Fence Houses is a small village within the parish of Houghton-le-Spring in County Durham.
It came into existence when Napoleonic prisoners were housed on the outskirts of Houghton-le-Spring. The prisoners were used as labour to cut a path through the hill at Houghton-le-Spring in order to get the troops from Durham to the coast at Sunderland. Houghton Cut as it became known has now been expanded to carry a 4-lane road, the A690. The place the prisoners were housed was known as “The French Houses” and this later changed to “Fencehouses”.
This origin is highly debatable. A more likely origin was put forward by the late Houghton-le-Spring historian, C.A. Smith MA, in an article in the Official Houghton-le-Spring Urban District Handbook, 1962, as:
Fence Houses derives its name from Biddick Fence which formed the southern boundary of South Biddick and included Burnmoor.
The land was originally part of the Grange (a large local manor house). In about 1950, a modern housing estate was added to the village it, called the Grange estate.
A railway line was built, bringing a 2-platform station providing services to Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham, and a stock yard from which local farmers shipped their cattle by train. The station opened in 1836, and the Post Office two years later as a Railway Sorting Office. The line closed to passengers in May 1964,apart from a one day service for the Durham Miners Gala that year. in the 1960s. Fencehouses had the largest telephone exchange in the area (The Police house at Shiney Row some 4 miles away had the number “Fencehouses 55″ in the 1940s). In the 1980s the Fencehouses exchange numbers became the Durham exchange numbers.
Fencehouses was the terminus of a tram service from Sunderland.
The village is essentially a single main street cut in two by the path of the old railway line which also splits the village into control of two local authorities – Sunderland Council for the south of the village and Durham to the north). Just near to the railway line and yards from the old station, is a new development of townhouses and apartments called “the sidings”.
Recently, schooling facilities in Fencehouses have undergone a massive facelift. The previous three schools in the area (Dubmire Junior School, Dubmire Infant School and Dubmire Nursery) have been amalgemated under the one roof, in a multi-million pound development.
I work and live in Fence houses… I work in the Post office
When I lived in Fence Houses The postmaster lived next to the station and I think his name was Richardson IIRC and I knew his son.
My view of Fence Houses – Nice place to live
(The only improvement I would make is a small Termo Nuclear Device on Dubmire School – then we all have bad memories)
Like most places (and people)it has gone downhill in the last 30 to 40 years
The Station – Gone
Lambton Baths – Gone
Barclays Bank – Gone
YMCA – Gone
Downies Shop – Gone
The Signal Box – Gone
The 6th Pit – Gone
The Coke Works – Gone
Curries Filling Station – Gone
They say you can never go back to a place but I think I could live there again if required. ( mind you with no swimming pool now I’m not sure )
A new swimming baths at Hetton.
I lived in Fence Houses from the age of 4 or 5 years old. I attended Dubmire primary school and later Fence Houses Secondary Modern. I worked in Lambton colliery until I joined the army just before my 18th birthday.
Our address at the time was 29 Hopper St Bank Head Fence Houses. The 2 local pubs were the Britania and the Wellington. The Brit is no longer used as a pub but the Wellington is still going strong. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers my name.
My age is now 74 and I am living once more in the area after over 40 years in London.
I’ve been researching my family tree and my great-grandad Philip Clark was the landlord of the Britannia Inn in the 1880′s. My grandad Thomas Clark was born there in 1883. He then moved to the Chilton Moor/Leamside area and then to Murton.
If anyone has any old photos of the Britannia Inn or knows my great grandmothers name, I would be interested to hear
FENCEHOUSES IN THE EARLY 70’s FENCEHOUSES IN THE EARLY 70’s
Well Done For Posting That!
Lovely scenes from the crossing and outside the Co-op.. I only wish someone had ciney film of Chester Front Street the same..
Its such a shame there was no Northern Routemaster going past on the Hartlepool route that would be the icing on the cake!
You should take that to the North East Film archive.. You never know it may end up on the Tyne Tees programme the “The Way We Where” They don’t have much film from the 1970’s
Thanks Again
Ian
Chester le Street
I agree with some of the comments I have read on your blog, great posts, keep up the good work your doing!
i have lived in fencehouses all my life and currently live in the station pub, next to the signal box in that video, which sadly isnt in use anymore. i would love to know when the pub, which was orriganally used as a coach rest for travellers and their horses, was built. if anyone knows who was the first to own it i would love to know. thank you
I was born(1951) and raised in Fence Houses, living there until I married in 1973.I went to Dubmire School playing as goalkeeper for the school football team.I then went to Fence Houses Secondary School. In my youth I also went to the Y.M.C.A.when Alan Swan was a youth worker I often wonder what happened to the many friends I had in “those happy carefree days”.
Well one of them is me – I live in Hampshire and when I left Fence Houses in 1973. I lived and worked all over the place and ended up in this house in 1985. I am a Semi-Retired Software Engineer, taking the odd contract when I can, and enjoying my hobbies the rest of the time. I get up to the north east about once every year or two. I too am out of touch with people I was at school with, I do know that Alfie Ca. is still up there Florence Co. is back in the village, John Pa. is in Northumberland, Ian Me. is down in the south, ( his brother Colin died a few years ago.)
Enid Cu. is living in the Shetlands, Pauline Jo. married and moved to Teeside. Ted Tr. joined the Army. Derek He. became a butcher.
That is about all I know about people from the school years.
Bob Holton
( AKA Hicksy at school)
( AKA L.R.Holton B.Sc. MIET MBCS at work)
( AKA Bob G0MGF on ham radio )
( AKA The Customer from Hell – Yes I do take after my grandmother)
I lived in Fencehouses til I was about 5, then i moved down the road to Houghton Le Spring, more notably the Rainton Bridge area. I attended Dubmire School til I was about 10. My Dad’s side of the family spent much of their lives in Fencehouses. His Grandad had the old bakery (not the Edinburgh Bakery but before that) that was behind the area that was until recently The Wellington pub. His Dad, my own Grandad built the three houses next to the foot crossing over the railway line, the one that leads up the lane to the Chilton Inn (one is called Brown Rigg).
I spent much of my younger and teen life in the village with my cousins, growing up and having fun. I don’t really get there much these days as we’ve all grown up and they’ve mostly moved out of the area. I still have some family there though.
Basically I love the place. I love the big hill (old pit heap) up near Joe’s pond, and the whole country area near the Chilton. It’s not the same as it was but its still go so much character.
I Currently run the former goods yard in fencehouses as a vehicle repair and MOT centre , wondering if anyone has informaton or pictures of the yard and building , i believe from the 1836s when it was opened to transport cattle this was 2 years before the post office opened regards eddytea@aol.com
Hello david, i have just read your message, was your brother called Roland,I once went to a new years eve party many years ago. at one of those houses u talked about, close to the line. Say hello to Roland we were together with the school in CH.
Hello George!
By chance I came across this site and saw your name!
A long time has passed and alot has changed but I still visit FH.I have had a very interesting time in life and am Davids uncle.My brother (John) and sister(Christine ) still live in Houghton but I am now in Northallerton North Yorks and have lived and worked down here since 1987.
Hope all is well
Best wishes
Roland Heslop (now Heslop-Gill)
Hi Roland
It must be almost forty years since we last met. Where did all that go eh!
I still occasionally visit Fencehouses but haven’t swapped life stories with anyone for a while. (Went to Denis and Shirley’s silver wedding about seven years ago. Saw Gary Cuthbertson
Still as mad as a badger.)I too live (just about) in Northallerton -. Thornton le Moor to be precise.
Reading the comments on the web site its good to know that some youngsters still like to hang about where we did. Interesting photo. I remember playing Lucifer in The Creation at Birtley welfare hall. Geoff Gibson nearly got electrocuted under the stage. Those were the days. Death was never more than a piece of shoddy workmanship away. Kept you on your toes.
Hope to see you sometime/somewhere.
Well hello there.
Long time no contact.
Trust you are keeping well – at 59 I am starting to show a bit of ware and tare. But you can tell David I can still make 16 seconds for a length back crawl. Read the Alan Nelson reply above to see what is going on with me. My grandmother died in 1986 by the way.
I dont get up there much because the cost is so high.
I drive a very hot Hachback which returns about 30 m/g on a long run so a night in a hotel and some food and petrol makes it best part of £200 a short visit north.
Are you still in F/H.
I am on FaceBook in the Portsmouth group and Friends Reunited.
Bob Holton
I live in fencehouses. I live in morley terrace I am only 16 and have lived here for about 11 years. I have looked at things like the pictures and vidioes on this website and I can reconise all of the places in the vidios. Me and my friends normally nock about around the lines and the woods and when looking at the pictures it makes me feel very proud of were I come from. I am originally from hall lane in houghton-le-spring as this is were i was born but moved up to fencehouses at about the age of 5. I think its wicked.
My late Father ( James Robert Brittain ) and his family lived @ number seven Fence Houses from when he was six ( in 1932 ) until he joined the Navy in 1941/42. My husband and I actually managed to visit his home for the first time last year when we came over from Oz for a drive around, family tree research holiday. the very kind young lady living in the house at the time must have thought that I was mad as I was absolutely speechless and very emotional to think that I was actually there, where I have only before been able to see photos of the place and hear so much about it from my late Father, who passed away in 2005 and never got to go back and see his home again. I took a heap of photos to add to our already enormous collection. I do seem to recall that Dad had a close friend by the name of Johnny Heslop, I’m wondering if this could be a relation to David Heslop as above.
Hello Carole
I am Roland Heslop son of John Heslop who was a very good friend of your father.John is Davids Grandfather and the family still lives in the area.My grandfather owned the bakery refeered to on other blogs.I an 57 yrs of age and went to Dubmire school,Fencehouses Modern( under mr Gelson and Mrs Green) and latterly Houghton Grammar School.
I remember the old days v well-you are right to say strong emotions arise when you think about them
Best wishes
Roland Heslop-Gill(formerly Heslop).
I remember Heslop’s Bakery well- there was a family named Milburn lived next door (wonder what happened to them?) I lived in 85 Station Ave. Nth. where the Fish Shop is now and the original Pratt’s Fish Shop was next door. Edinburgh Bakery was then Cresswells Bakery and son Bob Cresswell had the corner shop. Memories!
That’s the man! (Carole you dont say what street your father lived in)?
I rescued him one day when he was building the gable end of his last bungalow, it was a Sunday afternoon he had been to the British Legion along the street and had one or two. He must have then decided to carry on with his work. Once he was up the scaffolding he got stuck he couldn’t climb down and it was a bit too high to jump.
He was a lovely man and a hard worker. I believe when he was not rebuilding Fence Houses in his early days he used to be H.M. Government inspector of schools.
Thank you much for that awesome piece of text.
I worked at the coke works from 1966 to 1986 when it closed. I drank in the wellie from 1967 to 1987 when i then moved to Hetton. I remember you Alan Nelson from the YMCA, Swannie was in charge in about 1965 when i use to go there. i lived in the Burnside Estate, Houghton but spent 20years in Fencehouses drinking.Derek (Doc) Greenwell was my work and drinking marra. We still worked together at Caterpillar, Peterlee for about 15years, till i took early retirement in June 2009.
i well remember alan swan, the nelson family ,i went to school with margaret,also heslops bakery the owner lived next to the tin chapel,my granny lived in durham street. i still say to this day when asked where do i originate from, my answer is …… where the proper people come from…fence houses. joe gelson was my hd. master mr basset / mrs green my class teachers. i was born in 16 sydney street. but moved to 2 panfield tce in 1046 at lambton
sorry about the date on my blog 1046 ???? typing not my strongest .correction 1946
Hello Brian, I put the photo of Birtley Summer School on the site. We have not met for nearly 20 years,so where has the time gone? There are other photos of the Youth Theatre on my page on Facebook.Happy times indeed.I have not forgiven you or Sproul for beating me in Third year Biology.
Hi John
Good to hear from you. Are you still at Cramlington.I’ll check out photos on Facebook. We’re both at that age where it’s more comfortable looking back rather than forward. Last spoke to Edd about six months ago. I’m thinking of becoming a tree this year. How are things Brian.
Yes we are still here and both of us are retired. It`s great to live a different sort of life. Work seems to dominate so much. We have just come back from a cruise in the far east,which was fantastic.Lisa`s husband is a tree surgeon so if you need any work doing,let me know.
My dad was Harry Harvey..he ran Harvey’s fence Houses…Street Lighting business, he owned the compound opp the old Co-op behind morton cresent. My mam was Rhona Harvey (nee Forster)
I remember Rhona Foster, lived at Sixth Pit, had an older brother Fred, and her Dad was the Scout Master.
I was born in school tce 1964,my father was Sammy Smith,a 6th pit miner from 1928-closeure,about 68/69. I went to New Lambton scool,then a short spell in F-houses secondary,then into ch-le-st…
Ive just been looking at the footage,great memories of the station ares,co-op etc…This was a great place to grow up,loads of fond memories and lots of friends..
Hi steve
Not want to try and upload a photo of your dad?
That might jog a load of memories.
Hi to Brian Heslop, John Pallin, Gary Cuthbertson, and Dennis Sharples (and Shirley), i lived in Fenceshouses and I think we all went to Barbara Greens Youth Theatre workshop together. I’ts nice to see the old photos and reminisce! and to hear how the old place is doing now that I live in New Zealand
Hello Margaret,
What was your maiden name?
Was it Montgomery?
And what did you study at college?
Yes Shirley thats me, I went to art School in Loughborough!
I’m now in New Zealand. How are you doing? I read all about your Silver wedding anniversary, and its good to see and hear all the “old” people, and we are old now eh? if you give me your email address we can catch up.
So pleased to hear you are alive and well and hope your life is all you could
Have wished.
How long is it since you left England?
Shirley.Sharples@gmail.com
hi looking for info on hartis family from fence houses my g.grandfather is jonathan foster hartis cun you help me thank’s aiden
Hello,has anyone any memories of the Great Britain Inn -Leamside during the 1920′s?
Many thanks
Memories Lambton Baths, Tennis Courts, Station, Picture House, Beetle and snails occupied house during night – get rid of them and they went next door. Much different place now.
Went to Houghton-le-Spring Grammar 1944 – 1949. – full bus load of bright kids – were you one of them.
I went to Houghton Grammar but not until 1950- just missed you! Fond memories of going to Lambton Baths, the tennis courts and the Crescent Picture House. It has changed a lot, but I still enjoy an annual visit!