A quiet corner of County DurhamBlackhill sits on the western edge of Consett, a former steel town in County Durham with sweeping views towards the Durham Dales. It was here - on a family farm owned by his father Eric Atkinson - that a young Rowan grew up alongside his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney, in a household his biographers describe as comfortably well-off. That deep-rooted connection to the area meant Atkinson's formative years were shaped by rural County Durham rather than the bright lights that would later define his career. Read more County Durham town getting first padel venue 'before you know it'Tribute to County Durham little girl who died from rare childhood cancerHarrowing bodycam footage of night County Durham teenager killed in crash releasedA lasting local legacyFor a town perhaps better known for its industrial steelmaking past, Blackhill's link to one of Britain's most recognisable comic actors remains a point of local pride. Long after he left for boarding school and university, Atkinson's early years on a Blackhill farm are still cited as the starting point of a journey that would take him from rural County Durham to Hollywood film sets and the West End stage.