 |
|
|
History
Kingsway Adventure Centre was established in 1989 by Lin & Adam
Hearn. Before 1989 the building has had a variety of uses. Constructed
in 1861 by the London Lead Company as a school for children
of the lead mining community the building is similar in appearance
to a church. In 1891 a publicly funded school was built in Middleton
and the Company school closed. The building was purchased by
a Mr Todd, a local blacksmith, and was used as a dance hall
and village meeting place.
In the 1920s the building again changed hands when it was purchased
by a committee of school teachers from Sunderland and became
known as “Middleton Camp” to the children of Sunderland and
“Sunderland School Camp” to the locals of Teesdale. For the
next 60 years thousands of children came from Sunderland to
Middleton each year. In the early days the children came on
a specially hired railway carriage from Sunderland to Middleton
in Teesdale station (now a caravan park), you can still walk
along the old railway line. Accommodation was fairly primitive
with straw paliasses, planks and tressels, outside toilets and
washing in the river.
Over the years the camp developed and was a source of tremendous
fun for thousands upon thousands of Sunderland children as well
as being used by Teesdale residents for parties and dances.
We get visitors every year who come for a walk down memory lane,
recalling the fun they had at Middleton.
Sunderland Camp gradually became less popular as the needs of
schools changed and closed in 1988. In 1989 Lin & Adam Hearn
took over the site and opened Kingsway Adventure Centre as a
Christian Outdoor Activity Centre. Our official start date was
5th March and we ran our first course in May 1989. Over the
years we have continued to improve the facilities available
to groups and now have a very comfortable and welcoming venue
for both residential and day visitors. We can accommodate up
to 35 students and 4 leaders for residential courses and group
of up to 80 for activity days. |
|
|
