Crawcrook Lane, Clara Vale Miners' Hall

DESCRIPTION
Single storey former Miners’ Welfare Hall. Of orange-red brick divided into bays with brick pilasters. The roof is of Welsh slate and clay ridge tiles with a brick chimney and turret vents. To the gables are brick water tables and green-painted barge boards. It retains the original multipane green-painted metal windows in arched openings with stone sills. An unfortunate, flat-roofed porch has been added which obscures the original arched entrance doorway. Currently used as a furniture workshop (Pine and Polished Furniture).
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE This building is historically important as the Clara Vale Miners’ Hall – the pit having been the origin of the village itself – despite its location in Crawcrook. The character of the building has been retained (particularly because the original windows are still present) with the few visible alterations such as the porch addition being reversible. It is a good, representative example of a type of building which was once commonplace in the whole of the North East. It is positive for the future of the building that it is still in use. MATERIALS Brick, slate, metal DATES 1923 (on building).