Hesledon Moor West is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district in east County Durham, England. It is located 1 km east of the village of South Hetton, some 12 km south of Sunderland and a little under 2 km south-west of Hesledon Moor East SSSI. Within this small site there is a diversity of vegetation types, which have developed on the acidic glacial drift overlying Magnesian Limestone that is characteristic of much of lowland Durham. Plant communities range from fen and carr to wet and dry heath.

Nearby Places View Menu
Location Image
650 m

South Hetton

South Hetton is a former mining village in the County Durham district of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated 6.25 miles (10.06 km) to the east of Durham and 7.31 miles (11.76 km) to the south of Sunderland as the crow flies. It had a population of 2,618 according to the 2001 Census, rising to 3,032 at the 2011 Census, with the latest estimate being 3,036 in 2019
Location Image
853 m

South Hetton railway station

South Hetton railway station served the village of South Hetton, County Durham, England, from 1858 to 1952 on the Durham and Sunderland Railway.
1.4 km

Murton A.F.C.

Murton A.F.C. (formerly known as Murton Colliery Welfare) was a football team based in Murton near Durham in County Durham, England who last played Wearside League. It affiliated to the Durham Football Association and were Full Members of The Football Association.
Location Image
1.6 km

Murton, County Durham

Murton is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England, eight miles (13 km) east of the city of Durham and six miles (9.7 km) south of Sunderland. It had a population of 4,534, which rose to 7,676 at the 2011 Census. It was originally a rural agricultural hamlet called Morton, but the discovery of coal beneath its fields in the 19th century transformed it into an industrial community. 'Morton became known as Murton Colliery or Murton-in-the-Whins following the sinking of the pit in 1838 by South Hetton Coal Company, and the village was a productive coal mining community for more than a century. The pit employed more than 1000 men at its peak and featured in a Picture Post article showing the 'vesting' of the mine at nationalisation in 1947. The village also had the South East Durham Cooperative Bakery and a Northern Bus Company garage as added sources of jobs. In 1955 a by-product works for coal was established for the production mainly of coke. The mine and other employment opportunities closed in the 1990s along with many other County Durham mines and now the old spoil heaps are covered by a retail outlet development Dalton Park, bringing much-needed new employment.