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.

View website

General Opening Hours

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

Regular Guided Tours

House & Chapels Tour takes place at 1:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tours last approximately 1–2 hours depending on visitor interactivity.

Exhibitions

Two exhibitions are on display daily from 6 October through 1 November 2026, 10am–4pm:

Extinction Exhibition
Snapshot Exhibition

Special Events & Experiences

Treasures of Ushaw: A Library Experience takes place twice monthly at 11am–12:30pm. Upcoming dates include 9 and 17 October 2026.

Discover Big Library runs on the first Friday of every month (July–December 2026), 11:30am–2:45pm.

Autumn Leaves event takes place Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October 2026, 10am–4pm, with activities both inside the Main House and in the Gardens.

Boundless Books is held on the first Friday of every month at 11am–12pm.

Forget Me Notes Choir meets weekly on Wednesdays, 10:30am–12pm.

Singing Bunnies takes place weekly on Fridays, 1:15pm–2pm.

Saturday Young Stitchers is held on selected Saturdays, 1pm–3pm.

Tea Dance at Ushaw is scheduled for Wednesday 7 October 2026, 1pm–3pm.

Volunteer Taster Days at Ushaw take place on Wednesday 7 October 2026, 1pm–4pm.

The Conversation Room meets on Tuesday 13 October 2026, 5:30pm–6:30pm.

Sung Vespers (Evening Prayer) is held once monthly; the next session is Saturday 11 October 2026, 4pm–5pm.

Chapter & Verse is scheduled for Tuesday 20 October 2026, 1:30pm–2:30pm.

Lindisfarne Ushaw Lecture 2026: Bede and the Theory of Everything takes place on Monday 19 October 2026, 7pm–9pm.

Regular Worship & Prayer

Open Prayer in St Cuthbert's Chapel is held every Tuesday morning, 9:30am–10am.

Friday Mass takes place every Friday at 12:30pm–1:30pm.

Feast of the Douai Martyrs Mass is celebrated on Friday 30 October 2026, 12:30pm–1:30pm.

Group Visits

Group visits are available during regular opening hours (daily 10am–4pm) and must be booked in advance.

Gardens & Grounds

The gardens and grounds are dog-friendly and open during regular site hours: daily 10am–4pm.

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