Durham City Guide

Welcome to Durham, a captivating city located in the northeast of England. Renowned for its historic architecture, academic excellence, and stunning natural landscapes, Durham offers a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity. From its iconic cathedral to its scenic riverbanks and vibrant cultural scene, Durham invites you to explore its medieval charm, immerse yourself in its academic legacy, and enjoy its serene atmosphere.

History and Heritage in Durham

Step back in time and discover the rich history and heritage that shaped this area.

History and heritage within 10 miles of Durham.

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Finchale Priory | English Heritage
Finchale Priory | English Heritage
The very extensive remains of a 13th-century priory, founded on the site of a retired pirate's hermitage. Part of it later served as a holiday retreat for the monks of Durham Cathedral.
Auckland Castle Deer House | English Heritage
Auckland Castle Deer House | English Heritage
A charming Gothic Revival 'eyecatcher' built in 1760 in the park of the Bishops of Durham. It provided deer with shelter and food, and had grounds for picnics and rooms for enjoying the view.

Key sight seeing attractions include:

Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral

Visit Durham Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Romanesque architecture and breathtaking interior.

Durham Castle

Durham Castle

Explore Durham Castle, a Norman fortress now part of Durham University. Discover its history and take guided tours.

Durham University Botanic Garden

Durham University Botanic Garden

Discover diverse plant collections and scenic landscapes at Durham University Botanic Garden.

Crook Hall and Gardens

Crook Hall and Gardens

Experience the beauty of Crook Hall's gardens and explore the historic hall, offering a glimpse into medieval and Jacobean eras.

Durham Market Place

Durham Market Place

Visit Durham Market Place, where you can find local produce, crafts, and a range of eateries.

Durham Riverbanks

Durham Riverbanks

Stroll along the River Wear's scenic riverbanks, offering tranquil views and picturesque walks.

Music in Durham

Enjoy live performances, local gigs, and music festivals, celebrating a range of musical genres.

Music within 10 miles of Durham.

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Northern Kin Festival 2025
1
Aug
Northern Kin Festival 2025
Rock, blues, folk, indie, and much more in the beautiful setting of Thornley Hall Farm. The north's best kept festival secret is back for a 7th year.
Elvis Tribute Night - County Durham
21
Jun
Elvis Tribute Night - County Durham
Get ready for an unforgettable Elvis Tribute Night at Westlea Sports & Social Club
Soul & Motown Night - County Durham
20
Sep
Soul & Motown Night - County Durham
Join us on Saturday, 20th September 2025, for an electrifying Soul & Motown Night at Westlea Sports & Social Club, Seaham

History of Durham

History

Durham's history is anchored by its UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durham Cathedral, and Durham Castle. The cathedral's Romanesque architecture and the castle's Norman origins are emblematic of the city's medieval roots.

The city's history is intertwined with the establishment of Durham University in 1832, the third oldest university in England after Oxford and Cambridge. The university's collegiate system adds to the city's academic and cultural prestige.

Durham's history is anchored by its UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durham Cathedral, and Durham Castle. The cathedral's Romanesque architecture and the castle's Norman origins are emblematic of the city's medieval roots.

The city's history is intertwined with the establishment of Durham University in 1832, the third oldest university in England after Oxford and Cambridge. The university's collegiate system adds to the city's academic and cultural prestige.

The Picturesque Setting of Durham

Picturesque Setting

Durham's picturesque riverside setting is characterized by the River Wear, with the Prebends Bridge and Framwellgate Bridge adding to its charm. The Riverbanks Walk offers a leisurely stroll along the water's edge.

In recent times, Durham has embraced urban renewal while preserving its historic character. The regeneration of areas like The Riverwalk and Milburngate adds modern amenities to the city's landscape.

Thrill Seeking in Durham

For adrenaline junkies, dive into heart-pounding activities like zip-lining, bungee jumping, and more"

Thrill seeking within 10 miles of Durham.

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Hall Hill Farm
Hall Hill Farm
Farm for Children - Visit the farm to feed, see and stroke the animals, a great day out for children and schools: Hall Hill Farm

Travelling to Durham

By Car

Durham is accessible by road via major routes like the A1(M). The city provides parking options, including car parks within the city center.

By Train

Durham's railway station, Durham Station, offers direct services from London King's Cross and other major cities, making it convenient for travelers arriving by train.

Getting Around

Durham's city center is walkable, and public buses and taxis offer convenient options for traveling within the city and its surroundings.

Looking for somewhere more specific?

Acklam Aislaby Albany Annfield Plain Archdeacon Newton Arn Gill Aukside Axwell Park Aycliffe Aykley Heads Ayres Quay Ayton Bailiff Bridge Balder Balderhead Reservoir Bank Top Bar Moor Barkisland Barley Mow Barlow Barmpton Barmston Barnard Castle Barningham Beacon Lough Beamish Bearpark Beaumont Hill Bedburn Bell's Close Belmont Benfieldside Bensham Berwick Hills Biddick Bildershaw Bill Quay Billingham Billy Row Binchester Blocks Birkhouse Birtley Bishop Auckland Bishop Middleham Bishopsgarth Bishopton Bishopwearmouth Black Banks Blackfell Blackgill Burn Blackhall Colliery Blackhall Mill Blackhall Rocks Blackhill Blackley Blackshaw Head Blaydon Blaydon Burn Blaydon Haughs Bolam Boldron Bollihope Boltshope Park Booth Booth Wood Boothtown Bottomley Boulder Clough Bournmoor Bowbank Bowburn Bowes Bowlees Bradbury Bradshaw Brafferton Brancepeth Brandon Branksome Brearley Bridge End Bridgehill Brierton Brighouse Brignall Broad Carr Brookfield Brookfoot Brookhouse Broom Hill Broompark Brotherlee Browney Burdon Burnhope Burnhope Burn Burnopfield Burnside Butterknowle Buttershaw Butterwick Byermoor Byers Green Cargo Fleet Carley Hill Carlton Carr Hill Carrville Cassop Castle Eden Castle Street Castleside Castletown Catchgate Catherine Slack Causeway Foot Causey Charlestown Chester Moor Chester-Le-Street Chilton Chilton Lane Chilton Moor Chiserley Chopwell Chowdene Clara Vale Claremount Cleatlam Clifton Close House Clough Dene Clough Foot Clough Head Coal Bank Coalburns Coatham Mundeville Cockerton Cockfield Cold Hesledon Colden Coley Colliery Row Columbia Concord Consett Copley Copthill Cornforth Cornholme Cornriggs Cornsay Cornsay Colliery Cotherstone Cotton Stones Coulby Newham Coundon Coundon Grange Coundongate Cowpen Bewley Cowshill Coxhoe Cragg Vale Craghead Craigside Crawcrook Crawleyside Crimdon Park Cromwell Bottom Crook Crookgate Bank Crookhall Crookhill Croxdale Daddry Shield Dalton Piercy Dalton-le-Dale Dam Head Darlington Dawdon Deaf Hill Dean Bank Deckham Delves Dene Dene, The Deneside Dent Bank Denton Deptford Derwent Derwent Dipton Donwell Downhill Doxford Park Dunston Dunston Hill Eaglescliffe Easington Easington Colliery Easington Lane East Blackdene East Briscoe East Gateshead East Hedleyhope East Herrington East Kyo East Rainton East Stanley Eastbourne Easterside Eastgate Eastwood Ebchester Eden Vale Edmondsley Edmundbyers Egglesburn Egglescliffe Eggleston Eighton Banks Eldon Eldon Lane Elemore Vale Elland Elland Lower Edge Elland Upper Edge Elstob Elswick Elton Elvet Hill Elwick Embleton Escomb Esh Esh Winning Esperley Lane Ends Etherley Dene Ettersgill Evenwood Evenwood Gate Exley Fairfield Farringdon Fatfield Faverdale Felling Felling Shore Fellside Fence Houses Ferryhill Ferryhill Station Fir Tree Firth Moor Fishburn Fleming Field Flint Hill Follingsby Forest-in-Teesdale Foxton Framwellgate Moor Friendly Frosterley Fulthorpe Fulwell Gainford Garmondsway Gateshead Gaunless Gilesgate Gilesgate Moor Gilmonby Girsby Glebe Grange Hill Grange Villa Grangetown Grasswell Great Burdon Great Chilton Great Eppleton Great Lumley Great Stainton Greatham Greencroft Greenhill Greenside Greetland Greetland Wall Nook Greta Greta Bridge Grindon Halifax Hallgarth Hamsterley Hamsterley Forest Hardwick Harelaw Harlow Green Harperley Harraton Harrowgate Hill Harrowgate Village Hart Hart Station Hartburn Hartlepool Hartshead Moor Side Hartshead Moor Top Harwood Harwood Beck Hasting Hill Haswell Haswell Moor Haswell Plough Haughton Le Skerne Haverton Hill Hawks Stones Hawthorn Headlam Healeyfield Hebden Bridge Hedley Hill Heighington Helmington Row Hemlington Hendon Heptonstall Hesleden Hett Hetton Downs Hetton-le-Hill Hetton-Le-Hole Heworth High Dubmire High Dyke High Etherley High Forge High Friarside High Grange High Handenhold High Haswell High Hesleden High Leven High Moorsley High Shincliffe High Southwick High Spen High Stoop High Throston High Urpeth High Westwood Highfield Highroad Well Moor Hightown Heights Hill End Hill End Hill Top Hill Top Hillview Hilton Hinden Beck Hipperholme Hobson Holdsworth Hole Bottom Holmfield Holmside Holwick Holywell Green Hoo Hole Hooker Gate Horden Horsleyhope Houghton Bank Houghton-le-Side Houghton-Le-Spring Hove Edge Howden-le-Wear Hubberton Green Humbledon Hummersknott Hunderthwaite Hunstanworth Hunwick Hurworth Place Hurworth-on-Tees Hury Hury Reservoir Hutton Henry Hutton Magna Hylton Castle Hylton Red House Illingworth Ingleton Inkerman Ireshopeburn Iveston Jagger Green Keakham Beck Kebroyd Kelloe Kelton Kibblesworth Killerby Kimblesworth Kinninvie Kip Hill Kirk Merrington Kirklevington Knitsley Knowl Wood Krumlin Lady Park Laithkirk Lambton Lamesley Lanchester Lanehead Langdon Beck Langley Moor Langley Park Langton Lartington Leadgate Leamside Leasingthorne Leeholme Lemington Leven Lightcliffe Lindwell Lingfield Linthorpe Lintz Lintzford Lintzgarth Little Newsham Little Stainton Little Thorpe Littletown Lobley Hill Long Grain Longley Longnewton Low Dinsdale Low Eighton Low Etherley Low Fell Low Greenside Low Moorsley Low Thornley Low Walworth Low Westwood Lower Wyke Lowes Barn Luddenden Luddenden Foot Ludworth Lumbutts Lumley Thicks Lune Lune Head Beck Lydgate Lyons Maiden Law Mainsforth Maltby Mankinholes Marley Hill Marley Pots Marton Marton Grove Meadowfield Medomsley Merrybent Metal Bridge Mickleton Middle Herrington Middle Rainton Middle Side Middlesbrough Middlestone Middlestone Moor Middleton Middleton in Teesdale Middleton St George Middridge Midgehole Midgley Mill Bank Millfield Mixenden Monk Hesleden Monkwearmouth Moor End Moor End Moorside Mordon Morley Morton Tinmouth Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant Mount Tabor Mowden Muggleswick Murton Mytholm Mytholmroyd Neasham Nettlesworth Nevilles Cross New Brancepeth New Coundon New Herrington New Ho New Hunwick New Kyo New Silksworth New Town Newbiggin Newbiggin Newbottle Newfield Newfield Newlands Newton Aycliffe Newton Bewley Newton Hall Newton Ketton Nookton Burn Norland Town North Bitchburn North Close North End North Hylton North Ormesby Northlea Northowram Norton Norwood Green Nunthorpe Oak Tree Oakenshaw Oakenshaw Offerton Ogden Old Burdon Old Cassop Old Eldon Old Fold Old Lindley Old Quarrington Old Stillington Old Town Old Wingate Ornsby Hill Ouston Outlane Outlane Moor Ovenden Ovington Owton Manor Oxclose Oxhill Page Bank Pallion Pallister Park End Parkside Path Head Pecket Well Pelaw Pellon Pelton Pelton Fell Penny Hill Pennywell Penshaw Pepper Hill Perkinsville Peterlee Philadelphia Phoenix Row Pickering Nook Pickwood Scar Pike End Pike Law Pittington Pity Me Plawsworth Port Clarence Portobello Portrack Preston-le-Skerne Preston-on-Tees Priestley Green Pudsey Pule Hill Quaking Houses Quarrington Hill Quebec Raggalds Rainton Bridge Rainton Gate Ramsden Wood Ramshaw Rastrick Red Beck Redmarshall Redworth Rickleton Rift House Ripponden Rise Carr Rishworth Rochdale Canal Roddymoor Rodmer Clough Roker Romaldkirk Rookhope Roseworth Rowlands Gill Royal Oak Running Waters Rushford Beck Rushyford Ryburn Ryhope Ryhope Colliery Ryton Ryton Woodside Sacriston Sadberge Saltwell Sandy Carrs Satley Savile Park Scargill Scholes School Aycliffe Seaburn Seaham Seaton Seaton Carew Sedgefield Shackleton Shade Shadforth Sheep Hill Shelf Sheraton Sherburn Sherburn Grange Sherburn Hill Sheriff Hill Shield Row Shildon Shincliffe Shiney Row Shore Shotton Shotton Colliery Siddal Skerne Skerne Park Slack Slack, The Snaisgill Soulgill Beck South Bents South Church South Hetton South Hylton South Moor South Pelaw South Side South Stanley South Wingate Southowram Southwick Sowerby Sowerby Bridge Sowood Sowood Green Soyland Town Spennymoor Springwell Springwell St Anthony's St Helen Auckland St John's Chapel St Peter's Staindrop Stainland Stainton Stanhope Stanley Stanley Crook Stargate Startforth Station Town Steep Lane Stella Stillington Stockton-on-Tees Stone Chair Stoney Royd Stony Gate Stony Heap Street Gate Sulgrave Summerhouse Sunderland Sunderland Bridge Sunniside Sunny Brow Swalwell Tan Hills Tanfield Tanfield Lea Tantobie Team Valley Teams Teas Tees Templetown The Grove The Headland The Middles Thinford Thornaby-on-Tees Thorney Close Thornhills Thornley Thornton Thorpe Larches Thorpe Thewles Thringarth Tindale Crescent Todhills Todmorden Toft Hill Tollesby Toothill Toronto Tow Law Town Kelloe Townfield Triangle Trimdon Trimdon Colliery Trimdon Grange Tudhoe Tudhoe Grange Tunstall Tursdale Tyne Upper Brockholes Upper Town Urlay Nook Urpeth Ushaw Moor Usworth Vale Wackerfield Wainstalls Waldridge Wall Nook Walsden Walworth Walworth Gate Wardley Warland Warley Town Washington Washington Village Waskerley Waterhouses Wear Wearhead West Auckland West Blackdene West Butsfield West Cornforth West Herrington West Kyo West Lea West Park West Pasture West Pelton West Rainton West Vale West View Western Hill Westerton Westgate Westwick Wheatley Wheatley Hill Whickham Whinfield Whinny Hill White-le-Head Whitehills Whitton Whorlton Wickham Fell Willington Windy Nook Wingate Winlaton Winlaton Mill Winston Witherwack Witton Gilbert Witton Park Witton-le-Wear Wolsingham Wolviston Wood Side Woodham Woodham Burn Woodhouse Woodland Woodlands Woodside Wrekenton Wycliffe Yarm

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