The following website links and online resources are intended to provide a ‘quick find’ reference tool for researchers and enthusiasts in the fields of local history, archaeology, folklore and genealogy related to the geographical boundaries of the historically defined borders of County Durham. The links are listed alphabetically within the topics and subjects referenced below.
To save time users are invited to use the links category headings below to focus on a specific topics of interest .
- General Heritage Resources, Historic Maps, LiDAR Data & Organisations
- Local History Organisations
- Museums, Archives & Historic Sites
- Local Genealogy Organisations
- Local Archaeology Organisations, HERs, Projects & Resources
- Northeast Folklore Societies and Resources
- Historic Resources by Subject Matter
- Online County Histories, Reference Books & Reports
- Online Heritage Skills Training Resources
This page is continually being added to and updated. If you find any ‘broken web links’ or would like to suggest addition links to be included please e-mail our webmaster with information. This will allow us to grow and effectively maintain this resource links page.
1. General Heritage Resources, Historic Maps, LiDAR Data & Organisations
- Archaeology Data Service (ADS) – ADS is the leading accredited repository in the UK for archaeology and historic environment data.
- ArchSearch – Search ADS’s database of 1.4 million meta data records.
- Archives – Search ADS’s extensive collection of project archives.
- Library – Search ADS’s bibliographical records, unpublished reports and journal articles.
- ARCHI – A website for finding British Archaeological Site Data plus LiDAR & Historic Maps
- British Association for Local History
- Co-Curate – A curated collection of over 100,000 photos, videos & resources related to the North East of England and Cumbria.
- County Durham Forum for History & Heritage
- County Durham – A historical overview historical summary of the county post AD 1066. Provided as part of the Wilcuma website
- Durham County Advertiser – Online searchable copies made available as part of the commercial site – British Newspaper Archive (BHA)
- Durham Records Online – Durham Records Online is commercial website that provides record transcriptions from County Durham and Northumberland for genealogists and historians.
- DurhamWeb – The former home of the County Durham Forum for History & Heritage and the now decommissioned web resource .Durham in Time’. This Durham County Council run site is still active but is no longer being fully maintained or added to
- British Newspaper Archive (BNA) – This site is a partnership between the British Library and Findmypast. It contains the former’s vast collection of newspapers and is an excellent local history research tool.
- Britain From Above – An online archive of the Aerofilms collection. This collection includes 1.26 million negatives and more than 2000 photograph albums. Dating from 1919 to 2006, the total collection presents an unparalleled picture of the changing face of Britain in the 20th century. It includes the largest and most significant number of air photographs of Britain taken before 1939.
- England’s North East – This excellent website covers the history and culture of North East England featuring the historic counties of County Durham and Northumberland along with Northern Yorkshire. The site includes Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland and Wearside as well as the Tees Valley and neighbouring parts of Yorkshire.
- Heritage Gateway – This website allows you to cross-search over 60 resources, offering local and national information relating to England’s heritage.
- Historic England
- Website
- Durham Heritage Hub
- National Heritage List for England – Search facility to find listed buildings, battlefields, monuments, parks, gardens, shipwrecks and more.
- England’s Historic Periods – Listings and definitions of England’s standard archaeological and cultural time periods.
- National Archives
- Historic Maps of the the United Kingdom:
- ARCHI Website
- National Library of Scotland – Map Images – This is arguably the UK’s premier site for locating and viewing historic maps of the Great Britain and Ireland (Note 1).
- LiDAR Maps & Data:
- LiDAR map finder for England & Wales (ARCHI Website)
- LiDAR Finder
- LiDAR Map of England & Wales (House Prices Website)
- Internet Archive – Use the selection the radio button labeled ‘Search text contents’ on this search page to search, view and download millions of online scanned historic texts and books. A ‘must visit’ site for all local history researchers.
- Oral History Society – The Oral History Society of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
- Penbal – An independent North East history, heritage and culture website featuring stories, art, photography, historic maps, literature, archaeology and local viewpoints from across Tyneside, Northumberland and Durham.
- Place & Field Names:
- Survey of English Place Names – The Survey of English Place-Names, a British Academy Research Project, is one of the longest-running projects of its kind. Since the 1920s, the English Place-Name Society have been working on a county-by-county survey of England’s place-names, collecting the early forms of names from classical, medieval, and later documents and offering interpretations of their linguistic origins.
- English Field Names – A Dictionary – John Field’s classic first publication on the derivation and interpretation of field names in England. Originally published in 1973.
- Tithe Apportionments & Plans of County Durhams – A parish and township listing of tithe maps and apportionment records held in Durham University’s Special Collections Library.
- Victoria County History of County Durham – The Project. See Section 8 below for access links to individual online volumes
2. Local History Organisations & Resources
- Annfield Plain Local History Society – Contact Details only. Run by Anfield Plain Library (Durham County Council)
- Architectural & Archaeology Society of Durham & Northumberland (AASDN)
- Aycliffe Village Local History Society – Website only. Group no-longer operates.
- Ballast Hills Burial Ground Project
- Birtley Heritage Group
- Bishopton Heritage Group
- Blanchland Abbey Project
- Boldon Heritage
- Boldon History – The Boldons, Cleadon and Whitburn
- Bowburn Local History Society
- Brancepeth Archives & History Group
- City of Durham Trust
- Chester-le-Street Heritage Group
- Cleveland & Teesside Local History Society
- Consett & District Heritage Initiative
- County Durham Forum for History & Heritage
- Coxhoe Local History Group
- Crook & District Local History Society
- Darlington Historical Society
- Durham Amateur Football Trust (DAFT)
- Durham City
- Durham County Council Archaeology Department
- Durham County Local History Society
- Durham Mining Museum
- Durham Victoria County History
- Easington Colliery Heritage Group
- Evenwood, Ramshaw & District History Society
- Ferryhill History Society
- Fitzhugh Library
- Framwellgate Moor & Pity Me Local History Society
- Friends of St. Cuthbert’s Church, Billingham
- Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway
- Friends of Sunderland Museums
- Friends of Vindomora – Ebchester Roman Fort
- Gainford Local History Group
- Gateshead Local History Society
- Gaunless Valley History Trust
- Greenside Local History Group
- Hartlepool Headland Local History Group
- Hetton Local & Natural History Society
- History of Consett Steelworks
- Howden-le-Wear History Society
- Houghton-le-Spring Heritage Society
- Jarrow & Hebburn Local History Society
- Lanchester Local History Society
- Leadgate & District Historical Society
- Middleton St. George Local History Group
- Middridge History Society
- Memories of Leadgate
- North East Funerary Heritage Group
- North East Methodist History Society
- North East Vernacular Architectural Group
- North East War Memorial Project
- Perterlee History Group
- Ryton & District Local History Society
- Sedgefield Local History Society
- Shildon Heritage Alliance C.I.C
- Shincliffe Local History Society
- Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne
- South Shields Local History Group
- Stanley & North Durham History Groups
- Sunderland Antiquarian Society
- Sunderland Heritage Forum
- Sunderland Maritime Heritage
- Sunderland Volunteer Life Brigade
- Sunniside Local History Group
- Swalwell Local History Society
- Teesdale Record Society
- Tow Law & District Heritage Society
- Tudhoe & Spennymoor Local History Society
- Thorpe Thewles History Group
- Vedra Hylton Community Association
- Washington Heritage Partnership
- Washington History Society
- Wheatley Hill History Club
- Whickham History Society
- Winlaton & District Local History Society
3. Local Museums, Archives & Historic Sites
- Arbeia Roman Fort
- Barnard Castle
- Beamish Museum
- Binchester Roman Fort
- Brancepeth Archives
- Durham Cathedral Library
- Brancepeth Castle
- Durham Amateur Football Trust (DAFT)
- Durham Light Infantry Museum
- Durham Mining Museum
- Durham Castle – The history of Durham Castle
- Durham Cathedral & Castle (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Durham Cathedral & Castle (Historic England)
- Durham University:
- East Durham Heritage Centre – Home of the George Emlyn lifeboat
- Friends of Sunderland Museums
- Fitzhugh Library – The Fitzhugh Library was set up as a charitable trust in 1988 to maintain and expand an existing collection of local material, which has been made available to the public. The area covered by the library’s holdings includes the County Palatine of Durham before the 1836 ending of the Palatinate. This includes Bedlingtonshire, Crayke, Islandshire and Norhamshire. We also cover the Ecclesiastical Parish of Romaldkirk as it was before 1845 when Laithkirk parish was created.
- Hartlepool Museum
- Hopetown – Hopetown Darlington is home to a vast collection of over 30,000 objects including archives, vehicles, art, costumes, ephemera and furniture showcasing the history of the railways in Darlington and the wider North East region from 1825 up to the late 20th Century.
- Heugh Battery Museum
- Hylton Castle
- Jarrow Hall – Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village and Bede Museum
- Keys To The Past – This site unlocks the archaeological secrets of County Durham and Northumberland by providing access to a selection of records of the archaeology and historic environment of these counties, from the smallest Roman coin to the largest medieval castle, from the oldest prehistoric flint to more recent World War II pillboxes.
- North East War Memorial Project
- Preston Park Museum
- Killhope Lead Mining Museum
- Locomotion
- Raby Castle
- The Auckland Project (TAP):
- The Bowes Museum
- The Story (Durham) – The Story offers a gateway to the history of County Durham and its people. Bringing together our diverse collections of records and objects for the first time, The Story charts thousands of years of everyday life in the county. The Story incorporates the former County Records Office heritage collection and more.
- Tanfield Railway
- Teesdale Record Society
- Teesside Archives
- Tees Archaeology – Historic Environment Record
- Tyne & Wear Archives
- Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens
- Weardale Museum & High House Chapel
- Weardale Railway – The Weardale Railway is an 18 mile heritage line running from a connection with the main rail network at Bishop Auckland to Eastgate in Weardale, County Durham, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Currently a 16 mile section of line between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope has been restored for passenger and freight use.
- Wheatley Hill Heritage Centre
4. Local Genealogy Organisations
- Ancestry (United Kingdom)
- Annfield Plain Family History Society
- Ballast Hills Burial Ground Project
- Cemetery Research Group
- Cleveland Family History Society
- Durham Records Online – Durham Records Online is commercial website that provides record transcriptions from County Durham and Northumberland for genealogists and historians.
- Durham Records Office – The Story, Durham
- FamilySearch
- Findmypast (United Kingdom)
- FreeUKGenealogy
- FreeBMD – ‘Free Births, Marriages & Deaths’ is an ongoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales, and to provide free Internet access to the transcribed records.
- FreeReg – Provides free internet searches of baptism, marriage, and burial records. We are transcribing records from parish registers, non-conformist records and other relevant sources in the UK.
- FreeCen – Provides a free-to-view, online, searchable database of UK census returns.
- GENUKI – UK & Ireland Genealogy – This site provides a virtual reference library of genealogical information of particular relevance to the UK and Ireland. It is a non-commercial service, maintained by a charitable trust and a group of volunteers.
- Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
- Stockton Local & Family History Group – Facebook page of a very active group based in the Reference Library of Stockton-on-Tees.
5. Local Archaeology Organisations, HERs & Projects
- Altogether Archaeology – A group promoting awareness of the archaeological heritage of the North Pennines and the surrounding area; by the involvement of its members of all ages; in archaeological fieldwork and research. The group also provides opportunities for members to extend their knowledge of archaeological methods and practice by research, fieldwork and training.
- Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland (The Arch & Arch)
- Belief in the North East – A Durham University led community archaeology project
- Cleveland Industrial Archaeology Society
- CBA North – Council for British Archaeology – Northern Section
- Dive Into Durham – Underwater explorations in the River Wear in Durham City, between April 2007 and September 2023, have revealed an important multi-period underwater archaeological site yielding a significant collection of everyday material culture totalling over 14,500 objects. They have been recovered from the submerged riverbed by underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead through a systematic, self-funded, sub-aqua diving programme focussed in an area of the river close to the 12th century Elvet Bridge. This remarkable collection of typically small metal finds, known as the Durham River Wear Assemblage (DRWA), is already challenging the way in which we understand Durham’s past.
- Durham County Council Archaeology Department
- Durham University – Department of Archaeology
- Keys To The Past – This site unlocks the archaeological secrets of County Durham and Northumberland by providing access to a selection of records of the archaeology and historic environment of these counties, from the smallest Roman coin to the largest medieval castle, from the oldest prehistoric flint to more recent World War II pillboxes.
- Portable Antiquities Scheme
- North East Funerary Heritage Group
- North-East Regional Research Framework for Historic Environment
- Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne
- Tees Archaeology
- Teesside Archaeological Society
- Tyne & Wear Sitelines – HER website for the Tyne & Wear District
- Young Archaeologist Club – The Auckland Project branch
6. Historic Resources by Subject Matter
- Industry
- Agriculture & Milling:
- A brief over view of the history of Agriculture in County Durham
- North East Mills – An informative site comprising gazetteers, information and research related to historic water and wind mills (along with their millers) of northeast England.
- Mining & Quarry:
- Great North Coalfield Coal Mining History Timeline – An interactive online timeline resource offered as part of the Co-Curate Project.
- Durham Mining Museum – The premier coal mining and colliery history resource for the Great North Coalfield and
- Durham & Northumberland Coalfield – Facts and figures from ‘The Great North Coalfield’ as presented by the Northern Mines Research Society
- Lead mining in County Durham – A historical overview
- Maps of the Great North Coalfield – Post Nationalisation Operating Area Maps and collieries listings as presented by the Northern Mines Research Society
- ‘The Story’ – Online searchable catalogue of colliery records held by ‘The Story’, Durham
- ‘The Story – Hidden Depths ‘ – Online searchable catalogue of individuals associated and who worked within the Durham Coalfield. colliery records held by ‘The Story’, Durham
- Iron, Steel & Chemical Industries:
- The Imperial Chemicals Industry (ICI) Collection – Held be Teesside Archives
- ICI Billingham – Archive collection related to ICI Billingham held by the National Archives at Teesside Archives
- History of Consett Steel Works
- Ship Building & Engineering:
- Sunderland Built Ships
- Sunderland Maritime Heritage
- Tyne Built Ships
- We Made Ships – A comprehensive website covering aspects of the history of the shipbuilding Industry on the Rivers Tyne, Tees, Wear & Blyth
- Agriculture & Milling:
- Transport:
- Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway
- The North East Railway Association – The NERA’s website provides a useful starting point for those interested in the history of the NER
- The Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) – A brief history provided by Hopetown Museum
- Military, Defence & Remembrance:
- Durham at War – A Blog that maps the story of County Durham and its people in the First World WarBlog
- Durham Castle – The history of Durham Castle
- Durham Home Guard Records (1939-45) – Online catalogue of Durham Home Guard records related to County Durham held by the National Archives (NA). The NA also have created a useful online guide to researching Home Guard personnel
- ‘Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Records ‘ – Online searchable catalogue covering records relating to the DLI held by ‘The Story’, Durham
- Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum
- Durham Light Infantry (DLI) – National Army Museum
- Heugh Battery Museum
- North East War Memorial Project
- Religion & Faith:
- Sport:
- Poor Law Unions & Workhouses:
- Law & Order:
7. Northeast Folklore Societies and Resources
- Legends of Durham – Myths and legends from across County Durham.
- Within the Boggart Wood Podcast
8. Online County Histories, Reference Books & Reports
The following listing of online local histories and reference books is not exhaustive. Please feel free to e-mail us if you have additional links that you believe would be useful to include below.
County Wide Histories – Arranged by author or publisher in the case of the VCH:
- Hutchinson, William – The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
- Surtees, Robert – The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 1, Sunderland & District
- Surtees, Robert – The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 2, Chester Ward – Describes the 21 parishes and chapelries of Chester ward in the north of the county, including Gateshead, Jarrow and other parts of present-day urban Tyneside. Published online as part of British History Online
- Surtees, Robert – The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 3, Stockton and Darlington Wards – Describes the parishes of Stockton ward, and seven of the parishes of Darlington ward (the rest of which is detailed in volume 4.). Published online as part of British History Online
- Sykes, John & Fordyce, T – Local records : or, Historical register of remarkable events, which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed from the earliest period of authentic record to the present time; with biographical notices of deceased persons of talent, eccentricity, and longevity
- Victoria County History – Durham – Volume 2 – A part-volume covering the religious houses of the county. Includes an account of the early history of Durham cathedral. Published online as part of British History Online
- Victoria County History – Durham – Volume 3 – Covers the cathedral city of Durham, including an account of the cathedral itself. Also covers Stockton ward in the south-east of the county (bordering North Yorkshire) including Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees. Published online as part of British History Online
- Parish, Township & Town/City
9. Online Heritage Related Skills Training Resources & Service Providers
For presentations plus in-depth notes and training aids related to heritage skills training courses previously run by the County Durham Forum for History & Heritage, see the ‘Members Area’ of our website.
The following links and video tutorials have been selected by the County Durham Forum for History & Heritage as being useful training aids. Anyone wishing to recommend additional online heritage related resources can do so by e-mailing us with there details.
- Oral History Projects:
- The Oral History Society – The Oral History Society of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
- Field Name Survey Projects:
- Recording Fields Names using ‘FieldPapers’ – Part I’ – Instructive video. ‘FieldPapers’ software can be used in association with creating online GIS using UMap and OpenStreetMap (OSM)systems which are free source programmes.
- Recording Fields Names using ‘FieldPapers’ – Part II’
- Photogrammetry:
- Introductory Video by Simon Green (Luminary Photography CIC) – This introductory tutorial is based around the highly recommended free software package ‘KiriEngine‘. This is available as an easy to use mobile downloadable mobile phone application.
- ‘Creating Photogrammetry Models using KiriEngine and Uploading them to Sketchfab‘ – A highly recommended video tutorial on how to create heritage related 3D models using the free mobile phone application ‘KiriEngine‘ and then uploading the models for online viewing using ‘SketchFab’, which is also a a highly recommended free software package.
- ‘From gravestone to 3D model – photogrammetry and heritage‘ – A highly recommended video tutorial giving an example of recording heritage monuments in the field using the free mobile phone application ‘KiriEngine‘ and then uploading the models for online viewing using ‘SketchFab’, which is also a a highly recommended free software package.
- Website Creation using WordPress.Org:
- Using U-Map to create Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for the Heritage Sector:
NOTES:
- To down load a basic user guide to getting the best out of what this excellent website can offer ‘click’ here.