Barnard Castle

This historic market town is a natural centre for exploring Teesdale and the Northern Pennines. Set beside the River Tees, ‘Barney’ is recognised nationally as one of the 51 most historically and architecturally important towns in Great Britain. The town derives its name from Barnard Castle, founded in the 12th century by Bernard, son of Guy de Baliol, one of the knights who fought alongside William I. The castle played an important role in the defeat of the Northern Earls who rose against Elizabeth I in 1569. Besieged by rebel forces for 11 days, the castle was ultimately forced to surrender, but not before its resistance had provided time for Queen Elizabeth’s army, under the Earl of Sussex, to speed to York and force the rebels to flee. Many were executed and those leading families who had supported the plans to overthrow Elizabeth I lost their lands.

The castle ruins, with the imposing round keep overlooking the River Tees, have a gaunt beauty. Riverside walks wind through the woods that once formed part of the castle’s hunting grounds. County Bridge, a narrow arched bridge built in 1569, traverses the fast flowing River Tees close to the Castle. It formerly spanned the boundaries of two counties and the lands of two bishops, and illicit weddings were regularly conducted in the middle of the bridge, where neither bishop could object.

The town has an especially rich architectural heritage, with handsome houses, cottages, shops and inns dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The octagonal Market Cross is a most impressive building, which dates back to 1747 and has served numerous purposes such as courthouse, town hall and jail. Underneath the veranda (a later addition) a lively butter market took place. You can still see the bullet holes in the weather-vane, resulting from a wager by two local men in 1804, shooting from outside the Turk’s Head, 100 yards away, to determine who was the best shot. The building was fully restored in 1999. The Bank was once the town’s main commercial street; Blagraves house is the oldest inhabited building and it is here that Oliver Cromwell is reputed to have stayed in 1648. At the bottom of The Bank glimpses of the town’s industrial roots can still be found in Thorngate and Bridgegate. Weavers’ cottages have been converted into modern dwellings and grassy slopes cover the remains of riverside woollen mills.

A walk along Newgate will bring visitors to the Bowes Museum, one of County Durham’s great surprises and surely one of the most spectacular buildings in England. This magnificent French-style château was the inspiration of John Bowes, son of the Earl of Strathmore, and Joséphine, his French actress wife. The designer of the Bowes building was a Frenchman, Jules Pellechet, who apparently took his inspiration from the grand Town Hall in Le Havre. The couple’s love of the arts and a desire that people from all walks of life should be able to partake in such riches resulted in this superb legacy. Sadly both died before their dream could be realised, but the museum was completed and opened to the public in 1892. Today the museum, open daily at 10am, houses one of England’s finest art collections including paintings by Canaletto, Goya and Turner, as well as fine textiles, ceramics, glass, clocks and watches and antique furniture. . The most famous and best loved exhibit is undoubtedly the Silver Swan, a 230-year-old, beautifully crafted life-size mechanical bird that appears to pick up and swallow a fish to the backdrop of a tinkly music box. Set in 23 acres of parkland, the museum boasts a splendid parterre garden; a Tree Trail in the grounds highlights unusual trees from around the world. The museum is open daily from 10 to 5.