Talk:Ryton, Tyne and Wear
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[edit] Village or town
We have had some competitive editing. I would suggest that the question is one for those living locally to decide. In making alterations, please log in and sign your contributions, so that the rest of us know who has done it. I have no particular view on the subject, but I live in another part of the country, in a village with about 5600. Size should not be a determinant, but its status in relation to the surrounding region. Peterkingiron 14:48, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
Towns in the UK have a town charter and a town mayor. Ryton, lovely though it is, has neither. I seem to remember it sporting a Gateshead in Bloom "best large village" sign a few years back, if that's any help. It is pretty big for a village, but it's still a village. IMHO. Cazarooni 21:16, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
It still does have the Welcome to Ryton - Britain's floral small town sign on the approach to the town from the east. A reminder of its beauty years ago when it won many national floral awards before the time of the creation of Gateshead council and its neglect of the West. Anyway, this is another matter. Ryton is generally considered to be a town locally, even Crawcrook, which is a village, has grown at a tremendous pace and is now a large village. Ryton is even larger. Although the definition of town is traditionally an area with its own charter and mayor this has become largely redunant in modern usage. I know of no local person who would describe it as a village. I think small town is a good compromise.
I would like to add a trivia section to the article in which I would mention a connection to Coronation Street (the soap). When Curly and his wife left to go to Newcastle they found a home in the lovely town of "Ryton", with an excellent school (obviously not Ryton Comp!) Some may see this as insignificant but I find it rather interesting. However, I can't find a good reference for this, only http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/DUR-NBL/2003-08/1061057429(search for Curly). Would this be sufficient.
Finally, I have given the article a good going over. However, I have two references to add to cite my claims. The first concerns Addison woods and Alexander Graham Bell. THe other concerns Ryton Willows' status as an SSSI. Both urls are: -
http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%20Culture/countryside/sites/addison.aspx
and for the willows: -
http://www.cycle-routes.org/cycle-gateshead/routes/keelmans/keel_landmarks.html
However, I am having great difficulty in putting them into the article, largely because of my stupidity, I'm still finding it hard to properly edit on wikipedia. Could someone add them for me please? I may try again tommorow. hedpeguyuk 17:16, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
In addition to my last post I have been doing some searching and have found sources that would back up Ryton's claim to being a small town. Both Gateshead and Tynedale councils report on the Northumbria In Bloom awards in which Ryton is awarded a merit/runner up award in the small town category.
http://www.tynedale.gov.uk/residents/newsviewsdetails.asp?newsid=247
However, such a classification system is rather dubious. Rowlands Gill is described as an urban area (semi-urban at best) and Durham being described as a large town (it is a city). Still, as a resident of Ryton for my first year of life, and Crawcrook for my last 21 years, I would classify it as a small town. hedpeguyuk 17:38, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] a villagey sort of town...
It's interesting to see that Northumbria in Bloom puts Ryton in the same category (small town) as Hexham. Hexham is wayyyy bigger than Ryton - it even has its own general hospital!
However, on the grounds that "town" is a term no longer limited to places with town charters, or to market towns...fair enough. And I stand corrected on the Welcome to Ryton sign! Cazarooni 10:48, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
