Barnard Castle is a small market town in County Durham in North East England. Dickens, Wordsworth and Sir Walter Scott were all inspired here, and it hosts a picturesque ruined castle, and the over-the-top Bowes Museum.
- Barnard Castle, Scar Top, DL12 8PR, +44 1833 638212. Daily 10:00-18:00. Was it really worth so many fights between the Scotch, the Normans and the Prince Bishops over this? The setting is grand, overlooking the river and bridge, and many authors have been inspired by its prospect and turbulent history. But it's hard to disagree with the 17th C new owner, awarded it by the Crown for not being treasonous like the previous owner, who took one look and decamped to Raby Castle 8 miles east (see Bishop Auckland). Adults £4.50, children £2.70, concs £4.10.
- The Market Cross (or "Butter Market") dates from 1747.
- The standout attraction here is the grandiose Bowes Museum, DL12 8NP, +44 1833 690606. Daily 10:00-17:00. County Durham's best attempt at Versailles, this late 19th C concoction houses blingy fine art by the metric tonne: El Greco, Goya, ceramics, tapestries, Canaletto, jewels, and on and on it goes. Be there for 2pm, when a mechanical silver swan whirrs into life, craning and preening its feathers then trying to catch a fish. Adult £14.
Barnard Castle, Scar Top, DL12 8PR, +44 1833 638212. Daily 10:00-18:00. Was it really worth so many fights between the Scotch, the Normans and the Prince Bishops over this? The setting is grand, overlooking the river and bridge, and many authors have been inspired by its prospect and turbulent history. But it's hard to disagree with the 17th C new owner, awarded it by the Crown for not being treasonous like the previous owner, who took one look and decamped to Raby Castle 8 miles east (see [[Bishop Auckland]]). Adults £4.50, children £2.70, concs £4.10.
The standout attraction here is the grandiose Bowes Museum, DL12 8NP, +44 1833 690606. Daily 10:00-17:00. County Durham's best attempt at Versailles, this late 19th C concoction houses blingy fine art by the metric tonne: El Greco, Goya, ceramics, tapestries, Canaletto, jewels, and on and on it goes. Be there for 2pm, when a mechanical silver swan whirrs into life, craning and preening its feathers then trying to catch a fish. Adult £14.
Barnard Castle is in the 01833 (+44 1833) dialing area and the DL12 postal area.
The main routes lead northeast to charming Durham, west to the Lake District, and south into Yorkshire: see especially Ripon and York.
The B-road up the Tees valley northwest passes Middleton-in-Teesdale, High Force waterfall, then crosses the moors towards Hadrian's Wall.