Springfield Hotel

JR Richardson built a hotel on this site at the end of The Terrace in the 1840’s, for visitors to his Spa Pleasure Grounds down by the river. After the hotel closed it became a private house known as Springfield.

Then sometime after 1900 it was used as a home for orphan girls being trained as domestic servants.

Later it was used as the District Headquarters of the National Coal Board.

Folklore has it that the house was haunted by the ghost of ‘ the White Lady’. Several villagers having reported seeing candlelight and apparitions within on certain dark winters’ nights!

The main house was demolished in the early 1960’s and two new cottages were attached to the caretaker’s cottage [Springfield Cottage]. Two detached bungalows were built in it’s grounds, behind the imposing stone wall along Snows Green Road.

County Life Homes received planning permission in 2005 to demolish the bungalows and build 30 flats on the site. Beech and Holly Courts, at The Gables, were completed in 2009.

Shotley Bridge Village Trust