A guided walk through the normally gated private glade in the heart of Hopetown Darlington. Celebrate 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington railway with us and discover its links to the unique nature, architecture and social history of Westbrook.
Westbrook is an oasis of calm and birdsong in the heart of the Hopetown quarter of Darlington. Our walk will start close to the new Hopetown Darlington museum, where we will consider the green field site prior to work on the 1825 Railway. We go on to view the significant architectural remains of the railway at Westbrook, including the Tally Man's Cabin and Coal Drop walls. We will discuss the period of use as a pleasure garden in the 1850s - identifying some immense beech tree survivors of this planting. The talk will consider all the Victorian villas later built on the site, some in the gothic style by noted architect George Gordon Hoskins. Finally, we have the human stories of Quakers, Town Criers, War heroes and more.Following the guided walk refreshments will also be on sale.
Booking is essential this year due to increased interest from the SDR200 festival.
