subject: History Of Chester Le Street Dates Back To Roman Times [print this page] Chester le Street is a small town located in Country Durham, England. It has a long standing history that dates back to the Roman times when the town was formerly known as Concangis. It is situated 8 miles to the west of Sunderland on the River Wear and is 7 miles to the south of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town is known for its regular markets and many visitors flock from the surrounding areas on Fridays, Saturdays and midweek on Tuesdays. Until recently in 2009, the town was governed under its own local government district.
The weather is generally mild and gets much below the average rainfall compared to the rest of the UK, although the town is known to experience occasional 'flash floods' such as those that happened in 2007. This is only prone to happening if there is heavy rain in the town and surrounding areas which cannot be drained away quickly enough by the Cong Burn.
The town is located on the Great North Road which is known to be the main route from London and the south to Newcastle and Edinburgh. The town's location on the Great North Road has played a significant part in its development as many taverns and inns were opened to cater for the incoming trade and travellers. The trade was at its peak in the early 19th century as an increasing amount of people and packages were being transported by stagecoach and both horses and their riders needed up to a few days rest prior to completing their journey. By this time, the railway network was already in use for exporting coal and many passing travellers would provide the town with trade. A bypass was also created around the town when the A167 was built around it, but this was later supplemented with the faster route of the A1 motorway.
The coal industry was also a factor in the development of this English town. From the late 17th century, there was increasing amounts of coal being dug in the area which was shipped away on the River Wear, thus making the town a centre for coal related commerce and production.
The Riverside Ground which is located in Chester Le Street is the home of Durham Country Cricket club, but the town also has its own cricket club which is based at the Ropery Lane ground.
Partly due to the Roman presence centuries beforehand, there are a number of local catholic churches and schools. There are a high number of primary schools in the catchment area as well as a few secondary schools. Being close to Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland means it also pertains to the catchment area of many other schools and colleges which are only a short journey away by car of via public transport.
Public transport connections in the area include a network of buses operated by Go North East (formerly The Great Northern General Bus Company) as well as train services around the country. Chester Le Street's railway station is on the East Coast Main Line of the National Rail network, situated between Durham and Newcastle.
