Stanhope – Moorland Landscape, Market History and the Weardale Railway

Stanhope combines the open landscape of the North Pennines National Landscape with notable traces of regional history and unique discoveries for a varied stay. If you are looking for a holiday cottage for a trip involving nature, culture and peaceful exploration, the town offers several starting points for planning your days.

Open Landscape and Unusual Discoveries

Stanhope lies amid open moorland. This setting gives the town a distinctly rural character and particularly appeals to travellers who do not want to spend all their time indoors. Stanhope is also home to a group of lime trees known as the Lime Tree Walk. The walk is therefore one of the local details that can easily be incorporated into a stroll without taking a major thematic detour.

One of the notable attractions is Stanhope's famous fossil tree. It is approximately 320 million years old and adds a geological dimension to exploring the town. Another special experience is Stanhope Ford: walkers can cross it using large stepping stones. Those travelling with children can use such tangible discoveries as an opportunity to vary the day's activities between landscape, history and small adventures.

Church, Market and Historic Local Details

St Thomas the Apostle Church in Stanhope was built by the Normans on Saxon foundations. For visitors researching their family history, the church provides information from the burial registers. This means a stay can also be combined with personal family research without having to devote the entire day to a single theme.

The market cross also plays an important role in the townscape. It is the only market cross in County Durham that remains at its original location. The cross commemorates the re-establishment of Stanhope's market in 1669 by Bishop John Cosin. However, the market's history goes back further: in 1418, Bishop Langley granted a weekly Friday market as well as two fairs on 6 May and 29 August. These dates form part of the market's historical development and show how long Stanhope was shaped by its role as a trading centre.

At the western end of the town stands the historic Stanhope Old Hall, near the beginning of the trackbed of the Stanhope & Tyne Railway.

Travelling on the Weardale Railway

The Weardale Railway offers a special opportunity to experience the region from a different perspective. It operates seasonal passenger trains along the 16-mile section between Stanhope and Bishop Auckland. If you would like to combine your trip with a railway experience, you should take the seasonal nature of the service into account when planning and fit the desired train journey appropriately into your stay.

Guidance for Choosing Your Accommodation

The Durham Dales Centre in Stanhope includes a courtyard with craft shops showcasing work by craftspeople from Weardale. It also offers an information point, a café, toilets and long-stay parking. When looking for a holiday cottage in Stanhope, you can therefore consider which combination is most important for your trip: open moorland and walks, historic local details, family history, crafts or a seasonal train journey.

More Destinations for Your Search

If you would like to consider other destinations in addition to Stanhope, you can find Shotley Bridge, Newton Aycliffe, Durham, Wycliffe, Seaham, Horden, Tow Law and Bishop Middleham here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Durham.