Annfield Plain railway station

Annfield Plain is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated on a plateau between the towns of Stanley, 4 km (2.5 mi) to the north-east, and Consett, 8 km (5.0 mi) to the west. According to the 2001 census, Annfield Plain has a population of 3,569. By the time of the 2011 Census Annfield Plain had become a ward of Stanley parish. The ward had a population of 7,774. Along with much of the surrounding area, Annfield Plain's history lies in coal mining. While the industry collapsed in the 1980s and 90s, its effects are still apparent both in the landscape and in folk memory. Much of the surrounding landscape is rough moorland, dominated by the nearby Pontop Pike television mast. Not far from semi-rural Derwentside, however, is the Tyneside–Wearside conurbation, with Newcastle 20 km (12 mi) away, and Sunderland a similar distance. The cathedral city of Durham is 16 km (9.9 mi) away and offers quite a contrast to the former pit villages in the area of Annfield Plain.

'Green Croft and Langley Moor is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Derwentside district in north County Durham, England. It consists of three separate areas, two to the south of Annfield Plain and one just west of Quaking Houses, between the towns of Consett, to the west, and Stanley, to the east. All three locations contain areas of heath and mire, habitats that are, except at Waldridge Fell, rare and fragmented in lowland Durham. At Langley Moor there is an area of woodland which is dominated by downy birch, Betula pubescens, with some sessile oak, Quercus petraea. Apart from its importance for habitat conservation, the site also includes some small ponds, which support a breeding population of great crested newts, Triturus cristatus, and a dragonfly, the black darter, Sympetrum danae, which is rare in north-east England. The great crested newt is a European Protected Species and one of only three amphibians that are protected under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Greencroft is a village in County Durham, England. The population of the civil parish (which doesn't include the village) taken at the 2011 census was 171. It is situated between Lanchester and Annfield Plain.

Catchgate is a former mining village in County Durham, England. It has a population of approximately 3,000 people. Its nearest town is Stanley, also a former coal mining community. The town of Consett, once famous for its steel works, is 5 miles (8.0 km) away. It is bordered by the villages of Greencroft to the west, Annfield Plain to the south, Harelaw to the north, and West Kyo (also known as Old Kyo) to the east. Also once to the west of Catchgate was Pontop village, now no more than a few bungalows, dominated by the enormous Pontop Pike television and radio transmitter.

Maiden Law is a small village in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Lanchester, on the road to Annfield Plain.

New Kyo is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated close to the A693 road between Annfield Plain and Stanley, and is slightly larger than nearby East Kyo and West Kyo.

East Kyo is a small hamlet in County Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the west of Stanley, close to Annfield Plain, West Kyo, Oxhill and Harperley. The hamlet of East Kyo consists of two farms and East Kyo House, a former public house.

Harelaw is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Annfield Plain.

Harperley is a small village in County Durham, England. It is situated between Tantobie to the north east, Tanfield Lea to the east, Stanley to the south, East Kyo to the south east and Catchgate, West Kyo and Annfield Plain to the west. Harperley consists of two parts; the southern part (consisting of seven houses) is set around crossroads from which there is easy access to West Kyo, Catchgate, Annfield Plain and Stanley. The northern part (consisting of three houses and a farm) is grouped around the Harperley Hotel, a now closed public house formerly known locally for meals and hosting wedding functions. The grounds surrounding the Harperley Hotel used to be the site of a zoo (in the 1960s) and a children's playground (as late as the 1980s). A local stream called the Kyo Burn flows through the grounds, which lower down its course is known as Beamish Burn and later the River Team before it flows into the River Tyne.

Derwentside was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in County Durham, England. The district took its name from the River Derwent, which made up part of the northern border of the district. Its main towns were Consett and Stanley, with the district council offices on Consett's Medomsley Road. The rest of the district was semi-rural, with numerous former pit villages running into one another.

West Kyo (also known locally as Old Kyo) is a small village in County Durham, England, United Kingdom. The name 'kyo' is derived from an old word for 'cow'. It is situated a very short distance to the north of Annfield Plain and to the east of Catchgate. Close by are East Kyo and to the north, Harperley. The nearest large town is Stanley. The skyline is dominated by the Pontop Pike Television Transmitter to the northwest. The main landmark of the village is the Earl Grey Inn public house, with an internal decor of wooden beams and whitewash walls. This pub is reputed to be haunted by a ghost called 'The Grey Lady', a former landlady who died in the 19th century. Another former landlord also placed five and ten pence pieces in gaps within the wooden beams during the 1990s, some of which are still being found to this day. The pub is known locally for a quiz night on Thursdays and karaoke on Saturdays. The village developed during former periods of heavy coal mining in the area during the 19th century and a gas works used to be situated on its northern edge. A period of substantial decline followed during the 20th century, during which the village lost a school, a local shop and a second public house called The Rose Cottage, which had an 'ale only' licence (now converted to a house). New developments starting in the late 1980s onwards have, however, seen a recent expansion in the village in terms of size and population.

White-le-Head is a village in County Durham, in England, situated in close proximity to the village of Tantobie. It is located on the opposite side of the Tanfield valley to Stanley.