Bill Bryson was quite taken by Durham, writing in Notes from a Small Island (1995), "Why, it's a perfect little city. If you have never been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It's wonderful." The compliment was returned in 2004 when Durham University made Bryson its Chancellor.
Understand
[edit]Orientation
[edit]The River Wear flows north through the city, making an incised meander which encloses the centre on three sides to form Durham's peninsula. At the base of the peninsula is the Market Place, which still hosts regular markets; a permanent indoor market, Durham Indoor Market, is also situated just off the Market Place. The Market Place and surrounding streets are one of the main commercial and shopping areas of the city. From the Market Place, the Bailey leads south past Palace Green; The Bailey is almost entirely owned and occupied by the university and the cathedral.
Durham is a hilly city, claiming to be built upon the symbolic seven hills. Upon the most central and prominent position high above the Wear, the cathedral dominates the skyline. The steep riverbanks are densely wooded, adding to the picturesque beauty of the city. West of the city centre, another river, the River Browney, drains south to join the Wear to the south of the city.
There are three old roads out of the Market Place: Saddler Street heads south-east, towards Elvet Bridge, the Bailey and Prebends Bridge. Elvet Bridge leads to the Elvet area of the city, Durham Prison and the south; Prebends Bridge is smaller and provides access from the Bailey to south Durham. Heading west, Silver Street leads out of the Market Place towards Framwellgate Bridge and North Road, the other main shopping area of the city. From here, the city spreads out into the Framwelgate, Crossgate, Neville's Cross and viaduct districts, which are largely residential areas. Beyond the viaduct lie the outlying districts of Framwellgate Moor and Neville's Cross. Heading north from the Market Place leads to Claypath. The road curves back round to the east and beyond it lie Gilesgate, Gilesgate Moor and Dragonville.
Name
[edit]The name "Durham" is believed to derive from Dun-holme which is made up from two parts, firstly dun which comes from the Brythonic language meaning hill fort and secondly holme which comes from the Old Norse for island. The legend of the Dun Cow and the milkmaid is where some believe the name derives from, the legend states that the monks carrying St Cuthbert's body were guided to the current site of the city in 995 by the Dun Cow and milkmaid. Throughout its history the city has been known by many names, the nordic Dun-holme became Duresme with the Norman Conquest, then became Dunelm in Latin which over time has morphed into the modern form, Durham.
History
[edit]The site of the city can be traced back to AD 995, when monks from Lindisfarne came to the high peninsular with the body of St Cuthbert to settle here, as the geography of the meander provided great strategic value. The church built by the monks only lasted around a century, when the Norman Conquest happened the current Durham Cathedral and Castle were built. Durham Castle is the only Norman castle keep to have never suffered a breach. The city has played a part in many key battles especially against the Scots, in 1346 the Battle of Neville's Cross took place where the Scots suffered a heavy defeat (located about 1 mile outside the city centre on the A690 towards Crook).
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Due to the city's location being so far from Westminster, the city had a great amount of autonomy with the Bishop of Durham having power similar to that of the monarch, the city fell under what was known as the County Palatine of Durham, which was the jurisdiction that the Bishop had control over from 1071 until 1832. Some of the powers the Bishop of Durham had included the ability to raise their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices, administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issue charters, salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins. Henry VIII curtailed some of the powers the Bishops had, and in 1538 ordered the destruction of the shrine of St Cuthbert. During the Commonwealth period (1649-1660), Oliver Cromwell sold Durham Castle to the Lord Mayor of London and the Cathedral was closed in 1650 in order to house 3,000 Scottish prisoners. This period, with the abolition of the Church of England, restricted more of the Bishop of Durham's powers. After the Restoration in 1660, a lot of the powers returned to the Bishops.
In 1801, the first census showed the population of the city to be 7,100. The Industrial Revolution did not have a great impact upon the city and mostly passed it by, however the city did have large manufacturing in carpet making and weaving. Production of mustard and coal mining were also very prominent in the city and surrounding county. Coal mining became the county's main industry until the 1970s. Many villages in the surrounding suburbs of the city were established for the purposes of sinking a coal mine, although these pits no longer exist due to regional decline in heavy industry, the community, spirit and passion surrounding the coal-mining heritage is still very strong in a lot of communities. The first Durham Miner's Gala was held in 1871 and was attended by 5,000 miners, it is still held annually (usually the 1st Saturday in July) and is now attended by tens of thousands of people (mostly with mining heritage and ancestry). The 19th century saw the creation of Durham University, which now has a large presence in the city with a lot of student accommodation in the surrounding suburbs.
Durham suffered heavily during the Great Depression, however the university during this time thrived and expanded. St John's College and St Cuthbert's Society were founded. From the 1950s to the 1970s the university expanded to the south of the city centre with the foundation of Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Collingwood and Grey colleges. The final addition to the university came in 1979 with the migration of the College of St Hild and St Bede. The city escaped the bombing during World War 2, with very little damage to the city and the creation of another legend known as 'St Cuthbert's Mist', which states that a mist fell over the city when the Luftwaffe attempted their bombing raids thus protecting the castle and cathedral.
UNESCO named 'Durham Castle and Cathedral' as a World Heritage Site in 1986. The wider county also features more UNESCO sites including Beamish Museum, Auckland Castle and Killhope - North East Lead Mining Museum.
Climate
[edit]Durham has a temperate climate, like the rest of the United Kingdom. At 651.1 millimetres (26 in) the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1,125 millimetres (44 in). Equally there are only around 122 days where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 154.4 days. The area sees on average 1445.4 hours of sunshine per year, compared with a national average of 1125.0 hours. There is frost on 51.5 days compared with a national average of 55.6 days. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 12.5 and 5.2 °C (54.5 and 41.4 °F) compared with a national averages of 12.1 and 5.1 °C (53.8 and 41.2 °F) respectively. The highest temperature recorded at Durham was 36.9 °C (98.4 °F) during July 2022.
Visitor Information
[edit]The Visitor Contact Centre is not open to the public, but can be contacted by phone (+44 3000 262626) or email ([email protected]). There are also multiple Visitor Information Points across the city:
- Durham Town Hall - Market Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3NJ. M-F 08:00–16:00.
- Durham Indoor Market - Market Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3NJ. 09:00–16:30, closed Su. - unmanned.
- Gala Theatre - Millennium Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 1WA. M-Sa 10:00–20:30, Su 14:30–20:30, closed bank holidays. - unmanned.
- World Heritage Site - Palace Green Library, 7 Owengate, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3HB. 10:00–17:00.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]1 Newcastle International Airport 
(NCL IATA) is 25 miles (40 km) north of Durham and approx. 7.7 miles (12.4 km) north of Newcastle. Most international destinations are Mediterranean holiday resorts, but year-round flights include Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris. Emirates fly from Dubai, with global connections. Domestic flights into Newcastle are from London Heathrow, Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Exeter, Jersey, Newquay and Southampton. Tyne & Wear Metro trains run from the airport to Newcastle Central Station every 12 min, taking 24 min. The overall journey time to Durham is an hour and costs around £16.
2 Teesside International Airport (MME IATA) near Darlington is closest, but is the less popular of the two airports which serve the city. It only has two to five flights a day, from Aberdeen, Alicante, Amsterdam; with other seasonal destinations including Bourgas, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Jersey and Palma de Mallorca. Its only public transport is the Number 12 bus which runs through Darlington six times a day. Travellers can also carry up to 2 litres of liquid through security at this airport.
Manchester Airport (MAN IATA) is approx. 150 miles (250 km) south, but it has a much greater choice of destinations, more competitive fares, and an hourly direct train to Durham (2 hr 30 min). Other trains, with similar travel times, have a change at York or Manchester Piccadilly. Single walk-up rail fare is around £62 but advance fares can be less than a third of this.
The various London airports have little to no advantage over Manchester, and they all involve getting from the airport into central London, before travelling north from London Kings Cross.
By train
[edit]Durham is on the East Coast Main Line and has excellent train services. Trains to Newcastle are frequent with journeys only taking 15 mins. LNER, CrossCountry, TransPennine Express and Northern services run from this station, the latter being quite infrequent. Southbound services run from platform 1 and northbound services run from platform 2.
3 Durham railway station is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) west of the city centre, but at a significantly higher altitude - walking to and from the centre involves staircases up the valley side or circuitous and still-steep roads. It's quite small: there's a car park, cafe, bar, shop, toilets and ATM but no left-luggage facilities. There are no ticket barriers at this station. It's linked to the scenic old town by the Cathedral Bus, (M-Sa 08:30–17:10, every 20 mins). An all-day ticket costs £1 (50p for under 13s). A taxi rank is present outside of both platforms.
| Operator | Direction | Destination | Via | Frequency | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNER | Northbound | Edinburgh Waverley | Newcastle | Hourly | 2 hr | |
| Sunderland | Newcastle | Daily | ||||
| Aberdeen | Dundee | Daily | Extended past Edinburgh Waverley | |||
| Glasgow Central | Daily | Extended past Edinburgh Waverley | ||||
| Southbound | London Kings Cross | Darlington, York, Doncaster and Peterborough | Hourly | 3 hr | ||
| Leeds | York | Daily | ||||
| CrossCountry | Northbound | Newcastle | Hourly | |||
| Edinburgh Waverley | Newcastle | Hourly | ||||
| Glasgow Central | Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley | Every 2 hours | ||||
| Dundee | Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley | Twice daily | ||||
| Aberdeen | Newcastle, Edinburgh Waverley and Dundee | Daily | Extended past Dundee | |||
| Southbound | Birmingham New Street | York, Leeds/Doncaster, Sheffield and Derby | Twice hourly | |||
| Plymouth | Bristol Temple Meads and Exeter St Davids | Hourly | Extended past BNS | |||
| Reading | Oxford | Hourly | Extended past BNS | |||
| Southampton Central | Oxford | Every 2 hours | ||||
| Penzance | Plymouth | A few daily | Extended past Plymouth | |||
| TransPennine Express | Northbound | Newcastle | Hourly | |||
| Edinburgh Waverley | Newcastle | Hourly | ||||
| Southbound | Manchester Victoria | York, Leeds and Huddersfield | Hourly | |||
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | Hourly | Extended past Manchester Victoria | |||
| Liverpool Lime Street | Hourly | Extended past Manchester Victoria | ||||
| Northern | Northbound | Newcastle | Daily | Morning, Weekdays only | ||
| Carlisle | Newcastle and Hexham | Twice daily | Morning, Weekdays only | |||
| Southbound | Darlington | Daily | Evening, Weekdays only |
By car
[edit]Follow A1(M), exit at J62 and follow A690 into the city centre. For the University campus south of the city, a faster route from the south is to exit at J61 and follow A177 through Shincliffe.
Park & Ride
[edit]If you're just here on a day-trip, use the Park & Ride service (P&R) on the outskirts of the city suburbs; the old city centre does not have very good infrastructure for driving or parking. Parking is free providing you use the P&R service. A bus ticket is £2 per person, and will be valid for the entire day. Buses run every 15 minutes.
The P&R sites are:
- Belmont, DH1 1SR (Route PR1), located just off A1(M) J62 and is clearly signposted - daily last bus 18:30.
- Howlands Farm, South Road, DH1 3TQ (Route PR2), located less than one mile after joining A177 at the A167 / A177 roundabout - M-Sa last bus 18:37.
- Sniperley, DH1 5RA (Route PR3), north of the city on A691 near the hospital - daily last bus 18:36.
P&R opening hours: 07:00–19:00 (Howlands Farm - closed Su)
PR2 is also frequently used by members of the nearby Stephenson College and Josephine Butler College on the Howlands Farm site, which can lead to crowded buses on the weekends.
Car parking
[edit]There are a number of car parks in the city centre:
- Operated by Durham County Council (Free parking after 14:00):
- The Sands (multi-storey, 277 vehicles) - Riverside Place, Durham, DH1 1SL. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between 08:00–22:00, 0–2 hours: £1.60, 80p/hour thereafter.
- Providence Row (19 vehicles) - Providence Row, Durham, DH1 1LH. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between M-Sa 08:00–18:00, 30p/30 mins.
- Sidegate (107 vehicles) - Sidegate, Durham, DH1 5SY. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between 08:00–22:00, 0–2 hours: £1.60, 80p/hour thereafter.
- Operated privately:
- Prince Bishops (multi-storey) - DH1 3UJ. 06:00–00:00. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
- The Riverwalk (multi-storey) - 1 Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4SL. Car park 1: 07:00–18:00. Car park 2: 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
- Walkergate (multi-storey, 500 vehicles) - 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
- LNER - Durham Railway Station (358 vehicles) - 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
It is advised not to attempt parking in the old centre or "Peninsula", as the streets are extremely narrow and offer almost no roadside parking spaces. The city centre does operate a congestion charge system between the hours of 10:00–16:00 (no charge on Sundays or bank holidays) in the Market Place, after leaving the zone you must pay before midnight.
By bus
[edit]National Express connects Durham direct to London Victoria, once per day (NX425) and one overnight (NX435), 7 hr. They also run to Newcastle (twice daily, 30 min).
Go North East Angel 21 runs between Durham and Newcastle every 30 min or so, taking about an hour. These run daily via Gateshead, Birtley (for "Angel of the North") and Chester-le-Street, between 16:00 and 00:00 and the Angel N21 runs F-Sa between 00:00 and 05:00.
Arriva North East 7 runs between Durham and Darlington every 30 min, taking about an hour.
Arriva North East X12 runs between Durham and Middlesbrough, M-Sa every 30 min and hourly on Sunday, taking 1 hr 20 min.
The new Durham Bus Station (opened Jan 2024) is on North Road, 200 yards west of the river, just south of the railway station.
By sea
[edit]DFDS operate an overnight ferry between Port of Tyne, North Shields (near Newcastle) and Ijmuiden near Amsterdam. 16 hr 45 min.
See Newcastle page for how to reach the ferry terminal: in brief, take the train between Durham and Newcastle, then the shuttle bus (£3.80 each way, 30 min) or Metro to the ferry.
Get around
[edit]Walk. The centre of Durham is compact and congested, driving is tedious and parking (other than that mentioned above) is effectively non-existent.
Durham Cathedral Bus runs Monday to Saturday between Durham train station and the Cathedral, with stops at Durham University, city centre and Durham Castle. Tickets are £1.00 for adults and 50p for children 13 years and under, concessions apply and a P&R ticket is also valid for this bus.
For visitors with reduced mobility there is a Shopmobility scheme from Prince Bishops Place car park (Level 1. M-F 10:00–16:00), but bear in mind that Durham's pavements are narrow and winding, and the streets in many places cobbled and/or steep.
See
[edit]
Peninsula
[edit]- The Peninsula is the neck of land in the loop of river, the oldest part of the city, dominated by the Castle and Cathedral.
- 1 Market Place is the pleasant square at the base of the Peninsula. The fine fellow mounted on a horse is Charles Vane (1778-1854), 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. He's not here for his dashing contribution to the Peninsular War under Wellington, but because he owned land around Durham. He was furious when the government banned child labour down his coal mines, as only a boy of eight was small enough to get into the thinnest seams. He went on to spend lavishly on his Londonderry property during the Irish Famine but gave only a measly donation to the relief fund.
- 2 Elvet Bridge
was built from 1160 with all due care and deliberation, as it took 80-some years to complete. It served the district of Elvet growing up across the river and replaced an even more ancient structure, so it was called "New Elvet Bridge" but that name now means the modern traffic bridge 100 yards downstream. - 3 Durham Castle, DH1 3RW, ☏ +44 191 334-3800. Built by the Normans from 1072, it was much altered in the 19th century, and is part of a World Heritage Site. It's now part of University College Durham, and can only be visited on a one-hour tour (hours vary) conducted by current students. Some of them reside within the original Keep, the oldest student accommodation in the world. Adult £5, conc £4.50, child free.
- 4 Framwellgate Bridge spans the river in two arches at the foot of Silver St just west of the castle. It was built shortly after 1400 when its predecessor was swept away in a flood. Silver St and the bridge are pedestrian-only.
- Archaeology Museum, Palace Green Library DH1 3RN (just north of Cathedral), ☏ +44 191 334-2932. Daily 10AM-5PM. Part of Durham University, this is a small but interesting display from prehistoric to early Medieval times. Free.
- Durham Museum and Heritage Centre, 40 North Bailey DH1 3ET (next to Cathedral), ☏ +44 191 384-5589. W-Su 11AM-4:30PM. This is in the 17th century church of St-Mary-le-Bow, next to the cathedral and often missed by visitors heading there. It displays town history from medieval times to the 20th century. Adult £5, child free.
- 5 Durham Cathedral, DH1 3EH, ☏ +44 191 338-7178. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. Durham bishopric was founded in 995 AD by monks from Lindisfarne, fleeing Viking raids, and bringing their holy relics with them. Early Norman bishops were of royal status - hence their title "Prince Bishop" - and they built the present cathedral from 1093. It's a magnificent structure, part of a World Heritage Site, with a soaring nave and 66 metre tower. The relics of Saint Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, and hundreds of ancient artefacts, are on display in the museum (M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su from 12:30PM, adults £7.50). The northwest (or "Galilee") tower is visited on booked guided tours, adults £7.50, 137 steps and a fair bit of pigeon poo. The cathedral is a working church, please respect services and private prayer, and there may be part-closures at short notice eg for funerals. Donation £5.
- 6 Kingsgate Bridge was the last structure designed by Ove Arup, at the height of the fashion for brutalism, and completed in 1966. So it's a striking design, won awards, and as a footbridge serves a practical purpose, but you won't call it handsome.
- 7 The Count's House is a Georgian folly, a cod-Grecian temple at the tip of the Peninsula. Józef Boruwłaski (1739-1837) was a dwarf who became a court favourite among Polish nobility, toured Europe, and was a talented musician. He retired to live in Durham where he knew the cathedral organist, and the folly may have stood in his garden. He's believed to be a pituitary dwarf as his proportions were normal; he kept growing to age 30 (reaching 99 cm tall) and lived to be 97.
- 8 Prebends Bridge near the tip of the Peninsula was completed in 1778 as part of a private driveway for the Dean of the cathedral to get to and from the office. It has a good view of the cathedral and was intentionally placed there for that vista.
Elsewhere
[edit]
- 9 Crook Hall Gardens, Frankland Lane, Sidegate DH1 5SZ, ☏ +44 191 383-1832. Feb-Oct daily 10AM-4PM. Crook Hall is a manor built early 14th century and expanded in the 17th and 18th. In modern times it was used as a wedding venue but went bust in 2020. It was acquired by the National Trust, who re-opened its gardens. Adult £8.50, child £4.25, NT free.
- 10 St Giles Church was completed in 1112 as the chapel of the Hospital of St Giles - some distance outside the city walls, as St Giles was the patron saint of "lepers" (their catch-all term for any disfiguring skin disease). It was re-modelled in the Middle Ages and the 19th century, and remains an active Anglican church.
- Elvet the district east of the river loop has many attractive Georgian and Victorian buildings, though it's mixed with modern structures and doesn't have the same charm as the Peninsula.
- University main campus is south of the Peninsula, easiest reached on foot via Prebends Bridge. It's modern.
- Palatine Centre on Stockton Road has displays about print-making, open M-F 9AM-5PM.
- 11 Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill Rd DH1 3TH, ☏ +44 191 334-5694. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa Su noon-5PM. Part of Durham University, this museum displays artefacts from across Asia and North Africa. Search their online data base for material not on display. Free.
- 12 Botanic Garden, South Rd DH1 3TN, ☏ +44 191 334-2887. Daily 10:30AM-4PM. 10-hectare woodland gardens run by Durham University, with many exotics. Adult £5, conc £4.50, child free.
- 13 Maiden Castle is somewhere under the thickets of a mound by the river, which may once have encircled it. It's dated to the Iron Age, which reached this far north by the 5th century BC, and may have been reinforced in the Middle Ages. The name "Maiden" usually denotes a castle that has never been conquered, but how would anyone know of its prehistoric campaigns?
- 14 The Story (at Mount Oswald), South Road Durham DH1 3TQ. This building, opened in 2024 and run by Durham county council, is both a museum and the home of the county's archives. You can learn a lot about the local history here. It is free to visit and hosts a small café.
Further out
[edit]- 15 Ushaw, Woodland Rd, Ushaw Moor DH7 9RH, ☏ +44 191 373-8500. Daily 11AM-4PM. This was built as a Roman Catholic seminary from 1804, after the French Revolution drove the priesthood from Douai. Anti-Catholic persecution in England had eased, but there was still a risk of local agitation, so they pretended it was a secular country mansion and screened it behind high beech hedges. You'd think someone would notice that Pugin was the architect, and that many earnest young men in birettas were traipsing in and out, but the landowner was a sympathiser. It became the principal RC seminary in the north of England but closed in 2011. You can visit house, chapel and gardens, and it's sometimes an event venue. Adult £8, child £5.
- 16 Brancepeth Castle, Brancepeth DH7 8DF, ☏ +44 191 378-9670. The earliest parts are Norman, but this is mostly an 1820-40s rebuild, a Victorian mansion with mock castellations. You visit by guided tours, dates and times vary but usually on Thursday. Adult £13, child £6.
- 17 Finchale Priory, Finchale Ave, Framwellgate Moor DH1 5SH, ☏ +44 370 333 1181. Daily 10AM-5PM. A chapel was founded in the 12th century as an outpost of Durham Priory, on the site of the Hermitage of St Godric. Over the following centuries it grew into a large monastery but was dissolved in 1536. The ruin is now managed by English Heritage. Site free, charge for parking.
Do
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- Walk the scenic meander on the River Wear, for great views of the cathedral. There are footpaths both sides.
- Gala Theatre & Cinema is on Millennium Square behind Walkergate Shopping Centre, Box Office +44 3000 266 600.
- Odeon Luxe is a larger cinema on Millburngate just west across the river.
- Prince Bishop River Cruises start from New Elvet Bridge and putter along the Wear for an hour, £12 in 2023. Dogs are allowed and there's a bar, toilets and wheelchair access. There's only a limited view of sights such as the cathedral, but it's a relaxing hour with droll commentary by the skipper.
- Brown's Boats are also at New Elvet Bridge. They hire rowing boats Apr-Sep, for £10 adult £5 child in 2023.
- Freeman's Quay is a sports and leisure centre next to Premier Inn, with gym, fitness classes and pool.
- Golf: nearby courses are Durham City, Brancepeth Castle, Ramside Hall and Cocken Lodge. The Shack is an indoor virtual course by the A1(M) junction.
- Durham University: If you or a family member might want to study at Durham, best way to find out more are the Open Days, with a chance to interview staff and current or recent students. Next best are the Discover Durham campus walking tours in October and November. And for a taster, take the virtual campus tour.
- 1 Diggerland, Langley Park DH7 9TT (in Riverside Industrial Estate.), ☏ +44 1634 711711. Feb-Jun Sep Oct: Sa Su, Jul Aug daily, 10AM-5PM. JCB-themed amusement park where you can take the controls of Dumper Trucks, Mini Diggers, Giant Diggers, and similar muddy monsters. Adult or child £26.
- Cricket: Durham CCC play at Riverside Stadium in Chester-le-Street.
- Football: Durham doesn't have a professional men's soccer team, but Durham WFC plays in the Women's Championship, their second tier. Their home ground is Maiden Castle (capacity 3000) on the University campus.
- Durham Pride has shifted from September to May, with the next probably on Su 25 May 2025, tbc.
- Durham Miners' Gala is on the second Saturday in July, with parades and similar demonstrations of solidarity. The next is Sa 12 July 2025.
- Durham Fringe Festival is probably next held on 23-27 July 2025.
- Durham Pride has shifted from September to May, with the next probably on Su 25 May 2025, tbc.
- 2 Kitt's Pool Room & Bar (Kitt's Pool Room), Unit 38b, Riverwalk, Durham, United Kingdom, DH1 4SL, [email protected].
Buy
[edit]- Indoor Market off Market Square is a trad Victorian hall with lots of stalls, open M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. On Saturdays it extends outdoors across the square.
- Near the market are convenience stores such as Tesco Express. Big stores such as Aldi are on the retail park east edge of town by A1(M).
- Gateshead Metro Centre is where locals do their "big shop". It's on A1 west of Newcastle, or change trains at Newcastle for Metrocentre, or take the hourly direct bus X22.
Eat
[edit]
- Bishop's Mill, Walkergate DH1 1WA, ☏ +44 191 370-8510. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-2AM. Central JD Wetherspoon with good food and ale.
- Vennels, 71 Saddler St DH1 3NP (by Market Square), ☏ +44 191 375-9635. Daily 9AM-5PM. Pleasant cafe for light bites in a vennel or alleyway.
- Café Cenno is upstairs in the Market Hall, with a vista of the railway viaduct and river on one side, and the market stalls on the other. It's open M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM.
- Pancake Cafe is at 11 Crossgate, at the junction with Neville Street.
- Undercroft Cafe is within the cathedral, open daily 10AM-4PM for light bites and lunch.
- Bell's serve fish & chips in the market place, eat in or takeaway, open M-Sa 11:15AM-8:30PM, Su noon-3:30PM.
- Stantons is a long-established fish and chips takeaway at 29 Neville St near the bus station, open M-Sa 10:30AM-3AM, Su 11:30AM-midnight.
- La Spaghettata is part of Fabio's, see Drink.
- 1 Claypath Delicatessen, 57 Claypath DH1 1QS, ☏ +44 191 340-7209. Tu W 11AM-4PM, Th-Sa 11AM-9PM. Quality bakery and coffee shop with inside and outside seating. Everything homemade, a bit pricey.
- 2 Zen, Court Lane DH1 3JS (off New Elvet), ☏ +44 191 384-9588. Daily 11AM-10PM. A popular Thai restaurant.
- 3 Faru, 29 Silver Street, Durham, England DH1 3RD, ☏ +44191 380 5451, [email protected]. £££.
- 4 Coarse, Reform Place, North Road, Durham, DH1 4RZ, ☏ +44191374 1123. ££.
- 5 Tealicious Tea Room, 88 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG. Tea Room - Great for afternoon tea £.
Drink
[edit]
- Durham has lots of pubs, inexpensive as they compete for student custom. Cheapest are the College bars but you need student ID to access those.
- 1 Fabio's Bar, 66 Saddler St DH1 3NP (50 yards south of Market Square), ☏ +44 191 383-9290. Daily 6PM-2AM. Lively place near the castle, with food, music and dancing.
- 2 Swan and Three Cygnets, Elvet Bridge DH1 3AF, ☏ +44 191 384-0242. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10:30PM. Pleasant riverside pub by Old Elvet Bridge. They only sell Sam Smith's range of ales, and prohibit using phones. Some outside tables though the river view here is just of Prince Bishops Shopping Centre.
- 3 Colpitts Hotel, 61 Hawthorn Terrace DH1 4EQ, ☏ +44 191 386-9913. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10:30PM. Another trad Samuel Smith's pub, likewise only serving that range and banning phones.
- 4 The Woodman, 23 Gilesgate DH1 1QW, ☏ +44 191 697-5369. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Friendly (and dog- and family-friendly) pub with beer garden and selection of independent local ales.
- 5 Victoria Inn, 86 Hallgarth St DH1 3AS, ☏ +44 191 386-5269. Splendid traditional pub with Victorian interior, highly rated by CAMRA. Also has rooms. Double (room only) £100.
- Loft is a late-night music venue at 15 North Rd near the bus station, open M W F 10PM-2:30AM,
- Ebony Champagne Bar is by Gala Theatre, open Tu-Su.
- 6 Old Toms Gin Bar, 33 Riverwalk, Durham, DH1 4SL, ☏ +44191 3293665, [email protected].
- 7 Tin of Sardines, 18 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA, ☏ +44191329 3667, [email protected].
- 8 Slug & Lettuce, Unit 7 Walkergate, Durham DH1 1SQ, ☏ +44191384 3564. ££.
- 9 The Boat Club & Tomahawk Steakhouse (The Boat Club), ☏ +44191386 6210. ££.
Sleep
[edit]
- Durham University has college accommodation during the summer holidays, including the castle.
- 1 Premier Inn City Centre, Freeman's Place, Walkergate DH1 1SW, ☏ +44 333 777 4669. Smart comfy central budget hotel. B&B double £100.
- Premier Inn Durham North is two miles north of town centre on A167, convenient for motorists.
- 2 Farnley Tower Hotel, The Avenue DH1 4DX, ☏ +44 191 375-0011. Welcoming 13-bedroom hotel in converted Victorian mansion. Tall guests should avoid the attic room. Dog-friendly. B&B double £120.
- 3 Travelodge, Station Lane, Gilesgate DH1 1LJ, ☏ +44 8719 846136 (premium rate). Durham used to have four railway stations: this one was Durham Gilesgate, whence the last passenger train departed in 1857. The former station house is now the Travelodge, a reliable budget chain. B&B double £110.
- 4 Bridge Hotel, 40 North Road DH1 4SE, ☏ +44 191 386-8090. Friendly pub and restaurant with rooms beneath the railway viaduct. B&B double £110.
- Forty Winks, 40 South St DH1 4QP, ☏ +44 191 380-3000. Beautiful Edwardian guesthouse facing cathedral across the river. Amazing decor, gets rave reviews. No children under 16 or dogs. B&B double £140.
- Radisson Blu, Framwellgate Waterside DH1 5TA (West bank of river, north of bridge), ☏ +44 191 372-7200, [email protected]. Smart reliable 4-star chain with 207 rooms just blow the railway station. The hotel has an Italian restaurant, two bars and a health club. B&B double £120.
- 5 Durham Royal County, Old Elvet DH1 3JN, ☏ +44 191 386-6821. 4-star hotel in Marriott chain, part dates back to the 17th century, modern amenities plus historic charm in a great location. Comfy and spacious. B&B double £100.
- 6 Ramside Hall Hotel, Carrville DH1 1TD (off A690), ☏ +44 191 386-5282. Spa and golf hotel near the A1(M) junction. B&B double £100.
- 7 Burnhopeside Hall, Durham Rd, Lanchester DH7 0TL (7 miles west of city on A691), ☏ +44 1207 520222. Relaxing comfy place in Georgian mansion. Basically B&B but can do dinner by arrangement. Dog-friendly. B&B double £140.
Connect
[edit]As of Jan 2024, Durham and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.
Go next
[edit]- Beamish is the North of England Open Air Museum, five miles west of Chester-le-Street. It has reconstructed buildings from around the northeast, and is big enough to run its own tram network.
- Angel of the North towers over the road and railway north to Gateshead.
- Newcastle upon Tyne is the throbbing heart of the North East, with excellent shopping, clubbing and art, and some surprisingly fine architecture.
- Locomotion is a branch of the National Railway Museum in Shildon, near Bishop Auckland, 20 miles south of Durham. The collection is mostly Victorian steam era.
- Barnard Castle is a pretty market town with a ruined castle overlooking the river Tees. It's on A688 25 miles southwest of Durham. The stand-out attraction is the Bowes Museum, in a vast French-style mansion.
| Routes through Durham |
| Newcastle upon Tyne ← Chester-le-Street ← | N  S
|
→ Darlington → Leeds |