Lanchester is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England, west of Durham and from Consett. It had a population at the 2011 Census of 4,054.

Although there was a small drift mine on the edge of the village which closed in the 1970s, Lanchester's economy was mainly based on agriculture. It is now a residential village in which a number of housing estates have been developed since the late 1960s.

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Etymology

Lanchester was first known by the name Longovicium in the 2nd century AD, which is derived from Common Brittonic longo- ("ship") + *wicā- ("a Roman vicus"). The Lan- part of the modern name is from Old English lang (> "long"), but that may simply have been a reinterpretation of the British Celtic-derived name by Germanic settlers. The second element is ceaster ("a fort; old Roman site").

History

The earliest occupation on the site is the Roman auxiliary fort located just southwest of Lanchester (. Longovicium lay on the Roman road leading north from Eboracum (York), known as Dere Street. It is situated between the forts of Vindomora (Ebchester) and Vinovia (Binchester). The fort dates to AD 140, covers almost ,

right|thumb|A [[lidar view of Lanchester's Roman fort.]]

Andrew Breeze has argued that the Battle of Brunanburh took place at the Roman fort of Longovicium. He interprets Brunanburh as meaning 'stronghold of the River Browney.'

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. The population of this ward taken at the 2011 Census was 7,446.

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Education

The schools at Lanchester include St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College. There are also two primary schools: Lanchester All Saints' RC Primary School and Lanchester Endowed Parochial School. The latter has since moved about to new premises and the old school is now the village hall. The school has a nursery, an infants department and a juniors department.

Religious sites

All Saints Parish church

The main Parish church is now known as All Saints but was once called St. Mary the Virgin. The original building dates from the mid 12th Century but was extended in 1284 by Antony Bek, the bishop of Durham. The tower dates from c.1430.

College of Lanchester

The parish of Lanchester was originally very large, covering sixty-eight miles². The church supplemented its income by monopolising the sale of religious items such as holy water to the surrounding villages.

Other churches

thumb|upright|Methodist Church, Lanchester

The other churches within Lanchester are the All Saints' Catholic church and the Methodist Church which is centred in the heart of the village.

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Notable residents

  • Canon William Greenwell (1820–1918), archaeologist and inventor of the Greenwell's Glory fly-fishing fly.
  • Dorothy (Dora) Greenwell (1821–82), poet, born at Greenwell Ford.
  • Henry Nicholas Greenwell (1826–91), developer of Kona coffee
  • George Hedley (1882-1937), professional footballer, born in Lanchester
  • Steven Sproat (born 1960), ukulele player
  • Peter Dunphy (born 1966), Film Producer
  • Ginger Johnson, drag queen
  • Anne McElvoy (born 1965), journalist

References

  • Lanchester All Saints Archaeological Assessment
  • Lanchester All Saints Listed Buildings Entry
  • Lanchester Parish Council
  • Subterranea Britannica entry on Lanchester Station.
  • Historic England Info on Roman Fort
  • St. Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College
  • Derwentside College Lanchester Centre
  • Lanchester Bowling Club
  • Lanchester Community Centre