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A collection of 21 walks around the towns and cities of Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham. Discover for yourself a wealth of architecture, history, culture and legend as you explore the streets, lanes and alleyways of the towns of North East England.
Town Trails Extracts
Here are a selection of short extracts from ‘Town Trails Northumbria’ to give you a flavour of how the book works and what information is included.
BARNARD CASTLE
“The focal point of the Market Place is the octagonal Market Cross, also known as the Butter Market or the Old Town Hall, with its pillared veranda. Built in 1747, this unusual building has been used over the years as the Town Hall, courthouse, fire station and a market hall where farmers’ wives sold dairy produce; note the two bullet holes in the weather vane, made in 1804 when two local men competed to see who was the best shot!”
ESSENTIAL WALK INFORMATION
TIME: 2 hours
TOILETS: Market Place and off Galgate.
START: The Methodist Church at the bottom of Galgate
CAFÉ: Several to choose from throughout the town.
PUBS: Plenty of choice – try the 17th Century Golden Lion.
PARKING: Long stay ‘pay & display’ car parks just off the Market Place in the centre of Barnard Castle.
INFORMATION: Barnard Castle Tourist Information Centre: 01833 690909
MARKET DAY: Wednesday
From the Methodist Church at the bottom of Galgate, head along Horsemarket (the main road) which soon opens out into the Market Place. Follow this down to reach the Butter Market (or Market Cross) in the middle of a roundabout.
Barnard Castle is a thriving market town serving the needs of the people of Teesdale as it has done since the 12th Century when it was granted a market charter. The wide curving main street, with its three distinct market ‘areas’ of Galgate, Horsemarket and the Market Place, are lined with elegant Georgian and Victorian houses with older buildings dotted in between. The wide and gently curving Horsemarket and Market Place developed alongside the outer ditch of the castle’s ramparts as the town of Barnard Castle grew hand in hand with the building of the stone castle. This street is a joy to walk along with its three-storey Georgian buildings, enticing alleyways and interesting shops, many still with their Victorian shop fronts.
DURHAM
Immediately before Prebend Bridge take the path down to the left to the river passing the Count’s House, however at the riverbank take the path to the right almost back on yourself. Follow this beneath Prebend Bridge, down passing the Old Fulling Mill and on to reach Silver Street beside Framwelgate Bridge. Turn right back up into the Market Place.
The small stone building with its four pillars is known as the Count’s House, built in 1820 as a folly for a house along South Bailey, although some stories claim that this was where the Count lived with his family! The name of this building comes from Count Boruwlaski who lived nearby, a Polish dwarf who stood only 39 inches tall. He travelled around Europe earning money by playing his violin and then, whilst in Vienna, he entertained Marie Antoinette. With friends in such high places, he travelled widely and became a renowned and colourful character mixing with ‘high society’, however, when he visited Durham in 1790 he fell in love with the city and decided to stay living here until he died at the age of 97!
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