History
The is evidence for prehistoric, iron age and medieval activity at Faverdale. In the early 2000s evidence of occupation in the late romano-british period was discovered - including a farmstead of significant size for the period including a hypocaust.
The deserted medieval village of Whessoe was located on the northern fringe of the modern ward of Faverton, between High Faverdale and Whessoe Grange farms; earthwork remains as well as medieval building remnants existed until demolition/bulldozing the 1950s.
Up to the mid twentieth century the area was completely rural; there were dwellings at Faverdale House (or Hall, plus farms at Middle and High Faverdale), Cockerton Grange, and Rise Carr. Up to 1915 it was part of the Cockerton civil parish, after which it became part of Darlington.
The area began to be developed industrially in the interwar period. The Faverdale Wagon Works was established in the 1920, to produce freight wagons for the NER, the first housing estate in Faverdale was built to the west of the works beyond Faverdale Road (Westgate Crescent). A chemical works (Darlington Chemical & Insulating Co Ltd) was established in the south west of Faverdale, next to the Barnard Castle railway line, and south and west of the wagon works and housing.
The Faverdale Wagon Works closed in 1962 as a result of the Beeching cuts. The wagon works site was later redeveloped for other industrial uses (Faverdale Industrial Estate). Housing development west of Faverdale road also expanded during the late 20th century. In the first decade of the 21st century the former Darlington Chemical site and adjacent farmland was redeveloped, creating a 49 acres (0.20 km2) municipal estate "West Park", including housing, parkland, a hospital (West Park Hospital), and a school.
In 2004 Argos began development of a large 730,000 sq ft (68,000 m2) distribution centre the Faverdale industrial estate. The building was officially opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair in Dec 2005.
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