Durham Viaduct and Riverside

Summary

The dramatic railway viaduct above the River Wear — a nine-arch Victorian stone viaduct framing the Durham Peninsula, with the river walk below giving views to the cathedral and castle on the promontory above.

About this location

Durham Viaduct carries the East Coast Main Line across the Wear valley to the west of the city centre — a nine-arch stone viaduct of 1857 designed by Robert Stephenson, rising 100 feet above the river level. From the riverside walk below, the viaduct frames the Durham Peninsula with the Cathedral and Castle silhouette above.

The riverside — Framwellgate riverbanks on the west and the South and Kingsgate bridges — gives walking routes below the peninsula with continuous views to the cathedral. The Elvet Bridge (1160) and Framwellgate Bridge (1400, rebuilt) give medieval river crossings at either end of the circuit. The river itself is a narrow, fast-flowing urban river in a steep-sided valley.

For productions, the Durham viaduct and riverside give a specific visual combination: Victorian railway engineering and medieval UNESCO World Heritage site in the same frame, in a northern English city that remains largely free of modern building intrusion in the river valley. Durham County Council handles filming permits for public spaces.