Church View Cottage, Cockfield, County Durham

ay from it all and relax. The large Kitchen Diner is an excellent space to share meals together and accessing the split-level cottage garden and the adjoining memorial garden, exploring the history of the village of Cockfield. The comfortable living room has a laminate floor with wood effect electric heater and a large radiator making the room cosy and warm. It is situated 8 miles to the south- west of Bishop Auckland. Remains found on Cockfield Fell suggest there was a settlement in the area during the Iron Age. The parish church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, probably dates from the late 12th century. One of the more illustrious families to hail from Cockfield was the Martindale family. George Dixon (1731–1785) owned coal mines and was a keen inventor and was probably the first to use coal gas for illumination. His brother Jeremiah Dixon (1733– 1779), an astronomer, went to America with Charles Mason in 1763 to survey the boundaries of Maryland and Pennsylvania thereby creating the 'Mason–Dixon line'. Cockfield Fell is described as "one of the most important early industrial landscapes in Britain". In addition to four Iron Age (or Romano-British) settlement enclosures, there is evidence within the landscape of early coal mines (the Bishop of Durham licensed mining here at least as early as 1303), medieval agricultural field patterns, centuries of quarrying activity, a railway line established in the 1830s and several earlier tramways. Altogether, Cockfield Fell constitutes England's largest Scheduled Ancient Monument, described as 'an incomparable association of field monuments relating to the Iron settlement history and industrial evolution of a northern English County'. One reason for its preservation - unusual for a lowland fell - is that it was not subject to enclosure in the 18th or 19th centuries, perhaps due to its highly industrialised past. Cockfield is set in a dedicated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is home to a wonderful mix of glorious countryside, stunning views, historic towns and villages, as well as High Force, England’s highest waterfall. Perfect for walkers, Cockfield is the ideal base from which to explore the many and varied faces of the county, starting with the network of public footpaths that run in and around the village. There are three stores in the village of Cockfield, a Co-operative, newsagents, and also a general store, which incorporates a coffee shop. The village also has a Pharmacy, which also contains the Post Office. For more larger Supermarkets you have Morrisons in Barnard Castle (DL12 8EJ) or Sainsburys in Bishop Auckland (DL14 9AE) where you will also find M&S Food. There are two public houses in the village, the Queen's Head, the King's Head. Only nine miles away is the thriving market town of Barnard Castle which offers a weekly market and more local pubs, shops and restaurants to enjoy. The cathedral city of Durham is a mere 30-minute drive away and is perfect for a romantic boat ride along the River Wear, a meal out in one of the many bistros and restaurants, some boutique shopping or the opportunity to visit the famous cathedral and Durham Castle, both of which are steeped in history and tradition. Beamish, the living museum of the north, is a must-see attraction for all visitors to the area while the Metrocentre and Newcastle upon Tyne can be reached in just over an hour’s drive. For guests wanting to explore even more of what the northern counties have to offer, Cumbria (and the Lake District), the Yorkshire Dales, the North Pennines and Northumberland are all within a 2-hour drive away. Hamsterley Forest is a 20 minute drive away with plenty of walks and mountain bike trails with a downhill course and uplift for the more adventurous and a Gruffalo trail for the children all spread across the 2000 hectare site. Raby Castle Park and Gardens are a short drive from Cockfield, a stunning complete medieval castle with fascinating history and a fulfilling day out.