Editing Startforth

{{Short description|Village in County Durham, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| static_image             =
| static_image_caption     = 
| coordinates              = {{coord|54.54073|-1.93812|display=inline,title}}
| official_name            = Startforth
| population               = 1,361
| population_ref           = (2011)
| unitary_england          = [[County Durham]]
| region                   = North East England
| lieutenancy_england      = [[County Durham]]
| constituency_westminster = [[Bishop Auckland (UK Parliament constituency)|Bishop Auckland]]
| post_town                = [[Barnard Castle]]
| postcode_district        = DL12
| postcode_area            = DL
| dial_code                = 
| os_grid_reference        = NZ041161 
}}
'''Startforth''' is a village on the [[Pennines]] end of south [[Teesdale]], [[England]]. The population of Startforth taken at the 2011 Census was 1,361.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11129022&c=startforth&d=16&e=62&g=6420245&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1454353272297&enc=1|title=civil parish population 2011|access-date=1 February 2016}}</ref> It was in the historic [[North Riding of Yorkshire]]. Along with the rest of the former [[Startforth Rural District]], it was transferred to [[County Durham]] for [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|administrative]] and [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the [[Local Government Act 1972]].

It is situated south-west of [[Barnard Castle]], north of the [[River Tees]].  Located in the village is [[Deerbolt (HM Prison)|Deerbolt Prison]], a male juveniles' prison and [[Young Offenders Institution]].

==History==
The place-name 'Startforth' is first attested circa 1050, when it appears as ''Stretford''. It is mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Stradford''. The name means 'street-ford', and refers to the paved [[Ford (crossing)|ford]] by which the [[Roman road]] which passes through the village crosses the River Tees.<ref>[[Eilert Ekwall]], ''Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names'', p.439.</ref> The Roman road in question here linked the Roman forts of [[Bowes]] and [[Binchester]]. The paved ford is still visible in the bed of the river when the water is low.

==Education==
Startforth used to have one primary school, Startforth Morritt Memorial [[Church of England]] School, but it was closed after a vote by councillors in September 2016.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Startforth}}

{{Civil parishes in County Durham}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in County Durham]]


{{Durham-geo-stub}}