Stockton-on-Tees

With its market charter granted in 1310, Stockton town centre hosts one of North East England's largest outdoor markets every Wednesday and Saturday. The Prince Bishops of Durham came here to collect taxes from the southern end of the county. Their home in the town - Stockton Castle - was demolished on the orders of Oliver Cromwell.

The Town Hall, built in 1735 in the Dutch style, illustrates the importance of the town at that time, and this is also reflected in similar buildings still standing in nearby Norton and Yarm. The River Tees was vital to the early industrial development of the town, with exports and imports, shipbuilding and their associated trades (ropemaking, sailmaking etc), providing the means for many people to become wealthy.

In the 1700s Stockton became a major river port. Lead from the Pennines and farm produce from the region was carried to the quayside by horse and cart to be shipped to London and overseas.

In 1825 Stockton hosted an event that changed the face of the world for ever and heralded a new era in trade, industry and travel. The Stockton & Darlington railway, the first passenger railway in the world, was officially opened on 27th September that year with the world famous engineer George Stephenson driving Locomotion No 1 and his great friend and rival engineer Timothy Hackworth acting as guard.

The opening of the railway encouraged the growth of industry, although it was the discovery of Ironstone in the Cleveland Hills in the 1850s that transformed the town from a market town into one noted for its industrial endeavours.

Shipbuilder Robert Ropner also made his fortune here. His impressive mansion house, Preston Hall, is now a popular museum and country park.

The stunning Millennium Footbridge, linking Teesdale and Thornaby to Stockton, is one of the latest landmarks to grace the skyline. An older example is the magnificent structure of the town's Baptist Tabernacle Church.

Nowadays the river Tees is the focus for a thrilling range of leisure pursuits around the town. The Tees Barrage white water course is a world-class water sports facility, offering specially stablised flat water for the novice and superb white water for the expert.