Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle photos (34 available)
Barnard Castle maps (2 available)
Map of County Durham
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Barnard Castle books (1 available)
- 9 photos on Barnard Castle appear in 4 Frith books - View photos of Barnard Castle
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Barnard Castle and County Durham
Barnard Castle memories
Read and share memories of Barnard Castle and County Durham inspired by Frith photos
Soldiers Passing Out Parade
I remember so well Barnard Castle. My brother had his Passing Out Parade here when he was in the army. And mum, dad and myself we went to see him at the Castle. Lovely day spent. Many happy memories.
Contributed by Brenda Vanderwert
Bowes Arms Public House
The building on the right of the photograph with the sign above the door is, I believe, the Bowes Arms Public House. My 3xgt grandparents, Martin and Ann Bell, were the licencees. When Martin died in 1883 Ann took over the licence until she died in 1903 when her youngest daughter then took over the licence. Eventually Martin and Ann's granddaughter became the licencee until the Bowes Arms closed. My gtgrandmother was Martin and Anne's eldest daughter. My grandmother was one of Martin and Anne's grandchildren. I have many happy memories of spending holidays with my grandmother in Barnard Castle, staying with our relations in the Bowes Arms.
Contributed by Barbara Lennon
Postman standing on the corner of Galgate West with John Street
The Postman is believed to be John Blenkinsop.
Five of the entrances to ‘Barney’ have the word ‘gate’ (meaning ‘way’) in their street names. Galgate is the northern way into the town centre. In the 1880’s the then Local Board of Health was much concerned with making it a more dignified approach, especially as this was the first street to be seen by visitors arriving by railway train. This picture shows how well they succeeded. (The iron railings, enclosing trees, lawns and flower-beds, were removed during the Second World War for armaments.) Across the valley can be seen the old Roman road (from Bowes to Binchester), upon which a section of Galgate was built. Standing on the corner of John ...read more here
Contributed by Dave Charlesworth
County Durham memories
Soldiers Passing Out Parade
I remember so well Barnard Castle. My brother had his Passing Out Parade here when he was in the army. And mum, dad and myself we went to see him at the Castle. Lovely day spent. Many happy memories.
A memory of Barnard Castle contributed by Brenda Vanderwert
Extracts From Barnard Castle & County Durham books
The Gothic-arched County Bridge straddles what was the old border between Yorkshire and the Palatinate of Durham. Though it is now widely accepted that the bridge was built in 1569, there is a theory that the structure is in fact older, and that the date of 1569 refers to its restoration following damage received during the Rising of the North. The bridge was repaired and given new parapets following severe damage caused by flood waters in 1771.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
The Round Tower, or donjon, is also known as Baliol Tower. Almost 50ft high and 36ft in diameter, the tower is made of dressed ashlar sandstone and probably dates from the mid 13th century, when polygonal and round keeps were being built in preference to the more traditional rectangular ones.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
There was a time when Barnard Castle was one of a number of prosperous towns in the Palatinate; the others were Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton, Sedgefield, Staindrop and Wolsingham. In the 18th century, Barnard Castle was an important market town and woollen textile centre. Stone-built weavers’ houses, carpet weaving mills, and rope works all jostled for space along the banks of the river.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
The castle dominates the town. In November 1569, during the Rising in the North, it was held by Sir George Bowes, a loyal servant of Queen Elizabeth I, against a force led by Charles Neville, Sixth Earl of Westmoreland, and Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland. As the rising had popular support throughout Durham, Sir George’s garrison was suspect. Prior to surrendering, Sir George wrote that his command had been reduced to ‘a very hard dyett and great want of bread, drynck and water; which was our only drynck, save I myxed yt with some wyne. I fownde the people in the castle in continuall mutenyes, seaking to leape the walls and run to the rebells’.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
We are looking towards the Butter Market and Barnard Castle’s octagonal two-tiered Market Cross, which dates from 1747. It features an open cupola, Tuscan colonnades and a penthouse roof; the ground floor has open archways all the way round.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".