Dawdon
title: "Dawdon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["villages-in-county-durham", "populated-coastal-places-in-county-durham", "former-civil-parishes-in-county-durham", "seaham"] topic_path: "general/villages-in-county-durham" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawdon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| country | England |
| official_name | Dawdon |
| static_image_name | Blast Beach - geograph.org.uk - 1538494.jpg |
| static_image_caption | Lumps of coal among the rocks on Dawdon Blast Beach |
| coordinates | |
| population | 7220 |
| population_ref | (2011 census) |
| civil_parish | Seaham |
| unitary_england | County Durham |
| lieutenancy_england | Durham |
| region | North East England |
| constituency_westminster | Easington |
| post_town | SEAHAM |
| postcode_district | SR7 |
| postcode_area | SR |
| dial_code | 0191 |
| os_grid_reference | NZ433484 |
| :: |
|country = England |official_name= Dawdon |static_image_name=Blast Beach - geograph.org.uk - 1538494.jpg |static_image_caption= Lumps of coal among the rocks on Dawdon Blast Beach |coordinates = | population = 7220 | population_ref = (2011 census) |civil_parish = Seaham |unitary_england = County Durham |lieutenancy_england = Durham |region= North East England |constituency_westminster= Easington |post_town= SEAHAM |postcode_district = SR7 |postcode_area= SR |dial_code= 0191 |os_grid_reference= NZ433484 ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Blast_Beach_(37391466).jpeg" caption="Blast Beach near Dawdon was used for exterior shots of the planet ''Fiorina "Fury" 161'' in [[Alien 3]]."] ::
Dawdon is a former pit community to the south of Seaham, in County Durham, England. An area of the beach near Dawdon (known locally as "the Blast", a former waste coal dumping site) was used in the opening scenes of the science fiction film Alien 3.
History
The township of Dawdon (commonly spelled Dawden on old records and maps) was in the parish of Dalton-le-Dale and consisted of an area of 1,088 acres between the Durham coast and the townships of Seaham, Dalton-le-Dale and Cold Hesledon. Seaham Harbour was built in the township. The port and town grew during the 19th century. In 1866 Dawdon became a separate civil parish and became part of Seaham Harbour urban district, on 1 April 1937 the parish was abolished and merged with Seaham. and became part of the new Seaham urban district.
"The population in 1801 was 22; in 1811, 27; in 1821, 35; in 1831, in consequence of the construction of a new harbour, it had increased to 1022; in 1841, 2017; in 1851, 3538; in 1861, 6137; in 1871, 7132; in 1881, 7714; and in 1891, 9044." In 1931 the parish had a population of 19,399.
Climate
|0.6|6.2|56.2 |0.8|6.7|38.8 |2.1|9.0|51.1 |3.3|11.2|52.0 |5.7|14.5|49.5 |8.5|17.2|54.8 |10.7|19.8|44.5 |10.6|19.6|61.3 |8.6|16.7|57.5 |6.0|13|56.9 |3.1|9.0|61.5 |1.5|7.0|59.2 |float=left |source=
Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Dawdon has a temperate climate. At 643.3 mm the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1125 mm. Equally there are only around 121.3 days where more than 1 mm of rain falls compared with a national average of 154.4 days. The area sees on average 1374.6 hours of sunshine per year, compared with a national average of 1125.0 hours. There is frost on 52 days compared with a national average of 55.6 days. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 12.5 °C and 5.2 °C compared with a national averages of 12.1 °C and 5.1 °C respectively.
The table below gives the average temperature and rainfall figures taken between 1971 and 2000 at the Met Office weather station in Durham:
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Dawdon Colliery
A new pit was created at Dawdon and new shafts sunk in the rocky coastal area of Noses Point, near Dawdon beginning in 1900. The colliery opened for production in 1907. Dawdon Colliery closed on the 25th of July, 1991.
Dawdon Miners' Welfare Club
The Club was a prominent community hub built in 1909 and funded by contributions from local coal miners. The club served as a central venue for social gatherings, including weddings, wakes, and public meetings, and held cultural significance in the area. It also featured in the 2000 film Billy Elliot, symbolizing the community's mining heritage.
References
References
- "Ward population 2011".
- (2013-07-29). "Dawdon (Seaham Harbour) {{!}} Durham Records Online Library".
- "Boomtime for British film industry".
- "Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Dawdon". [[A Vision of Britain through Time]].
- "Relationships and changes Dawdon CP/Tn through time". A Vision of Britain through Time.
- "Seaham Harbour UD through time {{!}} Census tables with data for the Local Government District".
- History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894
- "Population statistics Dawdon CP/Tn through time". A Vision of Britain through Time.
- [http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/durham.html Durham 1971-2000 averages] {{webarchive. link. (29 September 2007 , [[Met Office]]. Retrieved on 20 August 2007.)
- [http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html UK 1971-2000 averages] {{webarchive. link. (5 July 2009 , [[Met Office]]. Retrieved on 20 August 2007.)
- "Durham Mining Museum - Dawdon Colliery".
- "Dawdon Colliery (1907-1991) {{!}} Co-Curate".
- (2025-02-07). "Dawdon former welfare club now a 'crying shame'".
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