A Walk Through History

For far too many visitors to the UK, the cathedral city of Durham is only a lunchtime stop on the York-Edinburgh run or at best, a place to arrive late in the afternoon and leave after breakfast next day. 

This may work for first-time visitors but for those with a genuine interest in our shared history, this north east corner of England has so much more to offer with dramatic insights into what Roman Britain was really like at Hadrian’s Wall, the early arrival of Christianity and the Viking invasions on Holy Island and some fascinating castles and attractions which shake the dust off the history books. 

In medieval times, it was once the land of the Prince Bishops who ruled like kings over their frontier lands near the Scottish borders.  They had their own armies, courts, nobility and coinage and their fascinating legacy can still be traced today through a variety of different experiences which include:

Privately owned Raby Castle, built for the mighty Nevills dynasty, this great fortress stands proud and defiant with a history that goes back almost a thousand years.  It’s one of the most impressive in the country and their ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ gives you a glimpse into what life was like below stairs for the servants and how the lords, ladies and their guests lived in the grand State Rooms above.

Durham Cathedral one of the great buildings of Europe and set grandly on a rocky promontory next to the Castle with the medieval city huddled below and the river sweeping round the base of this World Heritage Site. They offer some really imaginatively themed tours on ‘Northern Saints’ (St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede are buried here) their Embroidery and Needlework collections and the Art of the Woodcarver.  Take a special tour, enjoy a cuppa and stay on for Choral Evensong.  I’ve been there, done that – it’s unforgettable. 

By contrast, at the award winning open air Beamish Museum you can experience a real sense of the past and discover what life was like in Northeast England in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian times. Beamish is a living, working museum, set in 300 acres of rolling Durham countryside and where costumed folk bring to life the Town, Pit Village, Home Farm and Pockerley Old Hall.  If you don’t fancy walking, there are vintage trams and buses that make travelling around the museum easier and even more exciting!

Heading for the coast, the Hartlepool Maritime Experience is a colourful and dramatic recreation of the sights and sounds of an 18th century naval seaport at the time of Nelson, Napoleon and the Battle of Trafalgar. Guides dressed in authentic period costumes help you to discover the conditions aboard a real British naval frigate two centuries ago and they bring to life the historic quayside of period shops and buildings in authentic architectural styles.  Not to be missed: a visit to HMS Trincomalee, the world’s oldest British warship.

For something totally unexpected, there’s also the Bowes Museum, a French château in the vibrant English market town of Barnard Castle.  It was purpose built in the 19th century by John and Josephine Bowes and a curator led tour is the best ways to see their outstanding and diverse collections of fine arts, delicate Sevres porcelain and 16th-20th century fashion including a superb collection of quilts.  Make sure you time your visit to see the performance of their famous Silver Swan.   It takes just 40 seconds and once seen, you’ll never forget it. 

If you look at www.railwaymusums.org you’ll discover a long list of ‘prospects’ for a customised UK tour based on visits to our own Heritage Railway Centres.  The list will invariably include the National Railway Museum in York and its County Durham based associate Locomotion in Shildon. Its the home of the first ever steam hauled passenger train which operated in 1825 and today you can see Timothy Hackworth's pioneering locomotive "Sans Pareil,” built in 1829 to compete in the Rainhill Trials along with over 70 vehicles from the National Collection. The site comes alive with a bespoke guided tour including footplate access to an iconic locomotive and a free steam ride if visiting on one of their many scheduled steam days.

Discover Durham is a group of visitor attractions working together under the ‘Durham’ brand to promote the county to the travel trade. www.discoverdurham.co.uk