A comprehensive guide to County Durham, one of Northern England's most fascinating and architecturally diverse counties

This volume surveys one of northern England's most varied and rewarding counties. County Durham, flanked by the rivers Tyne and Tees, boasts Durham Cathedral, England's most impressive Norman church, located unforgettably alongside Durham Castle on the cliff tops above the River Wear. Exceptionally rich in Anglo-Saxon churches and sculpture, County Durham features the legacy of the brilliant culture of the age of Bede. Many of Durham's extraordinary castles remain inhabited, with palatial interiors from the Georgian and Victorian periods. In addition to fine gentry houses and stone-built market towns, the county also reveals the legacy of historic industries, including early railway buildings, collieries and lead mines. During the 20th century, a new generation of innovative buildings for culture and education at Gateshead and Sunderland emerged. Specially commissioned photography and maps complement an exceptional guide to this architecturally rich northern English county.