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Town/City Name
Darlington
County
County Durham
Population
92,363
About Darlington
Another market town in Northern England is Darlington. This is the administrative town of the Borough of Darlington’s unitary authority. Tees Valley, which is a subregion to North East England, is included in the borough.
A big contributor to Darlington’s development is the construction of the Stockton and Darlington Railway which was the first steam locomotive powered permanent passenger railway in the whole world.
There are numerous things to do when going out in Darlington. There are a lot of castles and parks you can explore to know about the city. Some of the places tourists often go to include Raby Castle, Head of Steam, South Park, Market Hall and Clock Tower.
Many people visit the Raby Castle. This is an outstanding Medieval castle that was built in the 14th century by the Neville family. In this place, you can step back in time with its interiors, gardens, and collections.
Another reason why people visit the town is because of the fantastic restaurants in Darlington. There are impressive selections of food in the area that are influenced by cultures all around the world. From light snacks to fancy dining, Darlington has them all.
After eating and sightseeing, you should also check out the pubs in Darlington. There is a wide range of pubs and bars offering real ales and the finest champagne in the whole of the UK.
Moving on from food and places, there are a lot of famous people from Darlington, too. Some of them are the 1930’s football manager George Allison, The New York Times columnist Nick Bilton, author Aidan Chambers, footballer Tom Craddock and actress and singer Julie Rayne.
Places to eat in Darlington, Restaurants in Darlington
Places to drink in Darlington, Pubs and Bars in Darlington
A brief history of Darlington
Initially an Anglo-Saxon settlement, Darlington’s name came from the word Dearthington. This means the settlement of Deornoth’s people. The name, however, changed to Derlinton during the Norman times. As time passed by, it was known as Darnton.
The north of England’s one important church is situated in Darlington, too. This is St Cuthbert’s Church.
Darlington was still a small market town in the early 19th century. Later on, railway manufacturing prospered in the town. This was mainly because of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
The most famous clock tower was gifted by Joseph Pease to the town. The Pease family is one of the prominent families during the time, and the clock tower was given in 1864.
Additionally, in 1854, Elizabeth Pease Nichol opened the Darlington Mechanics Institute. After that, in 1860, the Old Town Hall and Market Hall was designed by Alfred Waterhouse. He was also the one responsible for Manchester Town Hall and he also designed London’s Natural History Museum.
In 1945, a farmland crash was done by William Stuart McMullen. This was caused by an engine catching fire during the training exercise, and McMullen as the pilot officer was left alone to control the plane and was killed. The renaming of Lingfield Lane into McMullen Road was done to honour him.
There were a lot of structures and locomotives created in Darlington. David Mach made a life-size brick structure of a steaming locomotive emerging from a tunnel in order to commemorate the contribution of the town to the railways.
Same-sex civil ceremonies were also allowed in Darlington. This was a notable milestone for the town for it is the first among England’s towns to allow this ceremony. This happened in 2001, and Darlington holds Gay Pride Festival annually to celebrate LGBT culture and for acceptance.
Popular things to do in Darlington
- Check out the garden and plant beds at Thornton Hall Gardens – http://www.thorntonhallgardens.co.uk/
- Explore the park at Raby Castle - https://www.raby.co.uk/raby-castle/
- Visit a place of worship and hospitality at Durham Cathedral - https://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/
- Take a picture at the water gardens in Paddock Farm Nursery & Water Gardens - http://www.paddockfarm.co.uk/watergardens.asp
- Know about trains and railways at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum - https://www.darlington.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/head-of-steam
Free things to do in Darlington
- Forget your worries at South Park – https://www.darlington.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/parks-and-green-spaces/south-park
- Ride different routes at Darlington Train Station - https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/DAR.aspx
- Admire the 20-year old David Mach's Train sculpture in Darlington - http://www.thisisdarlington.com/attractions/Darlingtons_Brick_Train.asp
- Step back in time by visiting and seeing Market Hall and Clock Tower - http://www.darlingtonmarket.co.uk/
- Discover different kinds of cheese at The Cheese and Wine Shop - https://www.cheeseandwineshop.co.uk/
Great for kids in Darlington
- Take part in different leisure activities in The Dolphin Centre – https://www.darlington.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/healthy-darlington/dolphin-centre/
- Flaunt your creativity at Create and Paint - http://createandpaint.co.uk/
- Use your imagination at Darlo Play Plaza - https://www.darloplayplaza.co.uk/
- Recline and relax at ODEON Darlington - https://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/darlington/?
- Meet your children’s party and play needs at Ruff N Tumble Adventure World - http://www.ruffntumble.co.uk/
Great for dogs in Darlington
- Killhope
- Beamish
- High Force Waterfall
Dog friendly bars
- Pennyweight
- ORB Micropub
- Darlington Central Working Men’s Club
Dog friendly restaurants
- The Tawny Owl
- Baydale Beck Inn
- Hole in the Wall
Did you know?
Darlington has been an engineering centre for a long time, and it specialises in bridge building. Some of the bridges built in town can be found in far areas like the River Amazon and the River Nile.
Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company’s headquarters can also be found in Darlington. This is a large engineering firm which has built the Humber Bridge, Tyne Bridge, Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The hidden gems of Darlington
A hidden gem in Darlington can be the relaxing walk people can take around the city. Explore the places and areas like the Greta Bridge that have inspired writers and artists to start their artworks.
You can also stroll through the Barnard Castle to the Blue Plaque Trail to step back in time and imagine the prominent figures of the past living in the buildings around.
Unique to Darlington
There are a lot of trails available in Darlington. You can cycle along the Tees Railway Path. This is a six-mile trail starting from Middelton-in-Teesdale to the breathtaking Cotherstone.
Another trail can be the Cockfield Circuit which also displays the industrial and agricultural past of Cockfield Fell.
