County Durham
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about County Durham from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of County Durham's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
Croxdale Hall
City of Durham
Croxdale Hall, the historic 15th-century seat of the Salvin family, is surrounded by gardens and lakes designed by Lewis Kennedy, with significant horticultural developments into the late...
The Castle, Castle Eden
Castle Eden
Castle Eden features a historic pleasure ground from the 18th century with picturesque landscapes, ornamental plantings, and famed beauty spots like Castle Eden Dene and Devil's Bridge.
Raby Castle
Raby with Keverstone
Raby Castle, an extensive estate in County Durham, showcases a rich history with ties to the Neville family and a remarkable landscape shaped by notable architects.
Auckland Castle Park
Bishop Auckland
Auckland Castle Park, dating back to the 12th century, is historically linked to the Bishops of Durham. It features a medieval castle, gardens, and parkland.
Stanley War Memorial
Stanley
First World War memorial, unveiled 1923. Read the official list entry to find out more.
The former Stockton and Darlington Railway's Heighington …
Great Aycliffe
Built as a public house 1826-1827 to oversee a Stockton & Darlington Railway coal depot, effectively built as a proto-railway station before the concept of the railway station had been fully...
Durham Castle and Cathedral
City of Durham
Durham Cathedral was built between the late 11th and early 12th century to house the bodies of St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede.
Lumley Castle
Great Lumley
Lumley Castle's landscape, influenced by major designers like Sir John Vanbrugh and Charles Bridgeman, features pleasure grounds and a historically significant park from the 18th century.
Stockton & Darlington Railway: Etherley Inclines, summit …
Etherley
Standing, earthwork and buried remains forming the summit and upper 0.6-0.7km lengths of the northern and southern Etherley Inclines forming part of George Stephenson's 1825 main line for...
Bowes Museum
Barnard Castle
The Bowes Museum, designed by Jules Pellechet, showcases a French chateau style and was created to display a sizable art collection amassed by John Bowes and his wife Josephine.
Ice House in Auckland Castle Park
County Durham
Ice house, late C18 with a renewed C19 entrance tunnel. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Cattle Market Auction Building
Tow Law
Cattle market auction building constructed in 1882. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Trimdon Grange Colliery Disaster Memorial
Trimdon
Colliery Disaster Memorial, 1882, by G Ryder & Sons. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Statue of Third Marquess of Londonderry
City of Durham
Statue of the Third Marquess of Londonderry, 1858, to the designs of Raffaelle Monti. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Easington Colliery Disaster Memorial (including memorial …
Easington Colliery
Easington Colliery Disaster Memorial of 1953-4. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Framwellgate Bridge
City of Durham
Framwellgate Bridge is a 15th-century structure, widened in the 19th century, with historical importance as an ancient monument, featuring elliptical arches and renewed parapets.
Main Buildings at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Quadrangl…
Esh
College buildings, 1808 and later by A. W. N. Pugin, E. W. Pugin, J. Hansom, P. P. Pugin and others. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St James
Hamsterley
The Church of St. James, primarily 13th-century with some 19th-century alterations, features intriguing medieval elements and significant historical restorations.
80 Newgate Street
Bishop Auckland
Co-operative stores of 1873 with later-C19 extensions and C20 alterations. It comprises four main phases dated left to right 1892, 1892-1894, 1873 and 1882-1883.
Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and St Paul
Hutton Henry
Roman Catholic Church, 1895 to designs of John Kelly of Leeds. Italianate style. The attached parish hall is excluded from the listing. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Former Junior Seminary at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw
Esh
Former Junior house of Roman Catholic seminary. 1857-9 by Edward Welby Pugin. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Complex of Chapels at the College of St Cuthbert, Ushaw
Esh
Complex incorporating chapels, cloister, sacristy and ancillary spacesVarying dates between 1852 and 1928 (although incorporating elements of 1844-7 chapel) designed by Augustus Welby...
Newton Cap Bridge
Bishop Auckland
Road bridge, about 1600, with later alterations. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Hardwick Park
Sedgefield
Hardwick Park, established by John Burdon in the mid-18th century, features design work by James Paine, with historic ruins and scenic landscapes near Sedgefield.
Newton Cap Railway Viaduct over River Wear
Bishop Auckland
Railway Viaduct, 1854-1857 for the North Eastern Railway (NER) Bishop Auckland Branch line. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Apollo Pavilion
Peterlee
The Apollo Pavilion, Oakerside Drive, Peterlee, is both a sculpture and a bridge, designed by Victor Pasmore and completed in 1969, standing at the eastern end of a small lake, and is the...
Former Gregory Butchers Shop
Bishop Auckland
Former beef and pork butchers shop, 103-105 Newgate Street built for William Gregory in the mid-C19, and refronted and refurbished in about 1909.
Seaham War Memorial
Seaham
First World War memorial designed by Mr TA Lawson, unveiled 1922, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St Osmund and linking range to presbytery
Gainford
Roman Catholic Church and linking range to presbytery, 1853-5 to the designs of Thomas Gibson of Newcastle; reordered 1981 and refurbished 1990. Early English style.
Well Head in Auckland Castle Park
County Durham
Well head, mid-C18. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth
Brancepeth Castle has origins dating back to the 12th century, with ownership shifting through prominent families, including the Nevilles and Russells, eventually becoming part of a divided...
Soho House
Shildon
House, early C19, built for Timothy Hackworth, the pioneering engineer of early steam locomotives who played a significant role in the early success and international influence of the...
Jock's Bridge
Bishop Auckland
Road Bridge, C18; the east elevation was partially rebuilt in the early C19. Read the official list entry to find out more.
New Brancepeth War Memorial
Brandon and Byshottles
First World War memorial, unveiled 1923, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Windlestone Hall
Spennymoor
Windlestone Hall, built by Ignatius Bonomi around 1835, features grade II listed gardens and parkland. Owned by the Eden family, it remains a residential school.
Deer Shelter in Auckland Castle Park
Bishop Auckland
Deer shelter, about 1760 For Bishop Richard Trevor. Gothic revival style. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Lambton Castle
Bournmoor
Lambton Castle, established by the Lambton family in the 12th century, features historical architecture and expansive parkland shaped significantly in the 19th century by Ignatius Bonomi.
Soho Engine Shed, originally Kilburns' warehouse
Shildon
Warehouse, built in 1826 to take advantage of the Stockton & Darlington Railway having opened the previous year, subsequently used as part of Soho Works, the locomotive works established by...
County Durham through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how County Durham changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of County Durham
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Langley Park
Ushaw College, Langley Park, 1926
Langley Park
Ushaw College, Langley Park, 1926
Barnard Castle
Galgate and Horse Market, Barnard Castle, 1927
Barnard Castle
The castle ruins and environs, Barnard Castle, 1947
Durham
The Cathedral Church of Christ and St Mary the Virgin and the castle, Durham, 1926
Durham
Durham Cathedral and the Peninsula, Durham, 1948
Egglestone Abbey
The abbey ruins, Abbey Farm and environs, Egglestone Abbey, 1947
Egglestone Abbey
The abbey ruins, Egglestone Abbey, 1947
Crook
The Durham Timber Co Sawmill and the South End Villas, Crook, 1939
Crook
Marshall Richards Machine Company Works and environs, Crook, 1948
County Durham in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of County Durham's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Durham, County Durham
Date created: 1800 - 1900
Watercolour painting of Neville's Cross
Eric de Mare
County Durham
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior view of Bladgrave's House in Barnard Castle from the street.
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Durham, County Durham
Date created: 1965 - 1979
A view from the footbridge looking across the lake towards Van Mildert College, Durham with one of the Tyne and Tees student accommodation blocks...
John Gay Collection: Counties
County Durham
Date created: Late 1940s - Early 1950s
View over a dry stone wall towards a partly rendered, rubble stone cottage with a slate roof and attached single storey building with a pantile roof,...
John Laing Collection
Durham, County Durham
Date created: 01 Aug 1972
A view along a corridor off an entrance to the life science block at Durham University
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Auckland Castle Park, County Durham
Date created: 1904 - 1908
A footbridge, known as the Green Bridge, over the River Gaunless at Auckland Castle Park
Walter Scott
County Durham
Date created: 1946
Looking through the nave of Durham Cathedral, showing the tall 17th century wooden font cover
Eric de Mare
County Durham
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of Barnard Castle bridge which was erected in 1596.
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Durham, County Durham
Date created: 1965 - 1979
A view from the footbridge looking across the lake towards Van Mildert College, Durham with one of the Tyne and Tees student accommodation blocks...
John Gay Collection: Counties
County Durham
Date created: Late 1940s - Early 1950s
A partly rendered, rubble stone cottage with a slate roof and attached single storey building with a pantile roof, probably in, or near, Barnard...
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about County Durham.
The Legend of King Arthur
Mentions Binchester Roman fort (Vinovia)
King Arthur was central to the legendary tales of medieval romance. Discover the places connected to Camelot, Tintagel, and the Battle of Badon Hill.
8 of England’s Most Beautiful Cathedrals to Visit
Mentions Cathedral Church of Christ and St Mary the Virgin
From Norman to Modernist, there are many different architectural styles on show in England’s cathedrals.
A Guide to Norman Architecture in England
Mentions Cathedral Church of Christ and St Mary the Virgin
Norman architecture is a style of medieval architecture built in England following the Norman conquest in 1066.
Rock Stars: 8 Women Who Broke New Ground in Geology
Mentions 21, Galgate
Women have always had inquiring minds, but have often had to fight harder than their male contemporaries for equal opportunities.
The Modernist Buildings of Engineer Ove Arup
Mentions Kingsgate Bridge
Ove Arup is considered to be one of the most important structural engineers of the 20th-century. Here’s our guide to his most significant work.
County Durham’s Historic Past in 10 Sites
Mentions Binchester Roman fort (Vinovia), The Saxon Church, Durham Castle and Cathedral
County Durham, situated on the north-east coast, is bursting with stories from its historic past.
6 Sites That Survive From the Age of the Steam Train
Mentions Stockton & Darlington Railway: Belts Gill embankment, lower part of the northern Etherley Incline
In homage to an iconic era of train-travel, we take a look at some of the most important listed sites associated with steam locomotives in England.
7 Decades of Listing
Mentions Shildon Signal Box
The List is a veritable treasure trove of the nation's history. From country homes to tomb stones, clock towers to rollercoasters, pie shops to piers.
The First 7 UK World Heritage Sites
Mentions Durham Castle and Cathedral
Discover the first UK sites to receive UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.
5 Things You Need to Know About Listing
Mentions Giant's Stride, west of The Old School, in former schoolyard
Listing is the term given to the practice of listing buildings, scheduling monuments, registering parks, gardens and battlefields, and protecting...
Mentions County Durham
For the past 40 years, the owners of Brancepeth Castle in County Durham have been tackling repairs to address previous neglect.
Restoring Brancepeth Castle
For the past 40 years, the owners of Brancepeth Castle in County Durham have been tackling repairs to address previous neglect.
England's Suburbs 1820-2020
Mentions County Durham
Historic England’s major national research project on the heritage of suburbs reaches its conclusion.
Historic England Acquires World-Class Collection Featuring Earliest and Finest Photographs of England
Mentions County Durham
An important collection of some of the finest earliest landscape photography of England has been added to the Historic England Archive.
Victorian Commercial Buildings in the Middlesbrough High Street Heritage Action Zone
Mentions County Durham
Researching an imposing Victorian commercial and civic legacy.
Research Reports Roundup to February 2024
Mentions County Durham
A roundup of new additions to the Historic England Research Reports database and a longer term overview of industrial heritage reports.
Historic England Awards £400,000 to Ushaw for Emergency Repair Works
Mentions Former Junior Seminary at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Former Junior Seminary Chapel of St Aloysius at St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, County Durham
Historic England has given £400,000 for emergency works to safeguard a fire-damaged former Catholic chapel in County Durham from further deterioration
16 Remarkable Historic Places Listed in 2023
Mentions County Durham
Take a closer look at the historic gems that were examined, protected and added to the National Heritage List for England in 2023.
World’s First Railway Station Awarded Upgraded Listing Status
Mentions The former Stockton and Darlington Railway's Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station and attached workers' housing, County Durham
Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station, thought to be the world’s first railway station, has been upgraded to Grade II*.
Celebrating the Bishop Auckland Heritage Action Zone
Mentions County Durham
Over the past five years, the Bishop Auckland Heritage Action Zone has demonstrated that heritage can be a powerful force for levelling up.
Bishop Auckland MP Shows Support for Regeneration of Historic Town Centre
Mentions Auckland Castle West Mural Tower and West Walls, Mcintyre
Dehenna Davison MP visits Bishop Auckland town centre to see how Historic England and Durham County Council are working together to develop the area.
Northern Souls – Down The Welly
Mentions County Durham
A new project funded by Historic England has captured the fond memories of a social club in the former mining village of Easington in County Durham.
Historic England Highlights Fascinating Heritage Sites Listed in 2022
Mentions County Durham
As 2022 draws to a close, Historic England highlights gems added to the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) over the last 12 months.
Funding for 57 New Projects Across England That Will Tell the Untold Stories of Our Nation’s Working-Class Heritage
Mentions County Durham
New Everyday Heritage Grants will fund community-led projects that aim to further the nation’s collective understanding of the past.
County Durham's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Wolsingham Ironworks, Wolsingham, Durham
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Charles Attwood founded an iron works in Wolsingham and patented a new method of steelmaking.
Wolsingham Ironworks, Wolsingham, Durham
Witton Castle, Evenwood and Barony, Durham
Period: Medieval (Middle Ages) (1066 - 1484)
Witton Castle probably dates from the late 14th century. The licence to crenellate was granted in 1410.
Witton Castle, Evenwood and Barony, Durham
Witham Hall, Barnard Castle, Durham
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Witham Hall dates from the late 1840s or early 1850s and was designed using classical architecture, in this case of the Ionic order.
Witham Hall, Barnard Castle, Durham
Winding tower, Murton Colliery, Murton, Durham
Period: 1990s (1990 - 1999)
South Hetton Coal Company installed the overhead Koepe Winder in December 1923 for the Murton Colliery.
Winding tower, Murton Colliery, Murton, Durham
Westerton Folly, Bishop Auckland, Durham
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This observatory tower dates from 1765. It was used at one time as a reading room and by 1924 as council offices.
Westerton Folly, Bishop Auckland, Durham
War Memorial, Tow Law, Durham
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
This war memorial was put up around 1919 in Wolsingham Road. It is in the shape of a life size figure of a soldier advancing with his bayonet fixed.
War Memorial, Tow Law, Durham
Walton Memorial, Ferryhill, Durham
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
This memorial to William Walton was put up in the Market Place around 1906 by the officials and workmen of the Dean and Chapter colliery.
Walton Memorial, Ferryhill, Durham
Village School, Barningham, Durham
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Barningham village school was built in 1875.
Village School, Barningham, Durham
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find historic places in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Brancepeth Castle, Durham,
A 14th-century castle built by the influential Neville family, with substantial Regency additions, offers public viewing of four principal rooms,...
Castle Curtilage ProjectAuckland Castle,
Auckland Castle is one of the best-preserved bishops' palaces in Europe, surrounded by extensive gardens and a 150-acre deer park.
Bounds Walls, Ushaw College
The Bounds Walls, Grade II*, designed by Joseph Hansom in 1852, enclose a playing field's north and northeast arcs, featuring courts for unique Ushaw...
West Mural Tower, Auckland Castle
The West Mural Tower, a Grade I Listed structure, preserves remnants of Auckland Castle's West precinct wall.
Discover more
Ready for more local heritage? Take a look at these other places nearby
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