Who we are

Bowburn LHS aims to produce a comprehensive guide to the history of Bowburn, Durham, UK, on this website.

Originally called Cassop-cum-Quarrington Local History Society, it was founded on 15th June 2000 but later changed its name and area of interest, after other excellent local history groups were formed in nearby villages.

What we do

We are based in Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, Durham, DH6 5AT, where we have a dedicated History & Heritage Room. This was formally opened by our Honorary President, Jim Milburn, on 11th January 2016.

The room can be used by members at any time but is now open to the public on Wednesdays, from 12 noon till 2pm, or at other times by appointment. Visitors can browse through books, maps, photographs and other records. Space is limited, however, and many of the records are held digitally.

Visitors are also invited to lend old photographs, or documents of historical interest, which can be scanned for our archives and returned immediately. Strict guarantees are given about how these can be used – for instance that they can never be published, or never for profit, or only with the permission of their original owner.

Guest speakers are sometimes invited to our meetings. Non-members are always welcome.

Occasional outings are organized, to museums, events and places of interest.

Members also share information and resources, and discuss their own research projects.

Guided walks are also sometimes organised.

For latest news, see “Forthcoming events”.

Publications

Our publications to date have included:

• several calendars, with photographs of local historical interest;

• “A Bunch of Bowburn Dates: A Cassop-cum-Quarrington Chronology” (in 2001);

• an updated version of this, called “Past Times in Bowburn, Cassop, Quarrington Hill and Tursdale: A Book of Dates of Local Interest and Importance” (2003),

• “Memories of Bowburn”, an annotated book of photographs (2007) and

• “Early Years of at Pit Village: a list of events in and affection Bowburn before 1931” (2018)

Copies of these can be obtained by e-mailing bowburnlhs@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Bowburn LHS is grateful for help from the Big Lottery, local sponsors (including PSI Global and, most recently, Believe Housing) and, especially, Bowburn Community Association, for making it possible to establish and equip our Heritage Room.

This website

We began to construct this website in 2012.  Pages are added from time to time and we hope to include all aspects of Bowburn’s history and heritage in due course. We hope you find it interesting, informative and enjoyable.

We welcome comments and new information about Bowburn’s history. Please e-mail – bowburnlhs@gmail.com