Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens

Free with membership

Facilities

Accessible loos
Accessible parking
Bike storage facilities
Cafe / restaurant
Facilities for children
Free parking
Mostly wheelchair accessible
Parkland / open spaces
Picnic area
Shop

Accessibility

It is important to us that our House and Gardens can be enjoyed by everyone.

Level access provides a wheelchair friendly entrance to all our buildings including our chapels, café, theatre and exhibition spaces.

Our gardens have pathways that are suitable for wheelchairs and other walking aides.

If you need access to our Main House we have accessible parking by the East Wing entrance.

Please call at the Visitor Centre Car Park and our staff will give you access to the route and alert colleagues in the main house to your arrival.

Does our information need updating?

Let us know here

Ushaw is a place where wonder, curiosity and amazement collide. Our arts, heritage and events venue is waiting for you to escape the everyday, stop the world for a while and be surprised.

Tucked away in beautiful open countryside near Durham City, Ushaw’s Historic House, Chapels & Gardens are open to all. Young or old, each corner of Ushaw is a curiosity, waiting to wow.

Lose yourself in our grounds, be amazed by beautiful buildings and marvel at centuries of art, history and heritage.

Our Historic House is beautiful, and plenty call it breath-taking. It was shaped in the mind of Augustus Pugin – architect for the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

We want you to Ushaw-in unforgettable experiences, with family, friends, work-mates, a furry companion – yup our gardens & grounds are dog friendly – or content in blissful solitude.

Our packed calendar of events is a great reason to keep dropping by. From classic car shows to live music, theatre and family fun, plus an ever-changing programme of exhibitions; there’s always something to capture your imagination at Ushaw.

Our mission is to provide an experience beyond belief, to amaze and entertain you all – from family fun seekers to doting dog walkers and fine art lovers. Ushaw in good times – plan your visit today.

Opening Times

Important information: opening info is generated by artificial intelligence; check specific attraction details before travelling.

The indicator above will show ‘open’ when the public have any kind of access to any part of this property. That could be the park, a shop, or a special event, and may not reflect regular admission times to the main attraction. Always consult the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling to check that the attraction you are interested in is open.

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Regular Opening Hours

Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens is open daily from 10am to 4pm. This includes access to the house, chapels, gardens, and exhibitions.

Guided Tours

House & Chapels Tours take place at 1:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tours last approximately 1–2 hours depending on visitor participation. Please note that tours are cancelled on Saturday 23 May (Ushaw Classic Car & Bike Show) and Saturday 13 June (Specialist Plant & Garden Fair).

Group Visits

Group visits are available during regular opening hours but must be booked in advance.

Exhibitions

Several exhibitions are on display from 8 June 2026 onwards, open daily from 10am to 4pm:

Ushaw Editions 2026 Exhibition (8 June – at least 20 June)
150 Years of Wedding Dresses Exhibition (8 June – at least 5 July)
Joan Miró: Painting and Poetry Exhibition (8 June – at least 13 June)
Bare Bones Exhibition (8 June – at least 27 June)
Extinction Exhibition (20 June – at least 5 July)

Special Events & Experiences

Discover Big Library sessions run on the first Friday of every month from July to December 2026. Visitors are allocated 30-minute time slots between 11:30am and 2:45pm. Pre-booking is essential, and visitors should arrive promptly at the start of their allocated slot.

Treasures of Ushaw: A Library Experience takes place twice a month, with sessions running from 11:00am to 12:30pm. The next listed date is 17 July 2026.

The Conversation Room is a repeating evening event held from 6:30pm to 7:30pm on the following dates:

4 June 2026 – Thomas Aquinas and the Corpus Christi Liturgy
17 June 2026
24 June 2026 – Alfie Joey
5 August 2026 – St Hild: The Beacon in the Bay
12 August 2026 – Life at Ushaw: A Student's Story (1961–71)
7 October 2026 – For the Love of Trees

Religious Services

Friday Mass is held every Friday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

Sung Vespers (Evening Prayer) takes place once a month. The next listed date is Sunday 14 June 2026 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Outdoor Access & Activities

The park, gardens and woodland are accessible daily during site opening hours (10am–4pm). Please note that the 3-mile circular walking route is currently closed for maintenance.

Family Friendly Interactive Trail and Digital Guide are available during regular opening hours.

Admission

Free entry for Historic Houses members.

House, Gardens & Parkland

Adult – £14 (£12 online pre-booked price)
Child – £8 (£7 online pre-booked price)
Under 5s – Free

Accessibility

It is important to us that our House and Gardens can be enjoyed by everyone.

Level access provides a wheelchair friendly entrance to all our buildings including our chapels, café, theatre and exhibition spaces.

Our gardens have pathways that are suitable for wheelchairs and other walking aides.

If you need access to our Main House we have accessible parking by the East Wing entrance.

Please call at the Visitor Centre Car Park and our staff will give you access to the route and alert colleagues in the main house to your arrival.

Does our information need updating?

Let us know here

Getting here

Durham, DH7 7DW

By Car: use postcode DH7 7DW when navigating with SatNav. This will take you to the main visitor entrance. Some GPS systems will take you to the wrong location when using the postcode DH7 9RH or typing our old name – Ushaw College.

By Train: Ushaw is 10 minutes by taxi from Durham Rail Station.

By Bus: from Durham Bus Station, take number 52 bus direct to Ushaw main visitor entrance.

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Our volunteers

We have a wonderful team of volunteers who keep Ushaw open to the public, provide tours and maintain the historic gardens.

Forthcoming events