Whorlton Village Website

For Whorlton Village Community Association
(Representing the Communities of Whorlton, Sledwich and Westwick)
and Whorlton Village Hall.

The peaceful and picturesque village of Whorlton is located three miles east of Barnard Castle in County Durham and overlooks the River Tees with dramatic overhanging cliffs. The Tees is crossed at this point by an iron suspension bridge (Whorlton Bridge), erected in 1830-31, with a span of 180 feet. The village is sandwiched between the main A66 and A67 roads. Access to the village from the south (A66) has a width and also a weight restriction on Whorlton Bridge. There is also a very sharp hair-pin bend between the bridge and the village.

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Whorlton Swing Bridge is currently closed to all traffic, cars, bikes and pedestrians, following an inspection by engineers in December 2020. Repairs on the bridge are expected to be completed by 2023. For further information about the bridge, including its history see the Durham County Council website, durham.gov.uk/whorltonbridge - the schedule of repairs is regularly updated on this site. More details about the bridge are available on this website here.

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The village pub, The Bridge, is at the north end of the village whilst in the south-east corner you will find St. Mary's Church, and the Village Hall. The Teesdale Way passes through Whorlton and crosses Whorlton Beck to an area of flat rocks with spectacular views overlooking the River Tees. The river bank shows evidence of ferry crossings, prior to the building of the bridge, and a now derelict (but very romantic) ferryman’s cottage. The building is dangerous and should not be entered.

Please be aware, that Whorlton Lido, despite still being marked on various maps and described in many magazines, is now closed to the public. Access to the south bank of the river is not available (other than via the public footpath), and the land is privately owned. The Thorpe Light Railway, however, is very much alive and well. See our links page for further information about this narrow gauge railway.

Whorlton Village Hall was originally built as an Independent Chapel by Mr Ferdinand Raine in 1840. The hall eventually fell into disrepair and was bought by the local church authorities. The Whorlton Village Community Association was formed in 1991 with the aim of restoring and managing the hall. The facilities within the hall make it an ideal location for both private and business activities. Further details of the hall facilities can be found on the Village Hall page of this site.

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The Association Committee meets every two months and hold an AGM in April each year. Association Documents Here.