New road signs marking the historic border between the North Riding of Yorkshire and County Durham will be ceremonially unveiled at County Bridge, between Barnard Castle and Startforth, on Monday 15 June at 12.15pm.
The event has been organised by the Historic Counties Trust and the Yorkshire Ridings Society, with the signs erected by Durham County Council. The unveiling will be performed by Councillor Robbie Rodiss, Chairman of Durham County Council.
Representatives from the Historic Counties Trust, the Yorkshire Ridings Society, Durham County Council and local dignitaries will gather at County Bridge on Bridgegate in Barnard Castle from noon, with the ceremony beginning promptly at 12.15pm. It is expected to conclude at around 12.30pm, followed by a celebratory gathering at the Old Well Inn.
Durham County Council is erecting Historic North Riding of Yorkshire and Historic County Durham signs at six bridges over the River Tees: Winston Bridge, Worlton Suspension Bridge, Egglestone Abbey Bridge, County Bridge, Eggleston Bridge and Middleton Bridge.
The council has also erected Historic North Riding of Yorkshire and Historic Westmorland signs at the county border at Ley Seat Edge. All signs have been paid for by the Historic Counties Trust.
Peter Boyce of the Historic Counties Trust said:
Could one even imagine our country without Yorkshire and County Durham? Not just beloved by the people who call them home, but by all Britons. We are very grateful to Durham County Council for marking the ancient border between them and to Councillor Rodiss for unveiling the new signs at County Bridge.
Nigel Wilkin of the Yorkshire Ridings Society said:
The River Tees has marked the border between County Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire for over a thousand years. Despite the indelible place of our two great counties in our history and our hearts, this border has not been properly marked for over 50 years. We are overjoyed to see this omission rectified.
A spokesperson for the Historic Counties Institute said:
This is a wonderful moment for everyone who cares about the historic counties and the enduring identity of our towns, villages and landscapes. The River Tees is one of the great county boundaries of northern England, and seeing it properly recognised on the road network once again is both practical and deeply symbolic. We warmly congratulate the Historic Counties Trust, the Yorkshire Ridings Society, Durham County Council and everyone involved in bringing this about.
The new signs are part of a wider effort to restore visible recognition of historic county borders on the road network, particularly across Yorkshire’s riding borders and, as funding and cooperation from local authorities allow, across other historic county boundaries too.
Peter Boyce also paid tribute to Councillor Ross Patterson, whose support helped make the project possible:
We also wish to warmly thank Councillor Ross Patterson. During his year as the ceremonial mayor of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Ross raised over £14,000 for the erection of historic county road signs and kindly donated that money to the Historic Counties Trust. Some of this money has funded these signs.
At Councillor Patterson’s suggestion, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has already erected North Riding of Yorkshire and County Durham signs at most crossings of the River Tees in its area.
The Historic Counties Institute welcomes this further recognition of the historic counties and congratulates the Historic Counties Trust, the Yorkshire Ridings Society, Durham County Council, Councillor Rodiss and Councillor Patterson on this important and encouraging development.
Visible county border signs matter. They remind residents and visitors alike that the historic counties remain a living part of Britain’s geography, identity and shared inheritance. The River Tees is not merely a line on a map: it is one of the great historic county boundaries of northern England, dividing County Durham from the North Riding of Yorkshire, as it has done for centuries.
Event details
Ceremonial unveiling of new historic county border road signs
County Bridge, Bridgegate, Barnard Castle, on the County Durham side of the River Tees
Monday 15 June, gathering from 12 noon; ceremony begins at 12.15pm
Councillor Robbie Rodiss, Chairman of Durham County Council, with representatives of the Historic Counties Trust, Yorkshire Ridings Society, Durham County Council and local dignitaries
For those attending the ceremony, the gathering point is the riverside pavement on Bridgegate at the west end of County Bridge. The ceremony will begin promptly at 12.15pm.
Car parking is available alongside the River Tees on the Startforth, North Riding of Yorkshire, bank of the river, to the south of the bridge. There is also a free car park at the end of Gray Lane in Barnard Castle, around five minutes’ walk from the ceremony location. On-street parking and a car park in Queen Street are also available in the town.