Durham
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

County Durham is probably best known for its namesake county town. As well as possessing a medieval castle and cathedral that together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the City of Durham also claims to have the third oldest university in England, established in the 1830s. People lived in County Durham during various phases of prehistory, leaving behind cup-and-ring motifs on the boulders of Barningham Moor. The area later formed part of the border regions of the Roman Empire and today retains evidence for Roman military fortifications at places like Binchester and Piercebridge. The county’s medieval heritage ranges from Escomb Church, which is a very rare survival of the 7th century, through to the ruins of Egglestone Abbey, founded by the Premonstratensians in the 12th century. County Durham also has a proud industrial heritage, showcased at sites like the Beamish Museum and the North of England Lead Mining Museum.