I am sure most of us are familiar with the expression ‘Ditchford Treacle Mines’. Well, this afternoon I came across the following in a book written by a priest who had worked in the Durham area. He described a poor, nearby village where he was due to take a service. He was told, “It’s called Jam Jar City and it lies in Treacle Tin Valley.” He thought this was a joke but he found it was true. The nicknames had arisen because the old miners drank out of jam jars and made mugs for themselves out of treacle tins. Perhaps there is an origin somewhere for the Treacle Mines at Ditchford.