SOUTH STREET

South Street is one of the older streets in Durham, with many of the original houses still standing. It gave access to the west and south west of the county, from Durham via Framwellgate bridge.

South Street was in that part of the city owned by the Prior (later to become the Dean and Chapter).

Once Elvet bridge was built in 1160, New Elvet became the main thoroughfare to London [76]

At the top of the street was a cross, a Priors prison (abandoned in the 13th century), and their dove cote [19]. At the bottom of the sloping fields behind South Street are manifest traces of the Priors’ fishponds [21].

“The Groove” at the northern extremity of South Street is the residence of the widow of the comedian Stephen Kemble [22].

Durham School was designed by Salvin in 1844, when the school moved from the Palace Green site [19].

South Street: About

South Street: Image

Off Quarry Heads Lane (i.e., between that and the river) is the old shaft of Elvet Hill Colliery, closed in 1908. It is marked by a compressed ruin of stone and concrete [5].

The city was without a public library until 1929. In response to public opinion the city authorities joined with Durham County Council in establishing such a library in the Town Hall Buildings. This was replaced by the South Street library which was opened on 9th November 1961 by Alderman T. Holmes on the site of the old Johnson School. It was thought that the Johnson School site would become a Mining Institute when the school moved to Crossgate Moor in July 1954.

South Street: About

SOUTH STREET

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Off Quarry Heads Lane (i.e., between that and the river) is the old shaft of Elvet Hill Colliery, closed in 1908. It is marked by a compressed ruin of stone and concrete [5].

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