Bishop Cosin's Almshouses

A row of terracotta-brick cottages tucked away near Durham's cathedral quarter, Bishop Cosin's Almshouses are the real deal if you care about 17th-century social history. Built in 1666 by Bishop John Cosin for poor widows and unmarried women, they're still lived in today - which means you're looking at working homes, not a museum piece frozen in amber.

The exteriors are genuinely lovely, with their original proportions and period detailing intact. You can walk past and appreciate the architecture without needing to book a tour or pay an entrance fee. It's the kind of place that makes you think about how people actually lived, rather than just read about it in guidebooks. The scale is intimate, human.

Historians and architecture enthusiasts will find plenty to study here. Families with older kids interested in social history will get something from it, though there's no interactive element - it's observational. Walkers passing through Durham on the way to Finchale Abbey or exploring the city's medieval core should budget twenty minutes to circle the buildings and read any plaques.

Since the almshouses are still private residences, be respectful of residents. Early morning or late afternoon tends quieter. They sit close to Durham's other attractions, making them an easy add-on if you're staying at Durham Grange Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or one of the other parks nearby. Worth a detour if you're already in the city, but not worth driving out specially.