Pelton Fell

Pelton Fell is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the north-west of Chester-le-Street. It was the site of a 19th and 20th century coal mine and a small rail station primarily used to service both Pelton Fell and [Pelton] a village at the opposite end of Station Lane, although very few traces of either remain today, except in some of the street names.

Primarily residential, it does have a small village shop, a doctor's surgery and a newly open community centre called the Brockwell Centre. There is a Bar/Restaurant at the far end of the village, called The Moorings with an attached hotel opened in April 2007. This is the area traditionally referred to as Hett Hills. The Pelton Fell Working men's club was closed and demolished March 2008, several years after the Colliery Inn was closed and demolished only 100 yards from the same location. A small industrial estate called Stella Gill was established in the late 1980’s and primarily provides start up premises for small businesses.

A substantial proportion of the village is made up of pre- and post- Second World War council houses, many of which (particularly in the north of the village) have been bought under the right to buy scheme. The village is split into two sides by an area locally called ‘The Battery’. Pelton fell side (north side) and Station lane side where a beautiful park is located housing a War Memorial, tennis courts, children’s play area and a bowling green, home to the Pelton Fell War Memorial Park Bowling Club.

Pelton Fell Football club play home games on the football pitches situated at the rear of Park View and Battle Green just off Station Lane.

Adjacent the park, on Station Lane, the Miner’s Institute was built in 1889 and later expanded in 1909 to cope with the rise in population. The institute was used for many social activities and local clubs up until the 1990’s when it fell derelict and later destroyed by fire. There are now 4 newly built detached houses on the site.

A council sponsored redevelopment of the village began in 2004, with significant number of council houses, and a small number of private houses, demolished to make way for more modern accommodation, which is to be a mix of social housing and private housing.

In February 2008 Pelton Fell hit the headlines when a resident of the village, Kelly McKitten, aged 31, was murdered. She was battered to death in her home. A man was later arrested and now serving a life sentence for her murder.

External links

• Miners – History of Pelton Fell

Jack (John) Lines rose from a large family in Tennyson Road to become the chairman of Chester-le-street district council and a Justice of the Peace. He was proud of his roots in the 'Fell and was a keen spokesman for the 'ordinary folks'. He died in 1999.

• History of Pelton Fell
• Pelton Fell Bowling Club