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 |  | Exploring your Local HeritageWhy your local heritage mattersWhether your interests lie in the distant past with the evocative remains of Roman forts and medieval villages, or in more recent times with the great houses of the 18th and 19th centuries and the remains of the lead and coal mining industry, you don't have to look far wherever you live in County Durham to explore your local heritage.A few phone calls, a conversation or two and you could find yourself discovering all manner of interesting places and information in and about your village or town. With a little effort and enthusiasm you and your community could contribute to the conservation, investigation and celebration of your local heritage all of which can lead to:
The past around usThe landscape of County Durham in common with much of the British Isles has been shaped by generations of human interaction with nature over many thousands of years. This has left innumerable traces in the landscape which include complex patterns and relationships of settlements, archaeological sites, historic parklands, ancient woodlands, field boundaries, roads and industrial remains. The particular conditions of geology and climate found in Durham adapted and exploited over the past several thousand years by people from Bronze Age farmers to 19th century industrialists have produced a rich, varied and unique county landscape.This landscape or built environment is made up of many elements from many different centuries all of which contribute to the environment of today. In truth no individual building, field boundary or archaeological site exists in isolation and while all elements of the historic environment are important to some degree for their own sake it is the fundamental contribution they all make to the character and quality of both rural and urban environments which has a cumulative value impossible to put a cost to. The conservation of the built environment and historic landscape is important for our quality of life, our links with the past, our education, and in helping to foster economic and community prosperity by providing an attractive environment to live in, work in or visit. Archaeological sites and monuments, historic buildings, battlefields, deserted villages, burial mounds, castlesArchaeological remains are a finite and irreplaceable asset often by their very nature highly vulnerable to damage and destruction and a sustainable approach to their long term management, investigation and conservation is essential to their survival. Such remains may be wide-ranging in their character, and involve single finds of prehistoric flint tools and medieval coins, or large sites such as castles, deserted villages and industrial remains. Many sites may be thought of as relic preserved landscapes such as the Bronze-Age enclosures and settlements of the Pennines. In time span, archaeological remains may date from any period within the last several millennia and include traces of both our distant ancestors and more recent events such as the mining industry and defences of the Second World War.A small number of the most notable and nationally important archaeological sites have been given statutory protection. The vast majority however rely on sustainable planning policies and land use for their continued survival, and perhaps most importantly the awareness and appreciation of the local community who through research, education and conservation can do many things to ensure a sustainable future for our past. Some facts and figuresCounty Durham has a rich heritage containing over:
As well as specific sites, Durham has a wealth of historic landscape features from drystone walls and hedges to the remains of medieval rigg and furrow agriculture (the wavy curvy surfaces you see in pasture fields). Individually each of these may be seen to have little value; collectively though they have an immense presence in the landscape. Only when they have been removed and replaced by blank flat fields and post and wire fences can you appreciate just how much character and diversity such ephemeral features provided in the landscape. Local heritage is not totally concerned with the built environment; many places and things gain their importance through the memories, customs and traditions of the local community. Sustaining local traditions, stories and even superstitions greatly enriches our lives and helps maintain the threads which bring communities together from the distant past to today and into the future. What could I do?Learning about your local heritage can have many benefits. The most important is appreciating how precious the historic environment around us is. Once you have gained an insight into your local heritage there are number of ways you may like to become further involved:
Where can I get information and help?There are a large number of organisations which are there to help protect, conserve and interpret the heritage of County Durham. They fall broadly into two categories: local government and national agencies; and societies, trusts and voluntary groups.1. Local Government and National AgenciesDurham County Council maintains an Archaeology Team and a Durham Studies Manager, both based at County Hall in Durham. The Archaeology team can offer advice and help on a whole range of heritage issues. They also maintain the Sites and Monuments Record, which is a database of sites, monuments and cultural heritage which can be consulted free of charge. The Durham Studies Officer is an excellent first point of contact for many aspects of Durham local heritage and culture. Archaeology Section Tel: 0191 383 4212 The county council also has a Design and Conservation section who can supply information and advice on historic buildings: The Durham Record Office contains a wealth of documentary information including historic maps, wills, aerial photographs, deeds, charters and population census information.
Countryside Agency
2. Societies, trusts and voluntary groupsCBA (Council for British Archaeology ) is a national umbrella organisation for all interested in our built environment and archaeology. The main office is in York and there is a regional group covering the North East and Cumbria.CBA Bowes Morrell House 111 Walmgate York YO1 9WA Tel: 01904 671384 or email [email protected]. The National Trust have a regional office covering Durham. The Trust owns significant areas of countryside in Durham especially along the coast. Voluntary groups based in different parts of the North East undertake research and provide work parties to help maintain parts of the Trust estate. The National Trust The Membership Secretary NEVAG (North East Vernacular Architecture Group): research, fieldtrips, lectures and publications on the historic buildings of the North East, be they grand or humble.
c/o The Secretary Durham County Local History Society: research, lectures, a regular news bulletin and a wealth of contacts and information. c/o The Secretary There is also a whole range of local history and archaeology groups specific to individual towns, districts and areas within the County. Information on these can usually be found at your local library. Alternatively contact the Durham Studies Officer at County Hall, listed above.
Technological helpIn these days of ever faster developing technology there are already several IT sources of information on local heritage available.The Durham Record is an easy-to-use database available in several libraries around the county which contains historic maps, over 10,000 historic photographs and archaeological records. Contact the Reference Library at Durham Clayport Library to find out more. Why not try surfing the internet? You will be surprised and probably flabbergasted at the amount of information available on local history. You may even find out that your town or village has a website created by an interested resident. Several places in Durham already do, such as Seaham, where you can find out about recent archaeological excavations. Internet access is available through many libraries in the county, usually for free. One thing to remember is that the internet has no editor and so much of the information you may pick up is often personal opinion and should not be treated as gospel truth! You can access several county council databases through the Internet, including the Sites and Monuments Record. Contact the Archaeology section and Durham Studies Officers at County Hall for more information. Case Studies
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