Whilst Durham town is a well deserving highlight of County Durham, it is by no means the only reason to visit. County Durham is an unspoiled northern county, defined by the calm ochre uplands of Teesdale and the empty but inspiring northern Pennines.
A county of charming, gentle villages and bustling independent market towns, rich in produce and rich in history. It is a county with an industrial heritage and its economy used to be almost completely based around iron and coal. Now however, it is a popular tourist destination with a World Heritage Site (Durham Castle and Cathedral) at its heart. Stretching from the North Sea Coast in the east to the North Pennines in the west, the county of Durham is bordered by Northumberland, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear.
Historically, County Durham was a liberty under the control of the Bishops of Durham - in 883 a Cathedral (containing the remains of St Cuthbert) was established at Chester-le-Street. In 995 the see was moved to Durham. In the 12th century Durham was part of the shire of Northumberland and in the 14th century it was declared a liberty.
Durham City is one of the finest in the UK and Durham Cathedral is over 900 years old and a world heritage site and the best example of Norman church architecture in the UK, featuring rounded arches and spectacular columns. Durham also has an incredible selection of galleries and museums, historic houses and ancient castles, from Barnard Castle to Bowes Castle, Whitworth Hall Country Park to Auckland Castle.
Also worth visiting are Durham University Botanic Garden, Eggleston Hall Gardens and the Bowes Museum. Further out there is the Derwent Walk that follows the former railway through the Derwent Valley and of course the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Pennine Way National Trail, some of the UKs finest trails, landscapes and views.
Fresh from her lively stint on Celebrity Apprentice, Dionne Warwick is set to hit the UK music scene! She's primed to perform her timeless hits and soulful classics for her many adoring British fans. Having made it to Motown stardom in the 1960s, Ms. Warwick has been a musical treasure for 5 decades. She gave us many hits through her own music and introduced us to the legendary talent of her niece, Whitney Houston. Dionne Warwick will share her music with her British audience with the grace and style she's known for the world over. This Motown legend will perform songs from her latest albu…
Darlington Civic Theatre, DarlingtonNow with their biggest and most talented cast of Dancers, Singers, and Musicians, Essence of Ireland combines breathtaking dance routines with the very best of Irish music, a touch of Irish craic, all cleverly woven into a heart-warming tale. Anyone Irish or otherwise, cannot fail to be mesmerised by this truly amazing show.…
Scouse comedian John Bishop was named best newcomer by BBC Radio Merseyside, winning the North West Comedy award for best stand-up in 2004. Since then he has been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award. His material is drawn mainly from life's experiences, from being a father to cycling around the globe, to playing semi-pro football and working as a night club bouncer.…
Durham Performing Arts Center, DurhamAfter a long absence from the live performance arena in the UK, British rock legends, Duran Duran, will return to their home market for a series of highly anticipated concerts in May 2011. The shows will mark the band's first European performances in support of their critically acclaimed, new album 'ALL YOU NEED IS NOW' (produced by Mark Ronson), and the start of a world tour that will last well into 2012. A nine track version of Duran Duran's latest studio record was first released exclusively on iTunes on December 21, 2010 and hit the #1 spot on download charts in 15 countries (including …
Joan Rivers is a talk show host and comedian who is also a fashionista. She is well known for hosting red carpet shows at award shows. She started her TV career in 1965 on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. She started off with a comedy act. In 1967 she landed a job at Candid Camera as a gag writer for the show. She landed a couple TV spots such as: "That Show with Joan Rivers" which only last 2 seasons from 1969-1972. Her first big screen debut was in Burt Lancaster's "The Swimmer" in 1968. After her show ended in 1972, she in many variety shows that headline Vegas. Also in the 70's she b…
The Sage, GatesheadHis legions of fans will be delighted that the ever-popular Neil Sedaka is visiting Britain again. Neil began penning hits over half a century ago. At the outset of his career in the 1950's, he was second only to Elvis Presley in terms of record sales. The Brooklyn born pop singer has an incredible repertoire of over 500 songs to his credit. Apart from those songs that propelled him into teenage stardom, there are hundreds of others that were smash hits for countless big names in the pop world from Connie Francis to The Carpenters to The Captain and Tenille. Neil spent his early song-…
Welsh singer, Aled Jones was born in 1970 and started his singing career aged 9 in Bangor Cathedral choir. Most famed for his cover version of 'Walking in the Air' from Channel 4's 'The Snowman', Aled has gone on to do further film soundtracks (eg. Santa Claus The Movie) and television and radio presentation (Songs of Praise and Classic FM). He has starred as 'Joseph' in Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical, sung for both the queen and the pope, has been a contestant on 'Strictly Come Dancing' and is now an author to boot!…
The Sage, GatesheadDescribed as Britains First Lady of Song, Joan Armatrading has been nominated for a Grammy Award on no less than three occasions. Possessing an extremely unique voice and strong rhythmical acoustic guitar, she is touring again in concerts that will delight audiences with her hits such as Love and Affection, Drop the Pilot and Lovers Speak.…
The Sage, GatesheadBorn in the war torn country of Georgia, Katie Melua moved with her family first to Northern Ireland, then England in search of a life more stable and secure. She made her debut as a singer-songwriter in 2003 and her first album 'Call off the Search' reached the number 1 spot with 1.8 million copies sold in the first five months. Her second album, 'Pictures' was released in 2007 and her latest 'The House' in 2010. Melua is a self-confessed 'adrenaline junkie' in her spare time!…
The Sage, GatesheadEnglish Folk musician Seth Lakeman was born and raised in Devon and along with his brothers Sam and Sean has played a variety of instruments and recorded folk music in their own band first of all. Seth's solo career was launched in 2002 when he released his debut album 'The Punch Bowl' to much critical acclaim. Subsequent album releases were; 'Kitty Jay' in 2004, 'Freedom Fields' in 2006, 'Poor man's Heaven' in 2008 and 'Hearts and Mind's' in 2010. Seth's instrumental range includes vocals, banjo, fiddle, viola and guitar.…
Kathryn WilliamsSunday, 03 June 2012Folk And World Music - watch Kathryn Williams live at The Sage in Gateshead, Durham on the Sunday, 03 June 2012. Compare ticket prices and save on the best seats in the house!
Other concerts, music and gigs in Durham are:
Mumford and Sons6 Jun, GatesheadMary Black8 Jun, GatesheadPennine Fells Music Evening Gig16 Jun, WeardaleEric Johnson8 Jul, GatesheadAlan Jackson27 Jul, StocktonGeorge Jones18 Aug, DurhamDuran Duran21 Aug, DurhamPlainsong13 Sep, GatesheadDarren Hayes21 Sep, GatesheadNeil Sedaka6 Oct, Gateshead
Car Boot Sales
Sport in Durham
Bishop Auckland Town HallOur spotlight theatre/performing arts centre of the week is Bishop Auckland Town Hall, located in Bishop Auckland. See what shows and performances are on this week at Bishop Auckland Town Hall.
Darlington Railway Centre and MuseumDarlington Railway Centre & Museum is located on the 1825 route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the world's first steam-worked public railway. The site encompasses three significant Stockton & Darlington Railway buildings of the 1830s/50s: North Road Passenger Station, the Goods Shed and Hope…Location: Darlington
Some other fun family days out in Durham are:
Butterfly World LtdTimothy Hackworth Victorian and Railway MuseumBoundary Cottage FarmAllensford Country ParkWeardale Museum and High House ChapelNational Railway Museum at ShildonLow Barns Nature ReserveDurham Dales CentreBeamish, The North of England Open Air MuseumUniversity of Durham Oriental MuseumWhitworth Hall Country ParkBishop Auckland Discovery CentreThe Bowes MuseumUniversity of Durham Botanic Garden
Otter Trust North Pennine ReserveSituated in a beautiful location on the banks of the River Waveney, the Trustās Centre at Earsham gives visitors an rare opportunity to see Otters, mostly bred at the Trust,at close quarters, together with other wetland wildlife in natural and semi-natural surroundings.. Visit the Otter Trust's C…Location: Bowes
Some other notable historic attractions in Durham are:
Bowes CastleTow Law Beehive Coke OvensDurham CastleTimothy Hackworth Victorian and Railway MuseumBowes CastleBarnard CastleAuckland CastleDurham Light Infantry MuseumThe Bowes MuseumThorpe Farm Peel HouseHartlepool Maritime ExperienceBishop Auckland Discovery CentreBeamish, The North of England Open Air MuseumAuckland Castle
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Buying tickets onlineUsing the web to buy theatre, concert, comedy or sports tickets isn't easy, and there are many pitfalls to purchasing tickets off the web. We give you a brief overview to ensure that you buy your tickets safely and securely.
