User:TopCanch

Originating as a staggered cross roads the village now consists of a main street (the A182 road) with housing estates either side fronted by shops. Linear development along the Durham and Murton Roads are mainly fronted by terraced housing. Some would say aspects of the village have changed little in the last 30 years but the effects of all local coal mine closures along with other industrial decline has caused a de population of the village and the demolition of an estate of houses upon which the new primary school has now been built. Instead of being located at the top of main street this new school is now in High Street. It should be noted that this school now houses the old Elemore Colliery banner. Other landmarks like the Cosy cinema the Commercial Inn and Ferri's ice cream parlour have also passed into history. Community spirit in the village is still comparatively strong; an example being the commissioning of a new banner for the Elemore colliery lodge. This is paraded through the village to Hetton le Hole before embarkation to Durham for the annual Miners Gala, usually the second Saturday in July. The former Miners Welfare Hall now serves as a community centre and houses a museum dedicated to the memory of Elemore Colliery, coal mining and the coal mining community of Easington Lane. Plans are afoot to mark the site of the colliery with the erection of a winding wheel once funds are secured to enable this. The remembrance and toll of two world wars is focussed upon an imposing war memorial clock tower in the centre of the village. St Michael and All Angels parish church remains as the most notable building in the High Street. The churchyard of which contains the memorial, and many of the graves, of those killed in the Elemore Coliery explosion of 2nd December 1886.