A DALE village is smartening up ahead of the summer.
Among the improvements made in Staindrop recently is the resurfacing of a neglected lane that “nobody owns” and the refurbishment of an historic milestone marker.
The pothole-riddled Stangarth Lane, which runs alongside Scarth Memorial Hall, has long been a source of consternation because no one wanted to take responsibility for it. People in wheelchairs and elderly people struggled to negotiate the lane which is also the only way to access the disabled entrance to the hall.
However, the hall trustees, along with cash from Raby Estates and BT, have paid for the lane to be resurfaced.
Elsewhere, parish councillor Ian Royston took it upon himself to refurbish the historic milestone on the village green which had become faded and was hardly noticeable to those driving past.
Cllr Royston believes the milestone is almost 200 years old.
He said: “This was a turnpike between Bowes and Sunderland Bridge, near Durham. The earliest map I have found it on is 1869, but it is probably much older than that.
“The milestone at Staindrop is one of ten remaining milestones on the Bowes – Sunderland Bridge turnpike. I will try to find the others but am not promising to refurbish any others.”
