From Monks to Witches

The A181 is part of the old road from Durham to Hartlepool. Strawberry Hill Farm is on a section of the A181 known as Silent Bank, Sylum Bank or Signing Bank. It was possibly where pilgrims signed themselves with the cross on viewing Durham Cathedral in the distance for the first time. Alternatively, it may be connected with criminals seeking asylum at Durham Cathedral in medieval times. Once the allocated time of sanctuary was up, they could stay and face punishment or be escorted along the road to Hartlepool from where they were permitted to leave the country.

The variant “Silent Bank” is less easier to explain, but intriguingly, if traced along it’s original course, it leads to Deaf Hill near Trimdon.

Silent Bank is, today, best known as the site of Strawberry Hill Farm caravan and camping park with the Three Horse Shoes public house just 7/10ths of a mile away at what is virtually all that is left of the settlement named “Running Waters”. The Running Waters in question are most likely to be those of Sherburn Beck and Chapman Beck that rise either side of the A181. An old track from Running Waters takes you back into Shadforth Village, half a mile to the north, where you will find the Shadforth Plough public house incorporating the Witch Hill restaurant. Witch Hill, further along the A181, is said to be where witches were burned!!!

Researched and written by Elizabeth Dunkerley.