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South Park, Darlington

DarlingtonParks and open spaces in County Durham
Upstream River Skerne geograph.org.uk 1746130
Upstream River Skerne geograph.org.uk 1746130

South Park is a historic park in Darlington, County Durham, England. It is Grade II listed with Historic England.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article South Park, Darlington (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

South Park, Darlington
Parkside,

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 54.515555555556 ° E -1.5577777777778 °
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Address

Parkside
DL1 5TD , Skerne Park
England, United Kingdom
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Upstream River Skerne geograph.org.uk 1746130
Upstream River Skerne geograph.org.uk 1746130
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Darlington Mechanics Institute

Darlington Mechanics Institute is a large, imposing building at 82 Skinnergate in Darlington in the North East of England. Mechanics' Institutes were introduced in 1821 to help the working class educate themselves, giving access to newspapers and books. The design of the building is attributed by English Heritage to William Richardson and John Ross, both born in 1836 and apprenticed to Joshua Sparkes (d.1855). However, a book of original architectural designs in Darlington Library includes Sparkes's original design for the institute, alongside designs by Richardson and Ross dated 1851, when they were only 15. The foundation stone was laid 12 May 1853 by Elizabeth Pease of Feethams, whose £400 donation was the largest received towards the building's £2,300 cost. It was officially opened on 1 September 1854 by Elizabeth and her new husband, John Pringle Nichol, who she had married ten days after laying the foundation.In November 1877, two plaster casts of Thomas Earle's (d.1876) busts of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were unveiled on either side of the stage at the institute. These were considered art treasures of Darlington, but were destroyed during World War I. At this time the institute was at its peak with over 400 members and a library numbering over 3,000 books. With the emergence of public libraries and technical colleges, the institute's role as a centre for self-improvement became less essential, and by the end of the 19th century, it was more of a social venue. Through the first half of the 20th century films, auctions, and public meetings were held there.In January 1959 the building let its ground floor to Newcastle Savings Bank, while the Institute relocated to the upper floor. Following the bank's vacating in the early 1980s, the building stood empty until becoming an American diner/bar in 1991. The institute, now reduced to 30 members, met in the attic. As of 2014, the building is being refurbished as a nightclub and bar, while the institute is a private snooker club located in nearby Bondgate.

Darlington F.C.

Darlington Football Club is an association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, England. As of the 2023–24 season, the team competes in the National League North, at the sixth level of English football. The club was founded in 1883, and played its matches at Feethams. The club originally played in regionally organised leagues, and was one of the founding members of the Northern League in 1889. They were first admitted to the Football League when the Third Division North was formed in 1921. They won the Third Division North title in 1925, and their 15th place in the Second Division in 1926 remains their highest ever league finish. After their admission to the League, they spent most of their history in the bottom tier. They won the Third Division North Cup in 1934, their first victory in nationally organised cup competition. They reached the last 16 of the FA Cup twice, and the quarter-final of the League Cup once, in 1968. In the early 1990s they won successive titles, in the Conference National in 1990 and the Fourth Division in 1991. In 2011 they won the FA Trophy, defeating Mansfield Town 1–0 at Wembley Stadium. Darlington moved to the all-seater, 25,000-capacity Darlington Arena in 2003. The cost of the stadium was a major factor in driving the club into administration in 2003, 2009, and 2012. As the fan owned club was unable to agree a creditors voluntary agreement it was expelled from the Football Association (FA). A new club was immediately formed and moved to Blackwell Meadows stadium but the FA ruled that, as a new club, it must have a different playing name from the expelled club. The name chosen was Darlington 1883, and that club was placed in the Northern League Division One, the ninth tier of English football, for the 2012–13 season. They won three promotions in four seasons before the FA approved their request to change to the traditional Darlington FC name. The club have at times worn strips of black and white shirts, black shorts and black and white socks. The club's crest depicts Locomotion No. 1, referring to the town's railway history; as well as a stylised Quaker hat, referring to the religious movement that had a historic influence on the town, and which was the source of the team's nickname, the Quakers. The club's main rival's historically are Hartlepool United.