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Photo: Rob Farrow, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This was built as a Roman Catholic seminary from 1804, after the French Revolution drove the priesthood from Douai. Anti-Catholic persecution in England had eased, but there was still a risk of local agitation, so they pretended it was a secular country mansion and screened it behind high beech hedges. You'd think someone would notice that Pugin was the architect, and that many earnest young men in birettas were traipsing in and out, but the landowner was a sympathiser. It became the principal RC seminary in the north of England but closed in 2011. You can visit house, chapel and gardens, and it's sometimes an event venue.
Ushaw College is a former Roman Catholic seminary near the village of Ushaw Moor, County Durham, in Northeast England. Until 2011 it was also a licensed hall of residence of Durham University. It is now a heritage and cultural tourist attraction. The campus is known for its Georgian and Victorian Gothic architecture and listed nineteenth-century chapels. It now hosts a programme of art exhibitions, music and theatre events, alongside tearooms and a café.
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Crook Hall is a manor built early 14th century and expanded in the 17th and 18th. In modern times it was used as a wedding venue but went bust in 2020. It was acquired by the National Trust, who re-opened its gardens.
Built by the Normans from 1072, it was much altered in the 19th century, and is part of a World Heritage Site. It's now part of University College Durham, and can only be visited on a one-hour tour (hours vary) conducted by current students. Some of them reside within the original Keep, the oldest student accommodation in the world.
Durham bishopric was founded in 995 AD by monks from Lindisfarne, fleeing Viking raids, and bringing their holy relics with them. Early Norman bishops were of royal status - hence their title "Prince Bishop" - and they built the present cathedral from 1093. It's a magnificent structure, part of a World Heritage Site, with a soaring nave and 66 metre tower. The relics of Saint Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, and hundreds of ancient artefacts, are on display in the museum (M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su from 12:30PM, adults £7.50). The northwest (or "Galilee") tower is visited on booked guided tours, adults £7.50, 137 steps and a fair bit of pigeon poo. The cathedral is a working church, please respect services and private prayer, and there may be part-closures at short notice eg for funerals.
This building, opened in 2024 and run by Durham county council, is both a museum and the home of the county's archives. You can learn a lot about the local history here. It is free to visit and hosts a small café.