Darlington (pop. 107,799) is a city in northeast England. It was a traditional market town that was once part of County Durham. In 1997, Darlington became a unitary authority (local government area) with all local government powers within its boundaries. Darlington sits on the River Skerne in the Tees Valley, about 17 miles (27 kilometers) south of the city of Durham. A Roman fort was built there in the A.D. 200’s, and the site was later settled by Danish invaders—the Vikings. Darlington’s St. Cuthbert’s Church dates from the 1100’s and is one of the largest churches in the region.
In 1825, Darlington became a rail center following the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first passenger line. The English inventor George Stephenson’s steam locomotive Locomotion No. 1 powered the line’s first train. Edward Pease, a Quaker industrialist from Darlington, financed the railway. His son Joseph Pease became the first Quaker member of Parliament in 1832. The Religious Society of Friends—the Quakers—is a religious group with strong historical ties to Darlington.
Bridge building has long been a major industry in Darlington. The city has various engineering works, steel mills, textile mills, and electrical equipment factories. It also has several markets, parks, theaters, and historic buildings. Locomotion No. 1 is on display at the “Head of Steam” Darlington Railway Museum. See also Quakers; Railroad (Invention of the locomotive); Stephenson, George.
