Dispatches from the North: The Best of North East England

This week my parents are visiting me in England for the first time, and it is absolutely amazing. I am seeing some of these sites for the first time myself, so as it is very much the theme of this week for me, I  am presenting you with my “Best of the North East” review. In my slightly biased opinion, the North has much more to offer than the South. This is the place where the Scottish and English border has shifted back and forth over time, it was once the last frontier of the Roman Empire and has so many layers of history you could never explore them all in a lifetime. 

York

York, England – Photo from Flickr

Southerners will probably stone me for this, but I think there is no city in England that can compare to York. It has all of the things you want to see when you come to England, but sadly can’t find in abundance in London anymore. The town centre of York is surrounded by a magnificent town wall, with beautiful grand stone gates leading into the city. Inside the city walls you will find a maze of narrow streets that hasn’t changed much in the past several centuries. It is quite simply the most English city in England, and it is so well preserved and looked after. 

York Minster is also one of the most magnificent things I have ever had the privilege to behold. I have visited Notre Dame and the other great cathedrals of Paris and London, but York Minster tops them all. The Great East Window (currently under construction) is the largest medieval stained glass window in the world, and the other huge stained glass windows in the Minster are equally impressive. This church has a feeling of light and peace that is rare in medieval architecture. If you enjoy history and medieval architecture, York should be your next stop.

I can’t say enough good things about York. I think if someone could only visit one city in England, York is the place to go and really experience what England has to offer. 

Durham

Durham Cathedral – Photo from Flickr

Durham is similar to York, but smaller, quieter and a bit more traditional. Its incredibly hilly and cobblestoned, so it really gives you that experience of being in a historic English setting. It is less commercialized than York which means you will get a good experience but there are fewer museums and attractions and you simply must walk everywhere.

Durham Cathedral holds a special place in my heart. It is one of the few remaining examples of magnificent Norman architecture, so if you feel you have seen the same structure over and over again when visiting medieval churches, Durham Cathedral is the place to go if you want to see a different kind of architecture and want to experience a different part of history. There is so much history in this cathedral, and it feels like an incredibly personal local sanctuary.

Beamish

Beamish Museum – Photo from Flickr

I visited Beamish Museum for the first time this week and I was so impressed with it. It is an open air museum outside of Durham that recreates life in the early 20th and 19th century. They have recreated a 1913 miners village, and even take little tours down into the coal mine and you get an idea of the kinds of conditions they worked in. Attached to the mine  is a whole village where the mining community had a church, a school house and some little homes. There is a vintage tram that takes visitors up to a 1913 town, and many of the shops are functioning with reasonably priced goods. All of the characters you meet in the exhibitions are incredibly knowledgeable and definitely add to the experience. There is also a working farm where they actually have some very rare breeds of cows, sheep and chickens that are local breeds that would have been bred in the 19th and early 20th century which I thought was pretty amazing. I have been to places like this before, and I found this experience very authentic and really enjoyed it.

Newcastle/Gateshead

Millennium Bridge – Newcastle – Photo from Flickr

Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a beautiful city with lots to do. If you enjoy visiting a more urban setting, Newcastle is the place in the North East to visit. There are lots of things to do from Europe’s largest shopping center across the river in Gateshead to visiting some wonderful historic sites including The Castle itself which was built by William the Conqueror’s eldest son, and some remains of the original Roman settlement Newcastle was built on. You can find out more about tourism in the Newcastle and Gateshead area at http://www.visitnewcastlegateshead.com.

If you have come to England and visited the south a few times but are looking for something different, I would seriously consider venturing up here to the North East. There is so much history in this area, I have really only scratched the surface with this little review. If you have come to England and only visited the South, you are really missing a big piece of the puzzle.