Annfield Plain
The Queens Head, Annfield Plain
Last Updated:
7 Aug 2025
Annfield Plain
This is a
Pub
54.858274, -1.737593
Founded in
Current status is
Extant
Designer (if known):
Still operating as a pub
The last stop of day 1 on 2025's History Hike was Annfield Plain, and the end point of my diversion along the Beamish Deviation.
Annfield Plain embodies the ambition of the humble Victorian pit village. Despite being a fairly small settlement, it pulls its weight in architectural interest - even it's old Cooperative is one of the star attractions at Beamish. It's easy to forget so much wealth was concentrated in these settlements, even if much of it didn't trickle down to the masses.
The Queen's Head is situated on Front Street, very close to where the Stanhope & Tyne cut through this place. It appears the pub was originally a hotel, housed in an old dwelling which had been here by at least the 1840s which you can see on the 4th pic - a tithe plan from 1845 (held by Durham University). It was very probably a senior's house from the colliery.
The pub had opened in the 1860s or 1870s, and was the scene of an awful suicide in its first few yeyars. The landlord, Mr John Dodd, had been reported as being in a depressed state for around a week prior after going to Newcastle Races. He had been violent to the point his family requested the police handcuff to prevent harm to anyone else. At around 8am on a Wednesday he had cut his throat and died, perhaps due to a significant gambling problem or lost all his money on the horses. His wife remained as the landlady a number of decades thereafter.
The pub was fully rebuilt, possibly around 1905 when the license was transferred to a Mr John Hughes. It's very typical of the time, when pubs were built to show off and to set against the decaying inns which attracted few new clientele.
The pub has survived the demise of the collieries, and remains as one of the few left at Annfield Plain.
Listing Description (if available)
These are the two earliest views we can find of the original Queens Head building, from the 1840s and the 1850s. As noted it had not been converted into a pub yet, but it was certainly one of the first industrial rows of the pit village. It was pretty noble too, and I imagine some senior official may have resided inside at some stage.
It stood on the southern end of the railway crossing, directly opposite the village Primitive Methodist Chapel. It lacked some of the amenities the terraces north of the railway enjoyed, like the long strip of garden those on the west side could take advantage of. Here, there was just several outbuildings and a reservoir.
The village had really fleshed out some 40 years later, well expanding the Front Street it was originally conceived. Further rows and squares lined the south side of the village surrounding the coke ovens, while the Annfield Plain branch of the North Eastern Railway had opened through the village to reach Consett. The Stanhope & Tyne had originally, and incredibly, been rope hauled up the road to Bantling Castle. The opening of the deviation immediately removed the bottleneck and allowed for more modern working.
The Queens Head in July 2025
The original Queens Head shown here some time before the 1890s. John Dodd, who we mentioned above, stands with his wife outside the front door.
Source: Durham Record Office
A postcard of Annfield Plain Front Street, with the new Queen's Head on the right. Undated, unknown original source