Durham Road (Norfolk)

Named after a county in England, Durham Road, near Inglewood, is split by the main road into an upper and lower section. The area was first surveyed in the early 1870s. Those surveys show there were initially plans to connect Upper Durham Road through to Egmont Road, close to the Egmont National Park/Te Papakura o Taranaki boundary. 

Many of the earliest settlers bought their properties on deferred payment finance, giving them time to clear the land and make it productive.

As the population increased in the 1880s, Durham Road became a regular stop on the train line. In January 1938, a goods train loaded with frozen meat from Pātea was derailed and five vans capsized close to the train stop, causing extensive damage and blocking the line.

A school was bult in 1898 and children were taught there until 1947, after which they went to the Norfolk Road School. The school building was extended and became the Durham Road Hall. Providing a venue for social events, the hall was also used by the Country Women’s Institute, a drama society and several sports clubs such as indoor bowls and table tennis.

In the 1930s, Durham Road had a rugby team that competed in the Schneider Shield competition. Teams representing several districts as far north as Egmont Village were involved in games played on Sundays. The Durham Road ground was on the corner of Bedford Road.

In more recent years, several farms have been sub-divided, providing residential and lifestyle blocks in the area.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

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