Neville's Cross

The stone cross that marks this spot has been standing since 1346, commemorating one of the bloodiest battles medieval England ever saw. On a grey October afternoon in that year, the Scottish army under David II got thoroughly hammered by the English forces on these fields just outside Durham. The cross itself is modest - weathered grey stone, not much taller than a person - but what makes it worthwhile is the weight of history. This wasn't some minor skirmish; it was the Battle of Neville's Cross, and it effectively ended Scotland's military threat to the north for a generation.

You can walk right up to it without fuss or ceremony. There's no visitor centre, no roped-off area, just the cross sitting in the landscape where the fighting actually happened. That directness is rather refreshing. History buffs will spend a good twenty minutes here reading the inscriptions and imagining the chaos; most visitors will find fifteen minutes enough to get the sense of the place and take a few photos.

It's ideal if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Finchale Abbey or Grove Farm both sit within a few miles - and fancy a proper walk with some medieval weight to it. Durham itself is only three miles away, so you could easily combine this with a visit to the cathedral and castle without eating up a whole day. The surroundings are pleasant enough farmland and moorland edge, though don't expect dramatic views. Go when you've got a bit of time to potter and think, rather than as a rush stop.