Langdon Beck
Langdon Beck is a village in County Durham, England.[1] It is situated in upper Teesdale, between Forest-in-Teesdale and Harwood, halfway between Penrith and Durham. It is a stronghold for the black grouse, one of the few sites for them in the North of England.[2]
History
Historically, Langdon Beck hosted one of the largest agricultural shows in North Teesdale. However the shows abruptly stopped in the early 20th century for an unknown reason. In 2000, they were revived as an annual event.[3] Prizes were traditionally awarded by John Vane, 11th Baron Barnard until his death in 2016.[4] The newly revived event has taken place annually except in 2001 due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak.[5] During the outbreak, there was concern that Langdon Beck's only hostel could close due to lack of tourism. It received a grant of £1,000 from Teesdale District Council for solar power[6] with extra funding from Durham County Council.[7] Langdon Beck's War Memorial to soldiers from the village who fought in the First World War is located at St James the Less Church.[8]
Langdon Beck has a geological feature called Cronkley Scar, which is a Whin Sill boulder scree formed from molten magma pushing up marble through igneous rock over millions of years.[9] Langdon Beck is used as the base of a start of several hiking trails.[10] The village features the only major concentration of black grouse in England.[10] Climbing the fells during winter is viewed as hazardous when there is snow on the ground.[11]
References
- Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 91 Appleby-in-Westmorland (Brough & Kirkby Stephen) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2014. ISBN 9780319231302.
- "It's lekking good for dale's black grouse population". Teasdale Mercury. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- "Beck to the good old days". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Lord Barnard". Telegraph. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Langdon Beck Show hailed a success". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Youth hostel to fight back". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Struggling hostels get a cash lifeline". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Langdon Beck WW1 Roll of Honour-Served". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- Cocker, Mark. "Country diary: Langdon Beck, Upper Teesdale: The strange tale of Cronkley Scar, with its chaotic hem of boulder scree". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Walk: Langdon Beck, County Durham". Countryfile.com. 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- "Snow rescue drama". News and Star. 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2020-03-23.