Rookhope Arch
Chimney Bishop Auckland County Durham

Rookhope Arch

Chimney In Bishop Auckland, County Durham

One of the remaining arches carrying a two mile horizontal chimney as part of a flue system.

Looking at this cool little arch in Rookhope you may be thinking it's part of a bridge, but why doesn't it span the stream and where did it actually take you?

The answer is simple. It's not an arch from a bridge, it's really one of six arches that carried a two-mile horizontal flue chimney over the ground and high into the moors.

The village had a lead-smelting works in the early 1800s and needed to release any poisonous fumes well away from the houses. The nearby barren moors seemed a perfect choice and additionally this long, sloping flue would allow the fumes to cool and lead particles could be recovered.

On the moors at the end of the flue would have been a wooden chimney where the gas would have escaped.

Just over the road you can see the rubble from another part of the flue and so we scrambled up the slope to have a look.

These are remnants of the flue.

We headed back down for one final photo.

And if you fancied looking upon the arch each day, then why not hang this beautiful painting of the arch on your wall by Out and About in County Durham. Check out their Facebook page for more amazing paintings of our fabulous region.

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How To Find Rookhope Arch

Where Is Rookhope Arch?

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Lat / Long

54.7816, -2.118851

What three words

truckload.spruced.heap

Where To Park For Rookhope Arch?

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Lat / Long

54.781951, 54.781951

What three words

compiled.reputable.caressed

There is a dedicated car park just across the road from the arch with an information board.

Contributed by Simon Hawkins

Thanks for checking out this place on the Fabulous North! I do enjoy a wander out in to the countryside trying to find hidden gems that not many people know about. You can't beat a rogue pele tower up a remote hill, a mysterious stone circle or a stunning waterfall secluded in a forest.

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Simon Hawkins

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Rookhope Arch was listed in Chimney // County Durham // Bishop Auckland