Darlington Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in County Durham, England
About Darlington
To the Anglo-Saxons this was Dearthington, "the settlement of Deornoth's people", but the Normans shortened it to Derlington. It was a small market town until the dawn of the railway age: on 27 Sept 1825 Stephenson's steam locomotive hauled passengers through town on the inaugural run from Shildon to Stockton. Thus began 200 glorious years of railway cut-backs, as after that ceremonial run the passengers had to make do with horse-drawn coaches, while the steam loco hauled more profitable coal. Darlington then grew into a railway town, with three large works, all of which closed down in the 1960s. The swansong was 60613Tornado, a 4-6-2 Peppercorn Pacific steam loco built from 1994 to 2008 to 1948 designs, modified to incorporate modern braking, signalling and other essentials for main line
Top Attractions in Darlington
Explore the best things to see and do in Darlington:
- ★Hopetown
Where to Eat in Darlington
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴The Tanners Hall
Where to Stay in Darlington
- 🏨Bannatyne Hotel
- 🏨Blackwell Grange Hotel
- 🏨Headlam Hall
- 🏨Mercure Kings Hotel
- 🏨Premier Inn Darlington East
- 🏨Premier Inn Town Centre
Darlington Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: