Butterknowle is a village in Teesdale

Teesdale

Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...

, County Durham

County Durham

County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, situated between the market towns of Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...

 (9 miles to the east) and Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...

 (6 miles to the south-west). It has an attractive rural setting within the Gaunless Valley (see River Gaunless

River Gaunless

The River Gaunless is a river of County Durham in England.Formed just south of the village of Copley, by the confluence of Arn Gill and Hindon Beck , the Gaunless wends its way east, passing the settlements of Butterknowle, Cockfield and Evenwood and through...

), overlooked by the gorse-covered Cockfield Fell. The fell itself is a scheduled ancient monument

Ancient monument

An ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. In the United Kingdom it is a legal term, differing from the American term National Monument in being far more numerous and always man-made...

, containing evidence of roman settlements and a medieval coal mine (Vavasours), thought to be the earliest inland colliery recorded.

The village of Butterknowle has a Primary School, Village Shop (newsagent and general dealer), Medical Practice, Village Hall, Royal Oak and Diamond Inn public houses, Post Office (closed in 1999, but reopened at the rear of the Diamond Inn premises in 2001) and Agricultural Supplies Merchant. The Church of St John the Evangelist is to be found in the neighbouring hamlet of Lynesack, about half a mile away, which is also home to a contemporary landscape photography studio and art gallery.

There are many public footpaths, both in the immediate area and surrounding countryside of Teesdale

Teesdale

Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...

 and nearby Weardale

Weardale

Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...

, making this a popular destination for walkers. Butterknowle is also home to the Gaunless Valley Visitor Centre, where can be found a wealth of information regarding the area's 600 year old mining and agricultural heritage, along with details of local walks and places of interest.

Raby Castle

Raby Castle

Raby Castle is situated near Staindrop in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron...

, 14th century family seat of the Nevills and now home to the 11th Lord Barnard sits approximately 4 miles to the south, whilst travelling 4 miles to the north brings you to Hamsterley Forest

Hamsterley Forest

Hamsterley Forest is a commercial forest in County Durham operated by the Forestry Commission. It is the largest forest in County Durham and covers more than 2000 hectares. Recreational activities are promoted within the forest and are focussed at the eastern end around the...

, offering woodland and riverside walking, mountain-biking and horse-riding. High Force

High Force

High Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, County Durham, England. The waterfall is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and European Geopark....

, one of England's highest and most spectacular single-drop waterfalls, is located a short drive away in Upper Teesdale

Upper Teesdale

Upper Teesdale is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Teesdale district of west County Durham, England. It encompasses an extensive upland area that includes the headwaters of the River Tees and the surrounding catchment area upstream of the village of Langdon Beck.The site has a diverse...

.