Shincliffe lies about 2 miles southeast of Durham City on the A177 between Durham and Bowburn. Village history, wooded hills beside the River Wear and two circular routes with stated distances and approximate durations give you several specific points of interest to consider when planning your visit.
Village Character and Landscape
Shincliffe Village is a linear village with narrow green spaces along the road. The view is limited at both ends of the road, giving the village an enclosed feel. It is set among the wooded hills beside the River Wear. Shincliffe Wood is a mixed woodland and provides a habitat for a variety of wildlife. The village layout and the woodland show different sides of the area: the settlement strung along the road on one hand, and a wooded habitat on the other.
Comparing Two Circular Routes
A leaflet dated 2012 lists two circular routes, both starting at The Seven Stars. “Old World Charm, Woods and a Racecourse” is 3 miles long and takes about 2 hours; “Railway, Watermill and Woodland” covers 2 miles and takes about 1½ hours. According to the information, the first route is one mile longer and takes around half an hour more. The names also highlight different features: both mention woodland, while one additionally highlights a racecourse and the other a railway and watermill. As the leaflet dates from 2012, check local route conditions before setting out.
Buildings and Historical Traces
Shincliffe Bridge is a Grade II listed road bridge dating from around 1826, designed by Ignatius Bonomi. The history of bridges here goes back further: a medieval bridge in Shincliffe stood about 100 yards upstream of the present bridge on the A177. The earliest known documentary reference to a bridge over the Wear at Shincliffe dates from 1242.
The Church of St Mary is a parish church in the Early English Gothic style. It was built in Shincliffe in 1851 during the local mining boom and designed by George Pickering. The chancel screen and reredos are particularly notable. A chancel screen is a partition within a church; a reredos is a structure behind the altar. Shincliffe Hall dates from around 1771 and was built for William Rudd.
Shincliffe Mill dates from 1303; grain was milled there until 1900. Shincliffe was first mentioned in 1085 under the name “Scinneclif”. The railway has several dated milestones, too: Shincliffe Station in the village opened in 1839 on the Durham & Sunderland Railway and was renamed “Shincliffe Town” in 1861. The Old Railway Station was built in 1844 by G. T. Andrews for the North Eastern Railway Company and was a former railway station with an integrated stationmaster’s house.
Discover more destinations: Tow Law, High Etherley, Shildon, Sedgefield, Shotley Bridge, West Rainton, Staindrop, Ebchester.
For the main travel overview: Durham.
