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Coastal Names
A preliminary assessment of coastal place-names in Easington District, Co.Durham compiled by Bill Griffiths in 1997, and revised 2000; being a
List of Coastal Names (N to S) using:
OS 1850s (surveyed 1855-58) -- 6" to mile; OS ca.1919; modOS -- most recent Ordnance Survey map of area.
New Beach (or Hall Beach) Seaham -- is that running under Seaham Hall and the old church of St Mary's. 'New' in tribute to the promenade and groynes put in place in 1950s: a method of coastal protection now little regarded, but which does seem to have worked.
Bessy's Hole, Seaham (OS 1850s as debouching into sea; modOS as just inland of blocked dene mouth and promenade after coastal road put in place ca.1860) -- used locally of both the concrete emplacement in the former dene mouth and of part of dene just inland of coastal road. Reputedly after a vagrant who lived in a cave on the shore.
Featherbed Rocks (OS 1850s, modOS) -- these were once a considerable feature, a stack or an arch, perhaps taking their name from the resemblance to a four-poster bed; however, the feature collapsed in the late 19th century and much of the material was used as building rubble, leaving now a flat area of rock shelving, accessible at low tide.
Dawden Snook (OS 1850s) point just inland of Featherbed Rocks -- , snook means 'nose' (as does ness) cf. Old Norse snoka 'to sniff at'; a Dawdon Ness is also mentioned in accounts of the opening of Seaham Harbour.
Red Acres Beach (OS 1850s; modOS Red Acre); after the name of fields (Red Acres) inland. Thus Red Acres Point (OS 1850s) -- by what is now the North Pier of the harbour.
Seaham Harbour -- so designated by the founder, the 3rd Marchioness of Londonderry. Near the entrance, Fitzroy Rock, over which a whirlpool formed as the tide rose. (Fitzroy a family names of the Londonderrys e.g. Cptn Fitzroy of the Beagle, who like Castlereagh, committedd suicide.) This rock is said to have been blown up around 1900.
Chemical Beach (that immediately south of the harbour itself) -- after former Chemical Works on clifftop. Much of the spoil that now covers the cliffside and the beach does not date back so far, but was deposited in the post-World War 2 era by agreement between the coal authorities and the Seaham Harbour Dock Company. It is now (1995-1997, 1997-2000) eroding very fast, ironically providing essential material to reinforce beaches further south on the coast.
Well Rocks (OS ca.1919) -- eastern extending rock shelf, a little N of Liddle Stack -- the stack itself being recorded on the Chemical beach in OS 1850s. Names still in use as local fishing markers. If this refers to the principal stack on the beach, half of it collapsed 1999-2000 under eroding action of sea.
Dalton Field House Dene (OS 1850s) -- the course of this dene may well have been blocked already by 1850s, as first OS map shows very straight final section of watercourse, as though artificially chanelled or piped; but map also marks dene-mouth as site of Marl Pit and Quarry, which has long since been obscured by spoil tipping. In 1996 the County Council informed me that the site of the dene-mouth could not be determined, but it seems likely erosion will make it clear enough in coming years.
Seaham Fleet Rock (OS 1850s) -- stack opposite assumed mouth of Dalton Field House Dene; name not clearly in current use. A further stack, that southernmost on the Chemical Beach was partially blown up in 1996 to make way for a drainage channel for the road and enterprise zone to be sited a little inland.
Noses Point (OS 1850s, modOS) -- a prominent headland, and a station for waste tipping during the coal era; now much undermined by the sea and disfigured by concrete emplacements not removed as yet. Just inland of this is the former site of Dawdon Colliery.
Blast Beach -- after blast furnaces established on clifftop in 19th century (though an alternatively explanation is the beach is where 'ballast' ended up). One of the noblest beaches on the Durham coastline, where major spoil-tipping after the War has led to a raised beach supporting silver birch trees, grass, and even wildlife. The sea destroyed much of this ecology by flooding the land in a storm of the winter 1994-1995, and the plant-life has been reduced to scant sedges; the beach seems to be holding its own for the time being. A useful ramp down to the beach-level next to Noses Point has fast been eroded, and is no longer easily usable (1998).
Jinny Dene -- not on maps. This is a small watercourse with a brick arch over it, a little South of Noses Point and the Dawdon Colliery. Land reclamation work involving heavy vehicles has badly cracked the bridge, and led to dislocation of the system of underground channeling of surface water into the Jinny Dene. Consequently, surface water found a new way to the cliff-edge and with a collapse of part of the cliff formed a new 'dene' some yards to the South, wiping out the coastal footpath. Work has now been done to fill this in and restore the Jinny Dene's priority, but the bridge clearly needs attention. This it received in 1999-2000 when it was demolished, and the small beck turned into a concrete water-chute.
The Nanny-goat's Path was a set of steps and a path that led down from the former bridge to the shore; the path was blown up in World War 2 as a defensive measure, and is not now usable.
Frenchman's Cove is a local name for an inlet about half way down the Blast Beach. Steps were installed here recently, from opposite the World War 2 pill-box on the coastal path. It has been suggested that Frenchman's Cove or Creek (redolent of Daphne du Maurier?) was an earlier name for the Blast Beach (much smaller in pre-tipping times), and pleasantly implied smuggling in the area in former times.
Chourden Point (OS 1850s) -- this marks the Southern end of the Blast Beach. The name is not clearly in popular use and indeed is problematic -- was there once a settlement here called Chourden? The name has no clear parallels elsewhere, unless in 'Chirton' near Tynemouth, and the frequent 'Charlton'. 'Churl's Hill' is a possible interpretation of the name, unless it be a re-applied surname.
Hawthorn Hythe (OS 1850s; modOS Hawthorn Hive) -- the original form is hythe, the Old English word for a landing-point; Hawthorn after the dene or village. This small beach is also somewhat spoiled by tipping, but is easy of access via the path across the dene or new (steep) steps put in place just North of the denemouth. Remains of former lime-kilns can be seen. Hythe Point (OS 1850s, modOS Hive Point) -- marks the Southern end of the dene mouth and beach.
Blue House Plantation (modOS) -- just S. of Hawthorn Dene and inland. This is one of a number of coastal features named after farms inland. Could the colour reflect the nature of the roofing materials?
Beacon Hill and Beacon House (OS 1850s); inland of Beacon Point (OS 1850s, modOS) -- as Surtees (vol.1, pt.2, p.15) notes: "Hawthorn Beacon stands on a lofty hill on the Southern side of the Dene." Hutchinson, vol.2, p.582: "The shore is rocky, and broken into a multitude of deep caverns: The offing is full of rocks and shoals, so that in strong weather it is tremendous to mariners, whilst the heavy breaker shakes the sounding coast.... On the fourth side of Hawthorn-dean is an eminence called Beacon Hill, where fires were formerly raised, to keep mariners at a distance from this dangerous coast." This is confirmed in a British Library map of the 1820s, and suggests that a watch-post was situated here during the wars with France.
Shippersea Bay (OS 1850s, modOS) -- that below Beacon Hill and next South along coast from Hawthorn Hythe. Probable meaning: water for sheep or shepherd - though the nearest fresh water is now in the Hythe itself. On first element cf. family name 'Shipperdson' in 17th century Murton and in Piuttington (Surtees, vol.1, pt.2, p.8,114-5). See also Gelling, 1984: the second element ea could just mean 'high place' in a northern context, rather than 'water', and if so the name would refer to the hill rather than the beach or dene. OS ca.1919 has a windlass on the beach, so presumably small fishing vessels used to be based here. Shippersea Point (OS 1850s, modOS) -- marks the Southern end of Shippersea Bay.
Tate Bay -- area south of Shippersea Point, named after two brothers drowned here in the wreck of their coble.
Loom (OS 1850s) -- next main headland South from Shippersea. Not 'Loon' as in recent Easington Visitors' Guide. In popular use, the name has long been replaced by the designation Aerial Flight after the tipping apparatus that dominated the headland (compare views at the end of the film 'Get Carter').
Snook Banks (OS 1850s) -- inland of Busiers Hole and area -- named after snook 'headland', and bank 'hill'.
Busiers Hole (OS 1850s, modOS) -- feature at sharp prominence on coast, S. of Easington Colliery. From untraced personal name? Not in popular use any more.
Red Slide (OS 1850s; modOS '?Bed Slide') -- surface area (landslip) just inland of Fox Holes and N. of dene; cf. red slide's elsewhere i.e. in Castle Eden and Crimdon Denes. The designation would fit the colour of clinker from a furnace or fired shale, but it may be that 'red' is just a standard local adjective for raw earth exposed in a landslip.
Fox Holes (OS 1850s) -- shown as feature of coast just N. of Dean -- based on fanciful image for caves in cliff.
Fox Holes Dean (OS 1850s, modOS 'Dene' -- called Horden Burn Dene in OS ca.1919, with Fox Holes Dene its minor northern tributary). Seaward stretch of this dene is overgrown and unpassable; coastal path detours inland to main road here.
Swallow Hole (OS 1850s) -- depression or pond inland and S. of Fox Holes Dene. cf. dialect swalley 'a dip or hollow in a mine-tunnel'.
Round Stool (OS 1850s) -- stack or shelf off and N. of Horden Point.
Horden Point (OS 1850s) -- after the village of Horden, inland.
Blae Hill (OS 1850s) -- inland S of Horden Point. Possibly from dialect word meaning 'bluish' or 'silvery'.
Warren House Gill (OS 1850s, modOS) -- after Warren House (inland) and Warren Banks (inland). The names go back to stretches of land set aside for the breeding of rabbits for the table.
Fiery Hill (OS 1850s) -- no explanation of this name occurs, though compare Beacon Hill above.
Ash Gill (OS 1850s, modOS) -- note use of 'gill' -- Norse form of 'dene'. A limekiln marked at mouth of (OS 1850s).
Whiteside Gill (OS 1850s, modOS) -- after Whitesides (OS 1850s), area of fields inland, perhaps tinted by fragments of underlying limestone.
Juniper Hill (OS 1850s) -- just S and inland of Whitesides Gill
Blackhills Gill (OS 1850s, modOS) -- after farm inland called 'Black Hills' (OS 1850s, modOS Blackhill Farm)
Warrens (OS 1850s) -- clifftop so designated, again, after rabbit farming.
Limekiln Gill -- small dene just N. of Castle Eden Dene mouth, reflecting period when it was easy to burn lime and ship it out by sea from almost any accessible part of the coast.
Hartlepool Point -- spur of land between Limekiln Gill and Castle Eden Dene mouth (OS 1850s, modOS) - presumably as prior to Hartlepool...
Castle Eden Dene: Dean Mouth (OS 1850s); Low Batts (OS 1850s) -- land liable to flooding, in dene mouth; Canny Clapper Gill (OS 1850s) -- tributary on S. of dene. This is the grandest of all the dene-mouths, with its notable viaduct, raised shingle beach, and slow-winding stream from dene to sea. Despite its sea-level attractions, the better-known section, with its conservancy policy and excellent paths, begins a little further inland, above the coastal road. Castle Eden is the name of the village and 18th century house a few miles higher up the dene, but the ultimate source of Eden (a river name?) is debated. 'Yew-dene' has to be admitted as a possibility, in view of names like Hawthorn Dene and Ash Gill. 11th century forms of the name are Iodene, Geodene (pronounced Yo-).
Lead Mine (OS 1850s) -- marked at N. extremity of Blackhall Rocks. Gin Cave (OS 1850s) -- marked at N. end of Blackhall Rocks. Smuggling Dutch gin was an early 19th century obsession. Inland of here the OS ca.1919 marks 'chipped flints found'.
Black Hall Rocks (OS 1850s, modOS) -- after Old Black Hall (OS 1850s, inland) or Black Hall (OS 1850s), which inland of Cross Gill.
Green Stairs (OS 1850s, modOS -- access to beach) and Coast Guard Station (OS 1850s) -- by Black Hall Rocks. The Coast Guards were established 1822 - to combat smuggling.
Cross Gill (OS 1850s, modOS); Limekiln Gill (OS 1850s, modOS) with limekiln marked at mouth (OS 1850s)
Cobbler's Shop (OS 1850s) -- marked on coast just to N. of Crimdon Dene.
Crimdon Dene (OS 1850s) -- also Crimdon House (OS 1850s); land in dene mouth called Crimdon Bottoms (OS 1850s); modOS: dene mouth land marked as Crimdon Park; there is also Crimdon House and Crimdon Beck. OS ca.1919 gives emphasis to the name Thorpe Bulmer Dene for the whole, and marks flint implements as being found on the north side of dene near mouth. Though not so impressive at its mouth, which is now a tamed park adjoining a much reduced caravan park, this dene is as long and beautiful inland as Castle Eden, lacking only the public access that would make it as well known and as well enjoyed. The actual name Crimdon is not clearly accounted for: was there one a settlement of that name? Or does it just mean something like 'twisting valley'?
In the 19th century and earlier, many vessels using the coast would be small local fishing or trading boats: to them sensible historical (traditional) names would be less use than their own local and idiosyncratic terms involving features of headland or house, that would serve as landmarks for lining up boats with favourite fishing grounds. This may be the source of what are clearly 'nick-names' or attempts at humour like 'Fox Holes' or 'Featherbed Rock'; they remind us of the early importance of stacks and other visible features; and seems to confirm that early map-makers would have had to consult local fishermen as well as landowners when it came to filling in coastal names.
Rocks near the waterline would need to be marked and ideally named as a service to shipping: sailing ships in particular would need to know the positions of such hazards. The risks of a lee shore are of less concern to powered vessels and local names for seamarks seem to have become less popular as engines have become more reliable and navigational aids more sophisticated. Smaller craft may generally feel the loss of the great coastal collieries of the 20th century which offered such unmistakable evidence of position -- both by day and (being always illuminated) by night. In a less sophisticated age, church towers may have served a similar function (as well serving as look-out, bell-tower, defensive structure and perhaps prison). Monkwearmouth, Seaham, Easington, and Hartlepool Heugh are especially useful to seafarers, and a reminder of how important transport by sea was in medieval times - to monks and lay-folk alike.
For if some features have modern and impermanent names, others have names that clearly go back a long way into the history of the Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods -- and this affects not just the names of towns, but those of streams, valleys, headlands, hills. Field- and farm-names are probably a later feature, but they too can reflect earlier place-name evidence. In Co.Durham the basic place-name influence would be presumed to be Anglo-Saxon -- no heavy settlement by Vikings is recorded or expected. Thus Old English-based elements like dene 'valley', and burn 'stream' predominate; other examples in the area are Beacon Hill, Hawthorn Hythe, and 'Ness' for headland. But beside these are alternatives derived from Old Norse: gill for valley, beck for stream, snook for promotory. Are we to assume a mixed local population who divided the right of naming?
Much likelier is the spread of a Common Northern Medieval English, which would include Old English and Old Norse words, and which must be assumed to have been available all over the North including lowland Scotland, from the 10th to 16th centuries. By the medium of a such a speech, Norse-based words would be available anywhere in the North of England, without implying that Vikings brought them in person. In terms of Easington District, the extra Norse-based words seem to have been acceptable but adopted for a particular role: thus dene is retained for a main valley, gill used for a side-valley or small valley on its own; burn is a main stream, beck a smaller side-stream; snooks and nesses (the evidence is too slim) might similarly have had different connotations and uses. That is, the word-pairs are not divided up geographically - one sort used in the South, another in the North, for example - which might point to local settlement patterns, but rather the two types of word are used side by side, integrated into one naming system, and so are likely to reflect a stage of language development that need have nothing to do with settlement patterns as such.
Beyond all this we need to note the increasing influence of human intervention on the landscape itself. Naming is perhaps part of this process and it is unfortunate that so much of the coast between Seaham and Hawthorn Dene was 'claimed' (in terms like Chemical Beach, Blast Beach) for industry. The economic dependence on coal ensured that this interference with natural features continued well into the 20th century, with tipping not only from local pits (that were situated on the coast for access to undersea seams) but from other Durham pits (and if rumour be true, from other industries). What is tragic and will render us contemptuous to future generations is that land reclaimed along the coast now the pits have shut should be being re-utilised as industrial sites all over again. The Durham coastline, with its unique magnesian limestone cliffs, its forested denes and scantly grassed limestone uplands (or wildlands as I like to think of them) is an irreplaceable and unique environment, and plans currently (1998-1999) generated by the relevant County and District authorities - with little or no consultation and sometimtes in the face of results of consultation - to go ahead and allot not only portions of the coast between Seaham and Hawthorn Dene to industry, but to situate a 65 hectare new industrial zone bang in the middle of the immediate hinterland (as a 'greenfield site'!) can only be interpreted as a terrible warning: to define is always part of a process of control; and to control, it seems, has the subsidiary meaning 'to damage'.
Ideally this study will not encourage such a process. On the contrary, it is intended to see if explanation and de-mythicization can serve to avert the harsher assumptions of naming and controlling. For a brief window of time, 1995-1999, the coast here has been unpolluted, accessible and magnificently quiet as it has not been for a century or more; indeed till before the map-makers came! To lose all this a second time might well seem 'careless'.
Created January 1999 |