Pictures of Kirk Merrington

About Kirk Merrington

Kirk Merrington is a pretty, hilltop village overlooking the Wear Valley and the Cleveland Hills. The village has an attractive layout and enjoys fine views of rolling hills, woods and forests in a panoramic landscape dotted with farms and quaint villages.

Historically there is some evidence that a settlement may have existed here during Neolithic times and the Bronze-Age. Flints and crude early tools from both these periods have been discovered nearby.

The villages has all the usual village amenities including church and pub. Its church, dedicated to St.John the Evangelist is a handsome structure which probably originates from the early part of the 12th century. Throughout the ages the church has undergone several changes, and as we look at it today we see a church from the middle of the 19th century when most of the building was taken down and rebuilt. Inside the church visitors will note many fine features, and outside, in the churchyard there is a number of ancient weathered headstones and tombs, as well as an impressive war memorial.

Kirk Merrington lies close to Spennymoor, Ferryhill and to Bishop Auckland. There is a wealth of interest around the area including Auckland Castle and several wildlife parks.

The winding River Wear meanders a few miles west of the village, and the River Skerne can be found a few miles to the east. The old fishing port of Hartlepool which leads to a stretch of fine sandy beaches on England's north-east coast, is easily accessible.