Pelton, County Durham
village in County Durham, England, United Kingdom
Pelton is a village and electoral ward in County Durham, England. The population of the village and ward taken at the 2011 census was 8,250. It is located 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north-west of Chester-le-Street and 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Stanley; the village of West Pelton lies to the west of the village.
Toponymy
Pelton traces its origins to Saxon times, although the meaning of the name is disputed. It could mean 'village with a palisade' or 'village near the shovel-shaped hill'.
History
In 1320, Pelton had belonged to the Burdon family and passed to the Redhughs, Whelpingtons and the Nevilles, whose lands were forfeited in 1569.
In the late 1600s, Pelton was divided into several freeholds; proprietors included Lambton, the Earl of Durham and Charles Joliffe. By the late 19th century, principal owners of land, mostly through coal mining interests, were the Joliffes, Calverley Bewickes, Lambtons and Fenwicks.
Pelton Colliery, in nearby Pelton Fell, was opened in 1835; it brought a growth in population in the 19th century, but there was already a substantial mining population in the area from the 18th century. An explosion at the colliery on 21 October 1866 killed 24 men and boys.
The public source identifies “Pelton, County Durham” as village in County Durham, England, United Kingdom. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Pelton, County and Durham.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Pelton, County Durham”, the useful work is to connect “village in County Durham, England, United Kingdom” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7161759. VIAF identifies the subject as 148988497. The Library of Congress control number is n85137121. Authority coordinates are 54.867, -1.600. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2011, 1320, 1569 and 1835.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
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Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Pelton, County Durham” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.