House surveys in County Durham

County Durham's housing reflects its history as one of England's great coalfields. Pit villages of brick and stone terraced rows spread across the east and centre of the county, many with Aged Miners' Homes and colliery-era chapels. The historic city of Durham has medieval, Georgian and Victorian buildings around its World Heritage Site, while Weardale and Teesdale in the west are built of local sandstone and limestone. Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe were among England's first post-war new towns. Common survey issues include coal mining subsidence and mine entries, damp in solid-walled terraces, exposure in upland areas, and non-traditional housing on post-war estates.