Tow Law

Town in County Durham, England

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Human settlement in England

Tow Law

High Street, Tow Law, A68

Tow Law

Location within County Durham

Population| 2,138 (2011)
OS grid reference| NZ119393
Unitary authority|

* County Durham

Ceremonial county|

* County Durham

Region|

* North East

Country| England
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Post town| BISHOP AUCKLAND
Postcode district| DL13
Dialling code| 01388
Police| Durham
Fire| County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance| North East
UK Parliament|

* Bishop Auckland

List of places

England
County Durham

54°44′52″N 1°48′54″W﻿ / ﻿54.74778°N 1.81500°W﻿ / 54.74778; -1.81500

Tow Law /taʊˈlɔː/ is a town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the south of Consett and 5 miles to the north west of Crook.

According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,952, increasing to 2,138 at the 2011 Census.[1]

The main road through the town is the A68, which starts in Darlington and goes on north, ending near Dalkeith, just south-east of Edinburgh. The River Deerness rises from a spring on the eastern edge of the town.[2]

Tow Law Town football club is based in the town. The town is mentioned in Mark Knopfler's song "Hill Farmer's Blues" from his album The Ragpicker's Dream.

## History

[edit]

The name "Tow Law" is from the Old English tot hlaw meaning "lookout mound," the name of a house which stood there before the iron works and the village were built.[3]

St Philip & St James' Church Tow Law, designed by C. Hodgson Fowler, was completed in 1869.[4]

There was rapid growth in the mid 19th century after the Weardale Iron and Coal Company was established here in 1845. Blast furnaces were built and collieries were opened; the population was about 2000 in 1851, and 5000 in 1881.[5]

The town constituted an urban district from 1894 until 1974.

### 21st century

[edit]

Since December 2001 the town has had a 2.3 Megawatt wind farm consisting of three 50 m (160 ft)-high wind-powered turbines. During the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, MAFF buried diseased animals at the former Inkerman Pit site. This was an emotive issue for local residents, who were disturbed by vehicle movements and smells from the pit.[6] Many protesters attended the site every day for six months but had no effect and Defra continued to keep the site operational until the spring of 2002.

## Notable people

[edit]

See also: Category:People from Tow Law

* Albert Ernest Hillary, English chocolate manufacturer and Liberal politician
* Sean Hodgson, Britain's longest serving prisoner (27 years) found to be innocent
* Alan Milburn, British Labour politician
* Alice Pickering (1860-1939), tennis player who twice reached the Wimbledon Championship Final.[7]
* Katherine Ashton Simpson (1858–1951), the British author, poet and painter.[8]
* Chris Waddle, former Premier League footballer played for Tow Law Town A.F.C.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Town population 2011". Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
2. ^ Ordnance Survey, 1:25,000 map
3. ^ Room's book ISBN 0-7475-0170-X
4. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Philip & St James Tow Law (1232516)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
5. ^ "Tow Law" Archived 3 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine Tow Law Community Association. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
6. ^ unknown (February 2002). "Wear Valley Community Research Tow Law Community Appraisal" (PDF). Wear Valley District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
7. ^ Ryan, Mark. "Alice Simpson Pickering - An Early Lawn Tennis Player". Tennis Forum. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
8. ^ "Katherine Ashton Simpson". Art UK. ArtUK. Retrieved 11 September 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Tow Law History Society

* v
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Civil parishes in County Durham

* including Stockton-on-Tees (north of the river)

Darlington|

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Archdeacon Newton
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Tow Law

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Unparished areas
The former Chester le Street Urban District
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Parts of the former Durham Municipal Borough
Parts of the former Bishop Auckland Urban District
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Hartlepool|

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Headland

Parishes
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Unparished areas
Part of the former Hartlepool County Borough

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Part of the former Teesside County Borough

* For further information about the above parishes, see List of civil parishes in County Durham.

* For the part of Stockton-on-Tees (borough) south of the River Tees, see List of civil parishes in North Yorkshire.

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Ceremonial county of Durham

Unitary authorities|

* Borough of Darlington
* Borough of Hartlepool
* Borough of Stockton-on-Tees (part)
* County Durham

Major settlements
(cities in italics)|

* Barnard Castle
* Billingham
* Bishop Auckland
* Chester-le-Street
* Chilton
* Consett
* Crook
* Darlington
* Durham
* Eaglescliffe
* Easington Colliery
* Ferryhill
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* Newton Aycliffe
* Norton-on-Tees
* Peterlee
* Seaham
* Sedgefield
* Shildon
* Spennymoor
* Stanhope
* Stanley
* Stockton-on-Tees
* Tow Law
* Wolsingham
See also: Durham

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