County Durham

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A county in north-east England. Its county town is Durham. Area: 2,676 sq km. Population: Around 872,000

It is a county of contrasts: the remote and sparsely populated dales and moors of the Pennines characterise the interior, while nearer the coast the county is highly urbanised, and was once dominated by the coal mining industry. The form of the county name is unique in England. County Durham's county flower is the Spring Gentian.

Geography

The county traditionally extends to the south bank of the River Tyne and includes Sunderland, South Shields, and Gateshead. It borders the counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the county between the Tyne and the Tees is the North Sea. Several exclaves have existed in the county's history, including Bedlingtonshire, Norhamshire, Islandshire (incorporated into Northumberland in 1844), and Crayke, now in North Yorkshire. The former area of Startforth Rural District was traditionally part of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The modern unitary authorities of Hartlepool, Darlington, and the northern part of Stockton-on-Tees are part of the traditional County Durham.

Major Towns

Barnard Castle, Billingham, Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Consett, Darlington, Durham, Eaglescliffe, Easington, Ferryhill, Hartlepool, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee, Seaham, Sedgefield, Spennymoor, Stanley, Stockton-on-Tees, Willington.

History

The palatinate of Durham arose by a process of slow growth from the grant of land made by King Egfrith of Northumbria to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. Guthred the Dane endowed it with the whole district between the Tyne and the Wear, stretching west as far as Watling Street, a grant confirmed by King Alfred of Wessex; and when in 995 the see was finally established at Durham, the endowment was again largely enriched by various donations.

Places of Interest

Auckland Castle, Barnard Castle, Beamish Museum, Bowes Museum, Causey Arch near Stanley, Durham Cathedral and Castle, Escomb Saxon Church, Finchale Priory, Hamsterley Forest, Hardwick Hall Country Park, High Force and Low Force waterfalls, Locomotion railway museum, No Place near Stanley, Pity Me, Raby Castle near Staindrop, Tanfield Railway in Tanfield.

County Durham Flag