The City of Durham Trust

Other organisation’s plaques – Landscape

• Prince Bishops Garden, Botanic Gardens, University of Durham
  • The Prince Bishops Garden opened by Sir Peter Ustinov C.B.E. Chancellor of the University on the 8th May 1992. This garden has been developed by Durham County Council and the University of Durham as a reconstruction of part of the award winning gardens of County Durham exhibited by the County Council at Gateshead National Garden Festival 1990. Our thanks are due to the following sponsors: Community Industry; Redispace & Johnson Ltd; The Friends of the Garden; Northern Rock Building Society; Ready Mix Concrete Ltd; Forticrete Ltd
  • In the space now occupied by the cafe outside seating area there used to be six historical figures (of wood with a steel fretwork shadow) representing:
  • William of St. Calais (Bishop of Durham from 1081 to 1096, his shadow shows the Cathedral today)
  • Ralph Lord Neville of Raby (representing one of the main families of the County’s nobility, his shadow shows Raby Castle where his family lives)
  • John Cosin (Bishop of Durham from 1660 to 1672 who built the library at Palace Green, his shadow shows the Chapel which he also built at Auckland Castle)
  • George Stephenson (pioneer of the railways, his shadow shows the railway viaduct at Chester-le-Street)
  • A member of the Shafto Family (important colliery owners in the County, his shadow shows the pit head and winding gear at Seaham)
  • Sir James Laing (representing ship building on the Wear, he is shadowed by an image of Sunderland shipyards)
• Fearon Walk – located on wall near to Elvet Bridge end of walk
  • In the year 1883 the riverside walk between Elvet Bridge and Bow Lane was constructed and provided or public use through the efforts of the Reverend William Andrewes Fearon D.D. at that time Headmaster of Durham School
• Wharton Park Battery
  • Civibus hanc speculam visentibus salutem dicit Gul L W. AD MDCCCLVIII. [William Lloyd Wharton says greetings to the citizens who see this view. AD 1858
• Lime trees, County Hall
  • These lime trees were planted to commemorate 50 years of landscape architecture at Durham County Council 1949 – 1999. The plaque was unveiled by Cllr C. Magee Vice Chairman of Durham County Council 11th June 1999
  • DURHAM-MIYAGI Japan. Friendship trees. Planted by the Children of Escomb Primary School for the young People of Miyagi Prefecture “Growing and Learning Together”
• Caledcotes Circular Walk – Belmont sliproad bridge over A690
  • Parish Paths Partnership. The Caldecotes Circular Walk was launched here, along the course of Durham City’s first railway line on 18th June 1994. This special event in Belmont Parish Council’s centenary year marked the 150th anniversary of the opening in 1884 of the first main line south following ompletion of its final link throug Belmont Junction. The opening cremony by Belmont Parish Council Chairman, Councillor Mrs I. Lupton, J.P., was followed by a Durham County Council guided walk led by Vountary Countryside Ranger, Wm. C. Fawcett.
• Sheraton Park Field Interpretation Board
  • “Sheraton Park Field falls within an area circled by trees, previously known as the Howlcroft. When Neville’s Cross College opened in 1921, the field was a sloped area used for allotments … Later part of the allotment area was levelled to create a sports field for the College, and it merged with Durham Technical College in 1977 to form New College. In 2005, the College moved to a single campus at Framwellgate Moor, and most of the land was used for residential development … Ustinov College, part of Durham University, Moved into Neville House and the rebuilt Sheraton House.” The field is now privately owned, but the public can use the space for sporting and recreational purposes.
• Durham Riverbanks interpretation board – opening to the Dark Entry from the riverbanks
  • This beautiful landscape was first developed by the Durham Cathedral clergy in the late 1700s, creating a parkland setting for the Cathedral. ‘The College’, behind you, is where the Prebends (Canons) lived and continue to live now. This mysterious tunnel leads to the riverbank paths and to an 18th century pleasure garden …
• Witton Gilbert Bypass – next to bridge that takes Coach Lane over the A691 Witton Gilbert bypass
  • Wilton Gilbert Bypass. Opened on 4th October 1996 by Gerry Steinberg M.P. and Councillor Don Ross Chairman Environment Committee Durham County Council. Engineer & Designer David J. Newbegin MSc CEng PICE. Contractor Cumbrian Industrials Limited