County Durham

It is increasingly commonly known that County Durham is one of the most natural beautiful and unspoilt areas in Britain, housing a wealth of easily accessable historic and interesting places to visit, including:-

Durham Cathedral and Castle – a major World Heritage Site – recently voted Britain’s most treasured national visitor attraction.

Tanfield Railway / Derwentside’s Causey Arch – house the world’s first railway viaduct.

Durham Dales – the scenic nature area – now a protected sanctuary for wildlife.

Killhope, home to the fascinating North of England Lead Mining Museum.

The Durham Light Infantry Museum, which also plays home to the Durham Art Gallery.

Bowes Museum – the breathtaking stately home.

Beamish "Award Winning" Open Air Museum in Chester le Street.

County Durham is also an excellent touring base for nearby Northumberland, Newcastle, Tyneside, the Yorkshire Dales and the English Lake District. Residential properties within County Durham include a whole range of cottages flats houses apartments and all manner of homes.

County Durham’s Roman History

In addition to the internationally renowned Hadrian’s Wall which lays through Newcastle to Carlisle, Derwentside is also able to proudly boast the presence of two Roman fortifications, laying along the historic "Dere Street" Roman Road, nearby Medomsley:-

Lanchester Roman Fort (Longovicium) fort is only 800 metres south-west of Lanchester village on road B6296 to Medomsley and Ebchester. Only a very small part has been excavated although there are plans to develop a European Community funded site whereby the entire Fort is excavated. On the surface, one can see on dry days the ancient Roman Road of Dere Street hiding just beneath the grassland, and a ground survey confirms the property remains protected just under the soil.

Ebchester Roman Fort (Vindomora),), the fort’s outline with turret and rampart can still be viewed along the A694 and within St Ebba's churchyard in Ebchester on the low road between Consett and Newcastle which also houses a Roman alter to the god Jupiter and an impressive selection of Roman stonework. It is from these ruined fortifications and the surrounding Roman walls, from which many of the current sandstone homes in Derwentside and Northumberland (including East Farm Mews in Medomsley) can be traced.