98-413: Portrack is an east Stockton area in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees , County Durham , England. It is close to Billingham opposite Thornaby and just west of Middlesbrough . The area is a large industrial and business part of Stockton, these are mainly centred on Portrack Lane. Stockton Cricket Club once played at the now former Portrack Lane cricket ground. It was home to a number of pubs such as
196-658: A French sculptor based in London, M Dujardin, working to drawings prepared by the architect. The central axis of the museum is aligned with the tower of Imperial College London (formerly the Imperial Institute) and the Royal Albert Hall and Albert Memorial further north. These all form part of the complex known colloquially as Albertopolis . Even after the opening, the Natural History Museum legally remained
294-511: A broad theme. This is the zone that can be entered from Exhibition Road, on the East side of the building. It is a gallery themed around the changing history of the Earth. Earth's Treasury shows specimens of rocks, minerals and gemstones behind glass in a dimly lit gallery. Lasting Impressions is a small gallery containing specimens of rocks, plants and minerals, of which most can be touched. This zone
392-619: A department of the British Museum with the formal name British Museum (Natural History) , usually abbreviated in the scientific literature as B.M.(N.H.) . A petition to the Chancellor of the Exchequer was made in 1866, signed by the heads of the Royal , Linnean and Zoological societies as well as naturalists including Darwin , Wallace and Huxley , asking that the museum gain independence from
490-429: A fee by booking onto one of the several Spirit Collection Tours offered daily. On arrival at the museum, the specimen was immediately frozen while preparations commenced for its permanent storage. Since few complete and reasonably fresh examples of the species exist, "wet storage" was chosen, leaving the squid undissected. A 9.45-metre acrylic tank was constructed (by the same team that provide tanks to Damien Hirst ), and
588-400: A giant gastropod shell , then a coprolite , and now a concretion of a worm's tunnel), has been part of the collection since its discovery in 1921. The museum keeps a wildlife garden on its west lawn, on which a potentially new species of insect resembling Arocatus roeselii was discovered in 2007. The museum is divided into four sets of galleries, or zones, each colour coded to follow
686-610: A grassy slope overlooking the riverside, which becomes an amphitheatre during large events. From Castlegate Quay, the tree-lined path along the waterfront toward the Princess of Wales Bridge opens into green space and a car park for events. Beyond the Princess of Wales Bridge, the slipway at the River Tees Watersports Centre is situated at the western area of Northshore, which is currently under development, and which leads to
784-788: A highly praised "How Science Works" hands on workshop for school students demonstrating the use of microfossils in geological research. The museum also played a major role in securing designation of the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has subsequently been a lead partner in the Lyme Regis Fossil Festivals. In 2005, the museum launched a project to develop notable gallery characters to patrol display cases, including 'facsimiles' of Carl Linnaeus , Mary Anning , Dorothea Bate and William Smith . They tell stories and anecdotes of their lives and discoveries and aim to surprise visitors. In 2010,
882-416: A manor or religious house. It is thought that Stockton fell into this category, and perhaps the name is an indication that Stockton was an outpost of Durham or Norton which were both important Anglo-Saxon centres. Stockton was a township in the ancient parish of Norton until 1713, when it became an independent parish in its own right. Norton and Stockton's historic roles were reversed in 1913 when Norton
980-465: A market charter to our town of Stockton a market upon every Wednesday for ever . The town grew into a small but busy port, exporting wool and importing wine , which was in demand by the upper class. However, even by the standards of the time, medieval Stockton-on-Tees was a small town, with a population of only approximately 1,000; the town did not grow for centuries. Scotland captured Stockton Castle in 1644, and occupied it until 1646. The castle
1078-466: A nephew of the mistress of a Trustee was appointed Entomological Assistant despite not knowing the difference between a butterfly and a moth. J. E. Gray (Keeper of Zoology 1840–1874) complained of the incidence of mental illness amongst staff: George Shaw threatened to put his foot on any shell not in the 12th edition of Linnaeus ' Systema Naturae ; another had removed all the labels and registration numbers from entomological cases arranged by
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#17328690084721176-415: A rival. The huge collection of the conchologist Hugh Cuming was acquired by the museum, and Gray's own wife had carried the open trays across the courtyard in a gale: all the labels blew away. That collection is said never to have recovered. The Principal Librarian at the time was Antonio Panizzi ; his contempt for the natural history departments and for science in general was total. The general public
1274-604: A six-part BBC documentary series was filmed at the museum entitled Museum of Life exploring the history and behind the scenes aspects of the museum. Since May 2001, the Natural History Museum admission has been free for some events and permanent exhibitions. However, there are certain temporary exhibits and shows that require a fee. The Natural History museum combines the museum's life and earth science collections with specialist expertise in "taxonomy, systematics, biodiversity, natural resources, planetary science, evolution and informatics" to tackle scientific questions. In 2011,
1372-591: A tour of various British museums starting in 2018 and concluding in 2020 at Norwich Cathedral . The blue whale skeleton, Hope, that has replaced Dippy, is another prominent display in the museum. The display of the skeleton, some 82 feet (25 m) long and weighing 4.5 tonnes, was only made possible in 1934 with the building of the New Whale Hall (now the Mammals (blue whale model) gallery ). The whale had been in storage for 42 years since its stranding on sandbanks at
1470-480: A variety of architectural types, which help to define the town's identity. The shops predominantly have narrow frontages stretching back to gain floorspace. This burgage plot style is particularly evident around the marketplace and on side streets such as Silver Street, Finkle Street and Ramsgate. There is also the surviving ruins of the gothic style church in Trinity Green , which dates back to 1834. Before 2022,
1568-506: Is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate). Stockton town centre is the heart of the borough. The High Street —the widest in the UK —heads north through the town centre from the junction of Bridge Road and Yarm Lane, to Maxwell's Corner, where Norton Road and Bishopton Lane begin. Dovecot Street runs west from the High Street's midway point, and further north, Church Road extends east toward Northshore and
1666-404: Is a centre of research specialising in taxonomy , identification and conservation. Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin . The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture—sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature —both exemplified by
1764-688: Is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history . It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington , the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum . The Natural History Museum's main frontage, however, is on Cromwell Road . The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany , entomology , mineralogy , palaeontology and zoology . The museum
1862-583: Is a patron of the museum. There are approximately 850 staff at the museum. The two largest strategic groups are the Public Engagement Group and Science Group. The foundation of the collection was that of the Ulster doctor Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753), who allowed his significant collections to be purchased by the British Government at a price well below their market value at the time. This purchase
1960-553: Is accessed from the Cromwell Road entrance via the Hintze Hall and follows the theme of the evolution of the planet. To the left of the Hintze Hall, this zone explores the diversity of life on the planet. Enables the public to see science at work and also provides spaces for relaxation and contemplation. Accessible from Queens Gate. The museum runs a series of educational and public engagement programmes. These include for example
2058-696: Is linked to the town centre by the Teesquay Millennium Footbridge , Princess of Wales Bridge , and Infinity Bridge . In 1995, after four years' construction, the Tees Barrage was commissioned, permanently holding the upstream river waters at the level of an average high tide. In 2007, funding from the European Regional Development Fund and English Heritage secured the ruins of the Holy Trinity Church, and renovated
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#17328690084722156-730: Is partially located within the borough, several miles west of the town. The airport offers domestic flights and services international festival destinations, especially in the EU . Stockton is famous as the home of the friction match and the Stockton and Darlington Railway , which operated the world's first steam-hauled passenger train in 1825. The town also has the world's oldest passenger railway station building. Industry and engineering remained central to Stockton's economy over many years, and major industries have included shipbuilding and repair, heavy engineering, steel, and chemicals manufacturing. However, during
2254-517: Is possible for members of the public to visit and view non-exhibited items for a fee by booking onto one of the several Spirit Collection Tours offered daily. Arguably the most famous creature in the centre is the 8.62-metre-long giant squid , affectionately named Archie. As part of the museum's remit to communicate science education and conservation work, a new multimedia studio forms an important part of Darwin Centre Phase 2. In collaboration with
2352-459: Is situated on the north side of the river where Bridge Road approaches Victoria Bridge . The area is characterised by a mixture of office and residential accommodation, including the colourful twelve-storey Mezzino student apartments at Rialto Court, a Mecca Bingo hall, Burger King and the two-storey Grosvenor Casino , which opened in September 2011. Adjacent to the wharf is Castlegate Quay, which
2450-489: Is stolen from the museum, and a group of intrepid nannies hide inside the mouth of the museum's blue whale model (in fact a specially created prop – the nannies peer out from behind the whale's teeth, but a blue whale is a baleen whale and has no teeth). Additionally, the film is set in the 1920s, before the blue whale model was built. The museum features as a base for Prodigium, a secret society which studies and fights monsters, first appearing on The Mummy . In
2548-558: Is the largest settlement in the wider Borough of Stockton-on-Tees . It is part of Teesside and the Tees Valley , on the northern bank of the River Tees . The Tees was straightened in the early 19th century for larger ships to access the town. The ports have since relocated closer to the North Sea and ships are no longer able to sail from the sea to the town due to the Tees Barrage , which
2646-739: Is the second largest centre in the town. Stockton-on-Tees has an oceanic climate typical of the United Kingdom. Being sheltered by the Lake District and Pennines to the west, Stockton is relatively dry for the U.K., with on average 25 inches (643 mm) of rain a year. Its climate is more continental climate than other parts of the U.K., with above average summer temperatures, and below average winter temperatures. Summer highs typically reach approximately 20 °C (68 °F), while winter lows can fall to several degrees below 0 °C (32 °F). The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate
2744-491: Is thought by some to derive from the Anglo-Saxon Stocc , meaning log , tree trunk , or wooden post . Stockton could therefore mean a farm built of logs . This is disputed because when Stocc forms the first part of a place name, it usually indicates a derivation from the similar word Stoc , meaning cell , monastery , or place . Stoc in place name such as Stoke or Stow usually indicates farms which belonged to
2842-523: The BBC's Natural History Unit (holder of the largest archive of natural history footage) the Attenborough Studio—named after the broadcaster Sir David Attenborough —provides a multimedia environment for educational events. The studio holds regular lectures and demonstrations, including free Nature Live talks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. One of the most famous and certainly most prominent of
2940-601: The Eston Hills resulted in blast furnaces lining the River Tees from Stockton to the river's mouth. In 1820, an Act set up the Commissioners, a body with responsibility for lighting and cleaning the streets, and from 1822, Stockton-on-Tees was lit by gas. In 1822, Stockton witnessed an event which changed the face of the world forever, and which heralded the dawn of a new era in trade, industry and travel. The first rail of George Stephenson 's Stockton and Darlington Railway
3038-591: The Geological Museum . The Darwin Centre is a more recent addition, partly designed as a modern facility for storing the valuable collections. Like other publicly funded national museums in the United Kingdom, the Natural History Museum does not charge an admission fee. The museum is an exempt charity and a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport . The Princess of Wales
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3136-580: The North Riding of Yorkshire , and Westmorland during this period, exporting mainly rope, agricultural produce and lead from the Yorkshire Dales . Iron making and engineering entered the local economy in the 18th century The town grew rapidly as the Industrial Revolution started, the population grew from 10,000 in 1851 to over 50,000 in 1901 as workers moved in. The discovery of iron ore in
3234-534: The 13th century, the bishop changed the village of Stockton into a borough ; the exact date the borough was founded is unknown, but it was being described as a borough by 1283. When the bishop freed Stockton's serfs , craftsmen moved to the new town. The bishop had a residence in Stockton Castle , which was a fortified manor house, the first recorded reference to which was in 1376. Stockton's market traces its history to 1310, when Bishop Bek of Durham granted
3332-534: The 1930s, slums were cleared, and the first council houses were built. On 10 September 1933, the Battle of Stockton took place, in which between 200 and 300 supporters of the British Union of Fascists were taken to Stockton to hold a rally, but they were driven out of town by up to 2,000 anti-fascist demonstrators. In the late 20th century, manufacturing severely declined, with the service industries developed into
3430-532: The 2014 film Paddington , Millicent Clyde is a devious and treacherous taxidermist at the museum. She kidnaps Paddington, intending to kill and stuff him, but is thwarted by the Brown family after scenes involving chases inside and on the roof of the building. The museum was prominently featured in the Sky One 2014 documentary David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive where several extinct creatures exhibited at
3528-562: The A1046 continues to its northern terminus at Port Clarence . The A139 connects the town centre with the northern suburb of Norton . This was the original route for the A19 before a bypass was built to the east of the town. The A177 runs from Stockton town centre to Durham . Known as Durham Road, it passes Sedgefield en route, and is a major route in to and out of Stockton. The A66 connects Stockton directly to Middlesbrough (8 miles (13 km) to
3626-517: The Green Dragon Studios ( recording studios ) and Britain's oldest surviving Georgian Theatre . Alongside retail outlets, Stockton town centre also has a variety of services including national banks and building societies, travel agents, a post office, hairdressers, beauticians, cafés, and restaurants. The refurbishment of some period buildings has provided space for small firms including solicitors, recruitment agencies, and accountants. Since
3724-846: The Millennium Bridge. This permanent colourful illumination is intended to add value to the riverside businesses and restaurants and play an important part in the council's events programme throughout the year. Stockton is one of 12 towns in England to share in £1.2 million of funding, support from retail guru Mary Portas and her own team, as part of the Portas Pilot scheme. Selected from over 370 applications, Stockton's Town Team Consortium , comprising Stockton Council, Tees Music Alliance, Durham University Queen's Campus, town centre retailers, A Way Out and Stockton Heritage in Partnership, will have
3822-594: The Natural History Museum an institution for everyone, Owen transformed our expectations of what museums are for". Owen saw that the natural history departments needed more space, and that implied a separate building as the British Museum site was limited. Land in South Kensington was purchased, and in 1864 a competition was held to design the new museum. The winning entry was submitted by the civil engineer Captain Francis Fowke , who died shortly afterwards. The scheme
3920-579: The Natural History Museum and stopped using the title British Museum (Natural History) on its advertising and its books for general readers. Only with the Museums and Galleries Act 1992 did the museum's formal title finally change to the Natural History Museum . In 1985, the museum merged with the adjacent Geological Museum of the British Geological Survey , which had long competed for
4018-818: The Prince of Wales, the Portrack Social Club known locally as the Blood Tub, the Cricketers Arms and the Royal Hotel which have all since closed. The only pub left in the area is the Portrack Hotel. The Portrack Marshes part of the area was once south of the River Tees , as part of the Portrack Cut . It was the site of a large municipal incinerator which took in and burned waste from across Teesside. The incinerator
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4116-566: The River Tees run almost parallel to the rear of the centre. The Teesquay Millennium Footbridge links the Castlegate Quay on the north side of the river to Teesdale Business Park and Durham University 's Queen's Campus on the south side in the ceremonial county of the North Riding of Yorkshire. Situated at the north west end of the town centre is Wellington Square shopping centre, built on
4214-566: The River Tees. At the centre of the High Street stands Stockton-on-Tees Town Hall , dating from 1735, and the Georgian-style Shambles Market Hall. Around the town hall, the largest outdoor market in North East England, which has been in existence since the 1300s, continues to be held every Wednesday and Saturday. Much of the town centre has a Georgian and late medieval influence, with a number of listed buildings and
4312-533: The Tees Barrage. The town is served by two main arterial roads: the transpennine A66 (east/west) and the A19 (north/south). The A19 connects Stockton with York in the south, and extends to Peterlee and Sunderland , to the north. East of the town centre is the A1046, a mostly dual carriageway which runs through Portrack as Portrack Lane, a major retail zone, particularly for home furnishings and DIY . From Portrack,
4410-480: The Waterhouse building retitled The Life Galleries . The Natural History Museum's own mineralogy displays remain largely unchanged as an example of the 19th-century display techniques of the Waterhouse building. The central atrium design by Neal Potter overcame visitors' reluctance to visit the upper galleries by "pulling" them through a model of the Earth made up of random plates on an escalator. The new design covered
4508-492: The area. Stockton station, located above the High Street, serves the town; however, more regular and long-distance trains run from nearby Thornaby . Northern routinely serves both stations with local and regional services, whereas at Thornaby TransPennine Express runs an hourly service between Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Manchester Airport via York and LNER stops once both ways every weekday between Middlesbrough and London King's Cross . Teesside International Airport
4606-530: The board of the British Museum, and heated discussions on the matter continued for nearly one hundred years. Finally, with the passing of the British Museum Act 1963 , the British Museum (Natural History) became an independent museum with its own board of trustees, although – despite a proposed amendment to the act in the House of Lords – the former name was retained. In 1989 the museum publicly re-branded itself as
4704-485: The body preserved using a mixture of formalin and saline solution . The museum holds the remains and bones of the " River Thames whale ", a northern bottlenose whale that lost its way on 20 January 2006 and swam into the Thames. Although primarily used for research purposes, and held at the museum's storage site at Wandsworth . Dinocochlea , one of the longer-standing mysteries of paleontology (originally thought to be
4802-710: The casting, copying the original held at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History . The pieces were sent to London in 36 crates, and on 12 May 1905, the exhibit was unveiled to great public and media interest. The real fossil had yet to be mounted, as the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh was still being constructed to house it. As word of Dippy spread, Mr Carnegie paid to have additional copies made for display in most major European capitals and in Central and South America, making Dippy
4900-495: The construction of the Tees Barrage in 1995, the level of the River Tees through the town has permanently been held at high tide, creating a backdrop for riverside events and facilitating watersports activities such as rowing, canoeing, jet skiing, and dragon boat racing. Stockton town centre is elevated above the river, and is separated from the riverside by the A1305 Riverside Road, a dual carriageway which runs parallel to
4998-512: The day before Hope was unveiled for public display. The Darwin Centre is host to Archie , an 8.62-metre-long giant squid taken alive in a fishing net near the Falkland Islands in 2004. The squid is not on general display, but stored in the large tank room in the basement of the Phase 1 building. It is possible for members of the public to visit and view non-exhibited items behind the scenes for
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#17328690084725096-497: The east) and Darlington (10 miles (16 km) to the west). Beyond Darlington lies the A1(M) . The A66 is connected to Stockton centre by the A135 . The old A135 was renumbered A1027, and this continues through the town to Billingham . The A135 is named '1825 Way' to commemorate the former Stockton and Darlington Railway 's opening; the 1825 Way's northern end is St John's Crossing, adjacent to
5194-668: The eventual aim being to bring distinctive high-quality city-scale assets to the centre of the Tees Valley, including the town centres of Stockton and Middlesbrough. The project will include the existing developments at North Shore, Stockton and Middlesbrough, with many others over a 15- to 20-year period. In February 2020 it was announced that the Castlegate Shopping Centre is set to be demolished in 2022. Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London
5292-465: The exhibits—nicknamed " Dippy "—is a 105-foot (32 m)-long replica of a Diplodocus carnegii skeleton which was on display for many years within the central hall. The cast was given as a gift by the Scottish-American industrialist Andrew Carnegie , after a discussion with King Edward VII , then a keen trustee of the British Museum. Carnegie paid £2,000 (equivalent to £272,185 in 2023) for
5390-450: The factories; however, the port declined as business moved downstream to Middlesbrough . Stockton witnessed another development in 1827. Local chemist John Walker invented the friction match in his shop at 59 High Street. The first sale of these matches was recorded in his sales-book on 7 April 1827, to a Mr. Hixon, a solicitor in the town. Since he did not obtain a patent, Walker received neither fame nor wealth for his invention, but he
5488-480: The grounds of the museum. His successors also applied to the trustees for permission to destroy decayed specimens. In 1833, the Annual Report states that, of the 5,500 insects listed in the Sloane catalogue, none remained. The inability of the natural history departments to conserve its specimens became notorious: the Treasury refused to entrust it with specimens collected at the government's expense. Appointments of staff were bedevilled by gentlemanly favouritism; in 1862
5586-451: The increased population, a hospital opened in Stockton in 1862, and a public library opened in 1877. Public transport also became important. Steam trams began running in the streets in 1881, and these were replaced by electric trams in 1897. Stockton was still dominated by the engineering industry in the 1930s, and there was also a chemicals industry in the town. Buses replaced the trams in 1931. Public housing also became necessary, and in
5684-430: The land of an existing burial site called "The Monument" (originally a mass grave from a prior cholera outbreak ) to the town of Stockton. Upon this land, the process of building of and designing the gothic style Holy Trinity Church began, using funds originally allocated for church building in the Commissioners' church Act of 1818. It was designed by John and Benjamin Green , and construction began in 1834. It
5782-415: The large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling . The Natural History Museum Library contains an extensive collection of books, journals, manuscripts, and artwork linked to the work and research of the scientific departments; access to the library is by appointment only. The museum is recognised as
5880-399: The limited space available in the area. The Geological Museum became world-famous for exhibitions including an active volcano model and an earthquake machine (designed by James Gardner), and housed the world's first computer-enhanced exhibition ( Treasures of the Earth ). The museum's galleries were completely rebuilt and relaunched in 1996 as The Earth Galleries , with the other exhibitions in
5978-448: The most-viewed dinosaur skeleton in the world. The dinosaur quickly became an iconic representation of the museum, and has featured in many cartoons and other media, including the 1975 Disney comedy One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing . After 112 years on display at the museum, the dinosaur replica was removed in early 2017 to be replaced by the actual skeleton of a young blue whale , a 128-year-old skeleton nicknamed " Hope ". Dippy went on
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#17328690084726076-471: The mouth of Wexford Harbour , Ireland in March 1891 after being injured by whalers. At this time, it was first displayed in the Mammals (blue whale model) gallery, but now takes pride of place in the museum's Hintze Hall. Discussion of the idea of a life-sized model also began around 1934, and work was undertaken within the Whale Hall itself. Since taking a cast of such a large animal was deemed prohibitively expensive, scale models were used to meticulously piece
6174-411: The museum including Dippy the Diplodocus were brought to life using CGI . The museum features prominently in the level Lud's Gate from Tomb Raider III , with Core Design launching the game with Jonathan Ross at the museum on 15 October 1998. Andy Day 's CBeebies shows, Andy's Dinosaur Adventures and Andy's Prehistoric Adventures are filmed in the Natural History Museum. The museum
6272-410: The museum is free, though there are donation boxes in the foyer. Museum Lane immediately to the north provides disabled access to the museum. A connecting bridge between the Natural History and Science museums closed to the public in the late 1990s. The museum plays an important role in the 1975 London-based Disney live-action feature One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing ; the eponymous skeleton
6370-409: The museum led the setting up of an International Union for Conservation of Nature Bumblebee Specialist Group, chaired by Dr. Paul H. Williams, to assess the threat status of bumblebee species worldwide using Red List criteria. The closest London Underground station is South Kensington — there is a tunnel from the station that emerges close to the entrances of all three museums. Admission to
6468-406: The nearby Bishop's Ferry. Until the opening of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in 1911, this was the Tees's most downstream bridging point. From the end of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution transformed Stockton from a small and quiet market town into a flourishing centre of heavy industry. In 1833, the then Bishop of Durham, William Van Mildert (1765 - 1836) gifted five acres and
6566-412: The north and south banks of the Tees are retained by steel sheet pile walls, and have footpaths along the river edge. The Tees Walkway on the north bank of the river can be accessed from the town centre by the Teesquay Millennium Footbridge or the Riverside Footbridge, and incorporates a cycle path which forms part of the National Cycle Network . The 11-metre Aeolian Motion wind sculpture stands on
6664-503: The north bank of the River Tees . The town's northern and western extremities are on slightly higher ground than the town centre, which is directly on the Tees. Stockton experiences occasional earth tremors. For example, it was the epicentre of a tremor measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale on 23 January 2020. The town has many areas outside of the town centre; Fairfield , Portrack , Hardwick , Hartburn , Elm Tree Farm , Norton , Roseworth , Newtown , Bishopsgarth and Oxbridge . Norton
6762-465: The old Stockton Railway Station buildings. A number of bus services operate in Stockton, and most services pass through the High Street. The services cover large areas of the region including Middlesbrough , Teesside Park , Thornaby-on-Tees , Billingham , Sedgefield , Durham , Sunderland , Peterlee , and Newcastle upon Tyne . Stagecoach on Teesside and Arriva North East are the major service providers, while six smaller companies also operate in
6860-418: The old Wellington Street. Opened in 2001 at a cost of £43 million, it houses 46 shop units. The town centre has retained a number of original yards such as Wasp Nest Yard, Hambletonian Yard, and Ship Inn Yard. Most notable is Green Dragon Yard, a courtyard of restored historic warehouses within a series of alleyways . Considered the cultural quarter of the town, this houses the Green Dragon public house,
6958-440: The opportunity to share in expert advice and guidance from a range of retail experts. The Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative is a 20-year vision for regenerating the urban core of the Tees Valley , the main focus being the 30 km (12 sq mi) area along the banks of the River Tees between the two centres of Stockton and Middlesbrough . The master plan has been drawn up by environmental design specialists Gillespies,
7056-496: The pre-eminent centre of natural history and research of related fields in the world. Although commonly referred to as the Natural History Museum, it was officially known as British Museum (Natural History) until 1992, despite legal separation from the British Museum itself in 1963. Originating from collections within the British Museum, the landmark Alfred Waterhouse building was built and opened by 1881 and later incorporated
7154-467: The public in 2002, and it houses the zoological department's 'spirit collections'—organisms preserved in alcohol . Phase Two was unveiled in September 2008 and opened to the general public in September 2009. It was designed by the Danish architecture practice C. F. Møller Architects in the shape of a giant, eight-story cocoon and houses the entomology and botanical collections—the 'dry collections'. It
7252-516: The river from Northshore to Chandlers Wharf. From the town centre, Bishop Street, Silver Street, Calvert's Lane, and Thistle Green offer views of the river where it meanders around Teesdale Business Park. Durham University Queen's Campus can be seen on the opposite side, alongside the skyline of Middlesbrough in the middle distance and Roseberry Topping in the Cleveland Hills , approximately fifteen miles (24 km) south east. Chandlers Wharf
7350-459: The site into Trinity Green , removing the site from Historic England 's ' Heritage At Risk register '. Work is under way to develop the north bank of the River Tees in Stockton with the £300 million Northshore scheme, which will include new offices, leisure facilities, housing, a 150-bedroom hotel, and a new campus for Durham University. In 2012, a long-term scheme aimed at transforming
7448-418: The structure together. During construction, workmen left a trapdoor within the whale's stomach, which they would use for surreptitious cigarette breaks. Before the door was closed and sealed forever, some coins and a telephone directory were placed inside—this soon growing to an urban myth that a time capsule was left inside. The work was completed—entirely within the hall and in view of the public—in 1938. At
7546-471: The time it was the largest such model in the world, at 92 feet (28 m) in length. The construction details were later borrowed by several American museums, who scaled the plans further. The work involved in removing Dippy and replacing it with Hope was documented in a BBC Television special, Horizon : Dippy and the Whale , narrated by David Attenborough , which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 13 July 2017,
7644-427: The town centre area was announced, with investment of approximately £38 million, just over £20 million being contributed by Stockton Borough Council, and the remainder coming from the private sector and grants. The investment programme aimed to attract more retailers, businesses, and shoppers to the town by opening up new spaces and links to the River Tees, providing easier access and parking, and capitalising on
7742-557: The town centre retail was largely concentrated within two shopping centres, Castlegate and Wellington Square. Wellington Square has open shops on pedestrian-only paths whereas the Castlegate, opened in 1972 and currently undergoing demolition, was a building which incorporated a multi-storey car park and an indoor market. Its façade was a dominant feature along the south east of the High Street, its site bounded by Finkle Street, Bridge Road and Tower Street. The Riverside dual carriageway and
7840-403: The town's heritage and cultural assets. Plans include the introduction of an expansive plaza area 'Infinity View' that will open up the pedestrian area to dramatic views of the award-winning Infinity Bridge. Under the scheme, the banks of the River Tees will be transformed with a series of impressive light installations which will stretch along the waterfront, from the Princess of Wales Bridge to
7938-464: The town's primary employers. The Ragworth district near the town centre was the scene of rioting in July 1992, when local youths threw stones at buildings, set cars alight, and threw missiles at police and fire crews. The area later saw a £12 million regeneration which involved mass demolition and refurbishment of existing properties, and construction of new housing and community facilities. Stockton lies on
8036-479: The twentieth century, Teesside's heavy industry declined dramatically. Since the 1980s, Stockton has seen an increase in service industries. The development of Teesdale Business Park on the south bank of the River Tees has created commercial space with many large service providers opening call centres and offices in the area. Durham University 's Queen's Campus is also situated within the Teesdale development, which
8134-412: The walls in recycled slate and sandblasted the major stars and planets onto the wall. The museum's 'star' geological exhibits are displayed within the walls. Six iconic figures were the backdrop to discussing how previous generations have viewed Earth. These were later removed to make place for a Stegosaurus skeleton that was put on display in late 2015. The Darwin Centre (named after Charles Darwin )
8232-435: The west and east wings respectively. This explicit separation was at the request of Owen, and has been seen as a statement of his contemporary rebuttal of Darwin's attempt to link present species with past through the theory of natural selection . Though Waterhouse slipped in a few anomalies, such as bats amongst the extinct animals and a fossil ammonite with the living species. The sculptures were produced from clay models by
8330-521: Was able to retire some years before his death. He died in 1859 at the age of 78, and is buried in the parish churchyard in Norton village. The first bell for Big Ben was cast by John Warner and Sons in Norton on 6 August 1856, but it was damaged beyond repair while being tested on site, and it had to be replaced by a foundry closer to Westminster, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry . To cater to
8428-401: Was absorbed into the borough of Stockton. Stockton is reportedly the home of the fossilised remains of the most northerly hippopotamus ever discovered. In 1958, an archeological dig four miles (6 km) north-west of the town uncovered a 125,000-year-old hippo's molar tooth. However, no one knows exactly where the tooth was discovered, who discovered it, or why the dig took place. The tooth
8526-498: Was closed in 1996 and demolished in 1999 and 2000. In 1892 Portrack was the site of several clay pits. The local Blackett's Brickworks used clay from the clay pits. This County Durham location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in County Durham , England, with a population of 84,815 at the 2021 UK census . It gives its name to and
8624-552: Was completed in 1880. The new museum opened on 18 April 1881, although the move from the old museum was not fully completed until 1883. Both the interiors and exteriors of the Waterhouse building make extensive use of architectural terracotta tiles to resist the sooty atmosphere of Victorian London, manufactured by the Tamworth-based company of Gibbs and Canning . The tiles and bricks feature many relief sculptures of flora and fauna, with living and extinct species featured within
8722-399: Was consecrated as an Anglican church on 22 December 1835. Shipbuilding, which had started in the 15th century, prospered in the town through the 17th and 18th centuries, with smaller-scale industries also developing. These included brick, sail, and rope making, the latter now reflected in road names such as Ropery Street in the town centre. Stockton became the major port for County Durham ,
8820-470: Was designed as a new home for the museum's collection of tens of millions of preserved specimens, as well as new work spaces for the museum's scientific staff and new educational visitor experiences. Built in two distinct phases, with two new buildings adjacent to the main Waterhouse building, it is the most significant new development project in the museum's history. Phase one of the Darwin Centre opened to
8918-577: Was destroyed at the order of Oliver Cromwell at the end of the Civil War . A shopping centre, the Castlegate Centre, now occupies the castle area, and this is scheduled for demolition in 2022. No known accurate depictions of the castle exist. The Town House (now called the Town Hall) was built in 1735, and Stockton's first theatre opened in 1766. In 1771, a five-arch stone bridge was built, replacing
9016-624: Was funded by a lottery. Sloane's collection, which included dried plants, and animal and human skeletons, was initially housed in Montagu House, Bloomsbury , in 1756, which was the home of the British Museum . Most of the Sloane collection had disappeared by the early decades of the nineteenth century. Dr George Shaw (Keeper of Natural History 1806–1813) sold many specimens to the Royal College of Surgeons and had periodic cremations of material in
9114-467: Was installed to manage tidal flooding . The Stockton and Darlington Railway , on which coal was ferried to the town for shipment, served the port during early part of the Industrial Revolution . The railway was also the world's first permanent steam-locomotive-powered passenger railway. Stockton is an Anglo-Saxon place name with the common ending ton , meaning farm , or homestead . Stock
9212-402: Was laid near St. John's crossing on Bridge Road. Hauled by Locomotion No 1 , Stephenson himself manned the engine on its first journey on 27 September 1825. Fellow engineer and friend Timothy Hackworth acted as guard. This was the world's first passenger railway, connecting Stockton with Shildon . The opening of the railway greatly boosted Stockton's economy, making it easier to bring coal to
9310-507: Was not encouraged to visit the museum's natural history exhibits. In 1835 to a Select Committee of Parliament, Sir Henry Ellis said this policy was fully approved by the Principal Librarian and his senior colleagues. Many of these faults were corrected by the palaeontologist Richard Owen , appointed Superintendent of the natural history departments of the British Museum in 1856. His changes led Bill Bryson to write that "by making
9408-576: Was once the town's main dock. The quayside is still occupied by Georgian warehouses which have been converted into a number of business units, restaurants, and a gym . A full-size replica of Captain James Cook's ship HM Bark Endeavour was once moored at the quayside, but was sold and moved after refurbishment to a mooring in Whitby. The Teesside Princess, a two-deck river boat, is docked alongside, and offers river cruises all year to Yarm via Preston Park. Both
9506-418: Was sent to the borough's librarian and curator, G. F. Leighton, who then sent it to the Natural History Museum in London . Since then, the tooth has been missing despite efforts to locate it. Stockton began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement on high ground close to the northern bank of the River Tees . Stockton was described as a manor by 1138, and was purchased by Bishop Pudsey of Durham in 1189. During
9604-566: Was taken over by Alfred Waterhouse who substantially revised the agreed plans, and designed the façades in his own idiosyncratic Romanesque style which was inspired by his frequent visits to the Continent. The original plans included wings on either side of the main building, but these plans were soon abandoned for budgetary reasons. The space these would have occupied are now taken by the Earth Galleries and Darwin Centre. Work began in 1873 and
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