Litter Pickers Uncover a Forgotten 1883 Riverside Plaque by Elvet Bridge

A litter pick on the banks of the Wear has turned up a small piece of Durham's history. Volunteers from Durham City Riverscape Community found a metal plaque hidden beneath overgrown ivy on a wall near Elvet Bridge, as reported by the BBC.

What the plaque says

The plaque names the path as Fearon Walk. It records that in 1883 the riverside walk between Elvet Bridge and Bow Lane was built and opened for public use through the efforts of the Reverend William Andrewes Fearon, then headmaster of Durham School.

It is a reminder that the wooded riverbank paths so many of us take for granted were created deliberately, by people who wanted them open to everyone. The age of the plaque itself has not yet been confirmed.

Who was Fearon?

Fearon was headmaster of Durham School from 1882 to 1884. Originally from Suffolk, he is credited with introducing the three-term system at the school and building an open-air swimming school. He later left Durham to become headmaster of Winchester College.

The group is now hoping to trace any of Fearon's relatives in Durham to learn more about the plaque and its story.

A find worth celebrating

Adam Shanley, the group's co-founder and clerk of City of Durham Parish Council, told the BBC it was "astonishing" to find "a story from 1883 waiting to be retold" under the vegetation, and he encouraged people to join the litter-picking group.

Best for: The riverbank below Elvet Bridge is part of the classic circuit of the peninsula in our guide to the best walks in Durham. Next time you walk it, look out for Fearon's name.

If you know more about the plaque or the Fearon family, the volunteers would like to hear from you.