Clara Vale
| Clara Vale | |
|---|---|
 The old school, now a community centre |
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 Clara Vale
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| Clara Vale shown within Tyne and Wear | |
| Population | 313 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | NZ133649 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RYTON |
| Postcode district | NE40 |
| Dialling code | 0191 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Tyne and Wear |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Clara Vale is a village situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent village in County Durham it became incorporated into the new metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in 1974 and later became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.
Clara Vale stands on the south bank of the River Tyne in a low-lying and quite secluded spot. Crawcrook borders the hamlet to the south. To the north, across the river, is the village of Wylam in Northumberland. It is notable for being the first settlement in Tyne and Wear that the river Tyne reaches and passes after leaving Northumberland.
In local government, Clara Vale is located in the 'Crawcrook, Greenside and Clara Vale ward' of Gateshead Council. The ward is at the far west of Gateshead and borders part of Northumberland. The ward is served by three councillors (two Labour and one Liberal Democrat). Gateshead Council is Labour controlled.
Clara Vale is located within the parliamentary constituency of Blaydon. Its current MP is Labour's Dave Anderson.
Before the colliery and village wre developed, a water-driven corn mill called Crawcrook Mill stood near the centre of the current village.
Clara Vale was built as a colliery community at the time the coal mine was opened in July 1893. Both pit and housing were purpose built by the Stella Coal Company. The mine closed down in February 1966, around the same time as many other nearby pits such as Emma, Greenside and Stargate.
The colliery and settlement were named after the wife of colliery owner John Bell Simpson, Clara (née Draper). There are early references to Claraville and some old maps refer to the village as Claravale.
There is very little in the way of modern housing, only the one terraced street, built in the traditional style of the village. Of the other non-pit housing and buildings, there is only the chapel and former school (now a community centre). There are no local shops.
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Wikipedia