Yarm – River History and Historic Buildings

Yarm on the River Tees reveals its history through its buildings, connections to the river and riverside paths. Water plays a special role: it shapes both the story told by the permanent exhibition “Island in a River” and the location explored in the exhibition. There are also traces of Norman times, a medieval bridge and a 19th-century railway viaduct. If you choose Yarm for a stay, you can tailor your interests to these different aspects of the town’s history.

The River Tees and Yarm’s History

Yarm Town Hall has been converted into the Yarm Town Hall Heritage Centre, which presents the permanent exhibition “Island in a River”. It celebrates Yarm’s longstanding connection to the River Tees and the town’s location on a horseshoe-shaped bend in the river. The river is therefore not only part of the landscape, but also a subject of the exhibition.

A more recent change is also recorded on the exterior of the Town Hall: external restoration was completed in September 2023. The original brick arches were opened up and restored with new glazing. The exhibition and the building’s history offer two different perspectives on the Town Hall – one on Yarm’s relationship with the river, the other on the building’s design.

Churches, Bridge and Railway Viaduct

The Church of St Mary Magdalene was rebuilt in 1730 after a fire. Norman-era masonry survives in the walls of the nave; the west front is also largely Norman. The building’s history thus links its reconstruction after the fire with older parts of the building. Yarm Octagonal Chapel offers a different point of interest: it is the oldest octagonal Methodist chapel to have been continuously used for Methodist worship since it was built.

Yarm Bridge Over River Tees was built around 1400 for Bishop Skirlaw of Durham and later widened. The bridge has five arches and is made of ashlar. Its structural features include semi-octagonal buttresses and pointed cutwaters between the arches. Its date of construction, patron and specific design can all be seen here.

Yarm Viaduct tells the story of a later phase in transport history. It was built in 1852 by the Leeds Northern Railway to extend the Leeds & Thirsk Railway Line from Northallerton to Stockton-on-Tees. It crosses the River Tees on 43 brick and stone arches, and trains still run along the viaduct. Compared with the bridge, built around 1400 and later widened, it represents a different period of construction and a railway connection that remains in use.

Riverside Paths, Scenery and Activities

True Lovers Walk is a riverside path along the Tees, with landscaped gardens, seating and a 19th-century waterwheel. The Middleton One Row to Yarm section of the Teesdale Way, by contrast, passes through fields and riverside woodland. If the scenery along a path is a factor in your choice, the features described differ: gardens, seating and a waterwheel on True Lovers Walk, and fields and riverside woodland on the named section of the Teesdale Way.

Yarm is also connected with an activity on the water. The Tees Barrage to Yarm Circular canoe trail reaches the town; a take-out point lies between the road and railway bridges. Check river conditions and access before setting off. This lets you include the specific take-out point in your plans without making assumptions about conditions on site.

Yarm Fair has been held for over 100 years. If you want to plan your trip around the Fair, check the event dates for your chosen period. This way, you can focus on the town’s history, the paths along the Tees or the Fair, depending on your travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Stockton-On-Tees, Wolviston, Longnewton, Thornaby On Tees.

Return to the main travel guide: Stockton-On-Tees.