The Bowes Museum - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

A majestic and beautiful castle which was set on a high rock above the River Tees. It sits on the fringe of an attractive working market town also known as ‘Barney’ so there is plenty to do for families on a day out. The castle, an English Heritage property, was named after its 12th Century founder, Bernard de Balliol, and was later developed by Richard III whose boar emblem is carved above a window in the inner ward.

A rare example of an abbey that was temporarily converted to a manorial seat and later stripped for building materials when the aristocrats who owned it decided to build a much larger mansion nearby. The site buildings are protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and they are maintained by English Heritage.

One of the purest examples of the neo-Palladian villa constructed between 1725-1730. The house is well known as the original English home of the painting The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velázquez, now known in English as The Rokeby Venus. It was one of the iconic buildings which attracts a lot of tourists to enjoy the architectural b eauty and the surroundings too.

Bowes Castle is part of a small cluster of English Heritage sites in the south of County Durham. It was constructed to guard the strategic route known as the Stainmore Pass, and was occupied from the late 1st century AD to the late 4th century. The importance of this route and the crucial defensive position of the fort were recognised by Henry II who built the keep in the north-west sector of the fort.

Raby Castle isis a medieval castle located near Staindrop in County Durham, England, built by John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, between approximately 1367 and 1390. It was surrounded by 200 acres of lush green parkland, where herds of red and fallow deer live wild. Explore the park and amble around the ponds to spot plenty of wildlife that inhabit this remarkable setting.

Baldersdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in England, northwest of Barnard Castle. Its principal settlements are Hury and Briscoe. Baldersdale lies within the traditional boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The river flows through three reservoirs on the way: Balderhead Reservoir, Blackton Reservoir, and Hury Reservoir. Running roughly parallel to Baldersdale to the north is Lunedale.