County Durham ~ England

County Durham is one of the 4 English counties making up Northumbria, and lies between the North Pennines and the North East coast. Durham has good transport links to both the South and North, with easy access to Scotland. Settled by the Romans around AD120, County Durham has a rich history from the Normans through to the industrial revolution. Modern Durham is a thriving centre of Northern excellence.

Places of Interest

County Durham's many attraction include: Durham Cathedral - dominating the skyline, the stunning cathedral is considered to be one of the finest examples of Norman architecture, and contains the tombs of St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. Alnwick Castle- built in 1096 it has been the home of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. The Castle was of key importance during the bloody wars between England and Scotland and more recently featured as Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter movies. Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum, provides a living, working town, colliery village, working farm, Pockerley Manor and 1825 railway, recreating life in the North East in the early 1800s and 1900s. Set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, Beamish has been winner of both the British Museum of the Year and European Museum of the Year Awards. There are also many ancient castles, including Durham's 11th century Castle, the ancient seat of the Prince Bishops; Raby Castle, the medieval home of Lord Barnard's family since 1626, with a 200-acre deer park, walled gardens & carriage collection; while Auckland Castle has 800 acres of parkland, developed from a 13th century hunting lodge for the Prince Bishop to the official residence of the Bishop of Durham. Durham Coast provides a dramatic landscape of beaches, cliffs and headlands along unique limestone coastline containing rare fauna and flora and has recently been designated a Heritage Coast.

Living in County Durham - Education, Shopping and Travel Links

Durham is 4 hours from London via the M1 motorway, and under 3 hours to Edinburgh. Journey time by rail is only 3 hours from London and under 2 hours to Edinburgh. Newcastle International Airport is easily accessible via the A1(M). The Prince Bishop's Shopping Centre in Durham contains major high street retailers, while markets and independent shops can be found in towns and villages throughout the county, often selling local produce. There are 18 sports and leisure centres within County Durham. Durham is home to the Gala Theatre, while Darlington has the Arts Centre and the Civic Theatre, as well as the Odeon Cinema. There are many museums relating to Durham's past from Roman times through to the industrial age, and a number of world-class art galleries. Durham County Council provides 240 Primary schools and 36 Secondary schools. Durham city is also home to Durham University.

Cities, towns and villages within County Durham