Venture into the woods opposite Allensford Country Park to discover a hidden relic of the industrial past. The blast furnace was used around 1700 and is the earliest surviving ore roasting furnace in Britain; once extracted the iron was sent to a steel forge further downstream which supplied the Shotley Bridge sword makers. Enjoy a […]

Derwenthaugh Park is a great place for a walk or bike ride with the whole family, climb to the top of Kite Hill and admire the views up the valley, across Nine Arches Viaduct. Imagine how this looked in the 18th century when Crowley Ironworks was employing over 1,500 men and was once the largest […]

Discover the story of cementation, a process which converted wrought iron to steel, at Derwentcote Steel Furnace, one of the few remaining examples of this type of furnace nationally. The furnace was built in the 1730s, it was later redeveloped as a steel-rolling mill and crucible steelworks before going out of use in 1891. The […]

Hollinside Manor is a 13th century manor house situated east of the Nine Arches Viaduct, on the edge of a steep brow with commanding views of Derwenthaugh Country Park and the surrounding countryside. It was the home of the Harding family for two centuries during which time the manor became known as the ‘Giant’s Castle’ […]

This railway viaduct is sited at a curve of the river and was built as part of the Consett Branch of the North Eastern railway. Originally a single line, it was widened to take a double track in 1905-08. Built mostly of sandstone with bricks beneath the nine arches it is 500 feet long and […]

A great day out for the whole family, this hidden gem includes a restored water wheel set in beautiful surroundings adjacent to the Blaydon Burn Nature Reserve. See how water power is harnessed to work machinery, find out why water being lifted up hill makes a knocking sound or become part of a sun dial. […]

There were once 193 beehive coke ovens, built in 1861 by the owners of the Victoria Garesfield Colliery to produce coke from coal mined at Victoria Garesfield and Watergate Collieries; they were the last to operate in Britain until 1958. There are only five complete and two partial ovens if you go and look today, […]