Editing Catchgate

{{Short description|Hamlet in County Durham, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name = Catchgate
|country = England
|type = [[Hamlet (place)|Hamlet]]
|region = North East England
| unitary_england=        [[County Durham (district)|County Durham]]
| lieutenancy_england=    [[County Durham]]
|constituency_westminster= 
|population = 3000
|population_ref = (approx)
|post_town = STANLEY 
|postcode_area = DH
|postcode_district = DH9
|dial_code = 
|os_grid_reference = NZ162523
|coordinates = {{coord|54.865|-1.749|display=inline,title}}
|static_image_name = CrownandThistleCatchgate.jpg
|static_image_alt = <!-- see [[WP:ALT]] -->
|static_image_caption = Crown and Thistle pub, aka ''Bob Bells''
}}

'''Catchgate''' is a former [[Pit village|mining village]] in [[County Durham]], England. It has a population of approximately 3,000 people. The nearest town is [[Stanley, County Durham|Stanley]], also a former coal mining community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catchgate {{!}} Co-Curate |url=https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/catchgate/ |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=co-curate.ncl.ac.uk}}</ref> The town of [[Consett]], once famous for its steel works, is {{Convert|5|mi}} away.

==Geography==
Catchgate is bordered by the villages of [[Greencroft]] to the west, [[Annfield Plain]] to the south, [[Harelaw]] to the north (the B6168 runs through it from Annfield Plain to Harelaw), and [[West Kyo]] (also known as ''Old Kyo'') to the east. To the west of Catchgate was [[Pontop]] village, now no more than a few bungalows, dominated by the enormous [[Pontop Pike Television Transmitter|Pontop Pike]] television and radio transmitter. Carrmyers Pond and Carrmyers Burn form the northern boundary of Catchgate, beyond which is Harelaw.

==Facilities==
Catchgate is home to the Annfield Plain library, on the boundary with Annfield Plain, and also the Crown and Thistle pub, known locally as Bob Bell's after a former owner who is rumoured to haunt the pub. A small police station is situated at the north end of the village, though it is only partially staffed. Another pub, the Smiths Arms, now derelict, is situated on Catchgate crossroads.   A number of working men's clubs used to exist, notably the Excelsior, the RAOB and the Buffs.  The last of these has now been converted and split into three premises, a retail shop, a boxing club and a currently vacant premises.

A fish shop is located just to the east of Catchgate crossroads. Opposite this is the former Bethany Chapel, which was temporarily home to an employment agency after closure. A second retail shop and two hair dressers complete the more permanent businesses in Catchgate.

==Education==
Catchgate Primary School is situated {{cvt|200|m}} west of Catchgate Crossroads on the road to Greencroft.   The school was moved ({{cvt|100|m}} to the west in the 2000s when the old infant and junior school were demolished and replaced by a housing estate.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Catchgate Ghost Town.jpg|Catchgate, looking south along the front street
File:Annfield Plain Public Library - geograph.org.uk - 76480.jpg|Annfield Plain Public Library, actually located in Catchgate
File:Smiths Arms (2).jpg|Smiths Arms, a former pub on Catchgate crossroads. The building is now derelict.
File:Catchgate Chapel.jpg|Bethany Chapel, now closed, to the east of Catchgate Crossroads
File:Carrmyers Pond.jpg|Carrmyers Pond, on boundary of Catchgate and Harelaw
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Villages in County Durham]]
[[Category:Stanley, County Durham]]