Romaldkirk combines village history with connections to trails in Teesdale: the Tees Railway Path passes by the village, while the Teesdale Valley Walk starts here. Other features include listed buildings, a stone effigy in the church and the green valley of the River Tees near Romaldkirk, criss-crossed by dry-stone walls. This gives you a choice of distinct focal points for your stay: architectural history, landscape and walking.
Trails with different connections to the village
The Tees Railway Path is 10 km long and runs from a point west of Lonton, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, to Cotherstone. Along the way, it passes Romaldkirk and lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. By contrast, the Teesdale Valley Walk starts in Romaldkirk. The two trails can be considered in terms of different planning needs: the Railway Path has a defined length and named endpoints, while the Teesdale Valley Walk has a specific starting point in the village. If you want to choose a route based on its length and endpoints, the Railway Path offers that guidance. If Romaldkirk as a starting point matters to you, the Teesdale Valley Walk takes centre stage.
Village character and church history
Romaldkirk is known as a village with three village greens. Dry-stone walls cross the landscape in the green valley of the River Tees near Romaldkirk. The village settlement and the valley landscape are two distinct aspects of the place. You can take these differences into account when planning if the character of the village matters to your trip as well as the trails.
The Church of St Romald is a Grade I listed building. In its north transept, a stone effigy of Hugh Fitz Henry, who died in 1305, lies on a chest tomb. He is depicted wearing chain mail and carrying a shield. The so-called Devil's Door is also part of the church. The effigy offers specific points of connection to local history: its name and date of death sit alongside details of its location and depiction. This makes it possible to understand the church not only through its listed status but also through individual historical features.
Church Hall on The Square is a Grade II listed building and was formerly a school. This former use adds a distinct history of use to the church history. The two buildings thus represent different themes: the church, with its effigy and listed status, and Church Hall, with its former role as a school.
Construction period and materials
Romaldkirk Hall is a large house dating from around 1840. It is built of tooled sandstone rubble and has a Welsh slate roof and stone chimneys. The Field Barn also dates from around 1840. It stands 20 metres south of the Village Hall; its walls are made of sandstone rubble and its roof of blue slate. The two buildings can be compared in terms of their construction period and materials: sandstone rubble features in both descriptions, while the roof materials differ—Welsh slate and blue slate. Together with the church and Church Hall, these buildings illustrate different aspects of local history, from the effigy to the specific construction of the buildings.
Planning your stay
If you are looking for a holiday cottage in Romaldkirk, the mix of village history and trail connections can help you decide what to focus on. The trails offer different reference points: the length and endpoints of the Tees Railway Path, or the start of the Teesdale Valley Walk in Romaldkirk. For a stronger focus on cultural history, the Church of St Romald, Church Hall, Romaldkirk Hall and the Field Barn each offer their own details. Plan your visit according to which of these themes you want to prioritise during your stay.
Discover more destinations: High Etherley, Wycliffe, Headlam, Stanley, Hutton Magna, Sedgefield, Durham, Ebchester.
Go to the main travel overview: Durham.
