Quaker Heritage

Discover Darlington's prolific Quaker heritage, which shaped the face of the town:

See George Stephenson's pioneering engine, 'Locomotion No 1', the world's first ever passenger-pulling engine at Darlington's Head of Steam Railway Museum. The money for the engine was put up by Darlington Quaker industrialist Edward Pease. The Museum re-opened in April 2008 after a £1million plus refurbishment.

Explore the Friends' (Quaker) Meeting House on Skinnergate with its ancient Quaker Burial Ground where most of Darlington's illustrious Quaker families have been laid to rest.

View the Joseph Pease Statue, a tribute to the world's first Quaker MP, in the newly developed town centre pedestrian heart.

Admire the Venetian palace-like façade of Barclays Bank, originally Backhouse's Bank, another prominent Darlington Quaker family.

Visit the splendid Darlington Victorian Covered Market and admire Darlington Clock Tower by Quaker architect Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed the Natural History Museum in London.

For further information contact:

Information Darlington,
13 Horsemarket, Darlington, DL1 5PW
telephone: +44 0)325 388666
e-mail: tic@darlington.gov.uk

or download our'discover a different Darlington' guide in PDF format from the link at the bottom of this page.