Durham is the county town of County Durham, it is a small city on the River Wear.
Durham has a great deal of architectural beauty lying along its cobbled streets. There are six hundred and fifty listed buildings that include a school, hospital, bridges and churches. The city centre is a conservation area.
The River Wear circles three sides of the city creating a peninsula. Three bridges lead to different parts of town cross the river.
Durham is a university town with plenty of restaurants many of which serve lower priced meals to accommodate students. There is also a good selection of pubs around the city.
Market Square and Crossgate are the two main shopping areas. There are a great number of shops in Durham and some of those are Fat Face, Lesley Hill, Options, Wallis, Van Mildert, Parkins, Frank Wade, Home Grown Baby and Popperts. There are also several large department stores such as Marks and Spencer and Bhs plus other High Street names.
There is also a daily Indoor Market selling a wide variety of goods from vegetables to records and toys to fabrics. A total of over 70 stalls and shops are in this Victorian market that has been open since 1851.
In the 19th century the town became a well known coat mining centre. It was in 1871 that the first Durham Miners Gala was held, it became very popular and is still held annually.
From Durham it is possible to have cruise along the river or if feeling more energetic rowing boats can be hired.
In June, Durham hosts the universities art week and the Durham regatta, there is also a Summer Festival.
Behind the market place at Fowlers Yard are The Studios. This is a great place to watch artists and crafters at work, to look round or buy some of the finished goods.
There are two theatres in the city with shows of comedy, music, dance and drama there is also a cinema and classical concerts are often held in Durham.
There is a lot of places to visit in Durham like the Durham Heritage Centre which shows Durham’s history including a reconstruction of prison cells.
There are several other museums to visit such as the Museum of Archaeology, Oriental Museum, Crook Hall and the Durham Light Infantry Museum.
Durham Cathedral is a very large impressive building built by the Normans. Guided tours (at a small cost) can be taken to ensure of getting the best information. The views from the top of the tower are terrific.
Inside the cathedral there are great carvings, for example the lozenge shape pattern is copied from prehistoric carvings never to have been seen before in a cathedral. Also take note of the Chevron patterns on the piers and the ribbed vaults.
Durham’s castle can only be visited by tours lasting around 45min during which a 15th century kitchen can be seen. It became a university hall and is still used as one but during the Easter and summer holiday’s rooms are rented out to the public at a reasonable cost. Below the castle are the wooded banks of the River Wear.
The Botanic Gardens have glasshouses, café, woodland and gardens to explore or just sit in.
Approximately eight miles from Durham is the Beamish Open Air Museum. It shows life during the 19th and 20th centuries. Go underground to explore mineheads or look round the working farm. There is a dentist and a public house to see or take a ride on an 1815 locomotive, this is a favourite with the children. Not everything is open in the winter months.
Available property for rent is at an average price of £470pcm for l bed flats, £600pcm for 2 bed flats, £455pcm for 2 bed houses and £550pcm for 3 bed houses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
