male calves a year, many of which would previously be shot at birth because they are considered unsuitable for beef production. The new production company allows the veal calves to be suckled by their mothers and to live for seven months.

File:Swan House Farmhouse and Cottage - geograph.org.uk - 1751237.jpg

Lorna Herron won one of the Area Number One gardening prizes for her garden in the hamlet in 2001.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2001/08/17/The+North+East+Archive/7101245.And_some_fell_on_stony_ground__and_blossomed/|work=The Northern Echo|date=17 August 2001|title=And some fell on stony ground, and blossomed|access-date=15 April 2010}} Because of its crossroads, Walworth Gate regularly finds itself on local cycling routes; for example the Darlington Freewheelers ride through it.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2002/07/08/The+North+East+Archive/7067711.News_in_brief__Recognition_for_credit_union/|work=The Northern Echo|date=8 July 2002|title=News in brief: Recognition for credit union|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2005 and 2006 the crossroads was on three of the cycling routes organised for the Bike It project and Darlington Bike Week.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2005/05/17/The+North+East+Archive/6951796.Pedal_power_is_the_way_forward/|work=The Northern Echo|date=17 May 2005|title=Pedal power is the way forward|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2006/04/03/The+North+East+Archive/7160444.Schools_turn_their_thoughts_to_pedal_power/|work=The Northern Echo|date=3 April 2006|title=Schools turn their thoughts to pedal power|access-date=15 April 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/794633.Guided_rides_offered_in_cycling_week/|work=The Northern Echo|date=15 June 2006|title=Guided rides offered in cycling week|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2008 the hamlet was on the route of Darlington Rotary Club's Quaker Triathlon charity event.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2275589.Triathlon_group_aims_to_raise___4_000_at_event/|work=The Northern Echo|date=16 May 2008|title=Triathlon group aims to raise £4,000 at event|access-date=14 April 2010}}

In 2003 a quad bike was stolen from premises in Walworth Gate.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2003/09/23/The+North+East+Archive/7014766.News_in_brief__Police_seek_attack_clues/|work=The Northern Echo|date=23 September 2003|title=News in brief: Police seek attack clues|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2006 some residents in the hamlet were targeted by two men, pretending to be water board officials, who allegedly attempted to gain entry to dwellings with the intent to rob.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/926686.Bogus_workers_targeting_elderly/|work=The Northern Echo|date=19 September 2006|title=Bogus workers targeting elderly|access-date=15 April 2010}} In 2007 two joyriders were arrested in Walworth Gate after allegedly crashing one vehicle, attempting to steal another and trying to evade arrest.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/1812303.Four_arrested_after_stolen_car_overturns/|work=The Northern Echo|last=Amos|first=Owen|date=6 November 2007|title=Four arrested after stolen car overturns|access-date=15 April 2010}}

File:Sunflower Maze - geograph.org.uk - 214420.jpg maze at New Moor Farm, 2006]]

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Walworth Gate}}

• [http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=423500&Y=520500&A=Y&Z=120 Map of Walworth Gate]

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Walworth Gate

|North = Houghton Bank

|Northeast = Heighington

|East = Coatham Mundeville

|Southeast = Archdeacon Newton

|South = Walworth

|Southwest = Denton

|West = Killerby

|Northwest = Houghton-le-Side

}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Villages in County Durham

Category:Places in the Borough of Darlington

Category:Places in the Tees Valley