Chopwell is a former colliery village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear (historically part of County Durham), set a short drive south‑west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It sits beside extensive woodland - notably Chopwell Wood - and is popular with walkers and mountain bikers for its trails and green space, giving the village a semi‑rural feel despite good links to the Tyneside conurbation.
Historically dominated by coal mining through the 19th and 20th centuries, Chopwell retains a strong working‑class identity and was nicknamed "Little Moscow" because of notable support for left‑wing politics among miners. Since the pits closed the local economy has shifted towards commuting, small businesses and leisure, while community groups and a visible mining heritage continue to shape village life.
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