▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁and ▁today ▁it ▁is ▁designated ▁by ▁English ▁Heritage ▁as ▁an ▁ancient ▁monument , ▁and ▁as ▁such ▁is ▁protected . ▁ ▁History ▁Phoenix ▁Row ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s , ▁originally ▁of ▁local ▁sand stone , ▁Sto b art ▁brick ▁and ▁red ▁p ant iles ▁to ▁house ▁families ▁of ▁min ers ▁and ▁farm work ers . ▁Near by ▁Wit ton ▁Park ▁Iron works ▁also ▁provided ▁some ▁employ ment ▁until ▁its ▁closure . ▁The ▁people ▁of ▁Phoenix ▁Row ▁built ▁their ▁own ▁Method ist ▁chap el ▁( now ▁a ▁private ▁house ) ▁and ▁they ▁had ▁a ▁cr icket ▁team ▁which ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁Inn ▁Field s . ▁Phoenix ▁Row ' s ▁b rac ing ▁climate ▁was ▁cred ited ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁press ▁for ▁bre eding ▁tall , ▁strong ▁sports men ▁- ▁" st ur dy ▁six - foot ers ". ▁At ▁one ▁time ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁houses ▁in ▁the ▁ham let ▁were ▁occupied ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁just ▁three ▁families ▁- ▁W ats ons , ▁Gray s ▁and ▁St ub bs ▁- ▁and ▁their ▁in - la ws . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁Phoenix ▁Row ▁was ▁threatened ▁with ▁the ▁dread ed ▁Category ▁" D " ▁notice , ▁a ▁death ▁sentence ▁for ▁many ▁post - indust rial ▁County ▁Dur ham ▁min ing ▁communities . ▁However ▁the ▁determined ▁vill agers ▁fought ▁the ▁Category ▁" D " ▁notice ▁to oth ▁and ▁n ail . ▁Show ing ▁remarkable ▁community ▁spirit ,