Ryton, County Durham
| Ryton | |
|---|---|
 The Holy Cross Church in Ryton |
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 Ryton
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| Ryton shown within Tyne and Wear | |
| Population | 7,310 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ1464 |
| 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 | |
Ryton is a semi-rural small town near the western border of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent town in County Durham it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. By the 2011 Census the parish had been absorbed into the Gateshead MBC ward of Ryton, Crookhill and Stella. The total population of this ward was 8,146.
Ryton lies midway between Crawcrook and Blaydon, both in Tyne and Wear. Nearby settlements include Stargate, Clara Vale, Greenside, Stella and Hedgefield. Stargate is located on the outskirts of Ryton en route to Blaydon. It has a children's park, a fish shop, a Quarry, allotments and in the neighbouring town of Crookhill there is a primary school and a general store, which can also be used as a post office. Ryton is located within in Gateshead's Greenbelt which mainly contains areas west and south west of Gateshead Town because the area of South Tyneside to the east is largely urbanised.
Traditionally, Ryton's economy was built upon agriculture and coal mining. Some think that coal-mining was taking place in the area as early as Roman times, however it was not until 1239 when Henry III granted that coal may be mined outside the walls that mining became extensive. The agricultural industry in Ryton was mixed and included both pastoral farming and arable farming.
Ryton's position south of the Scottish Borders and Hadrian's Wall made it a target for Scottish attacks in the area, and it is said to have been burned by William Wallace in 1297. A further attack by David II of Scotland was recorded in 1346, during which the church was plundered.
As well as its coal industry, Ryton formerly contained the lead-smelting reverberatory furnaces of the Ryton Company, whose mines were on Alston Moor. This business was amalgamated into the London Lead Company in 1705.
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