Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, Exhibition Theatre
, Durham, DH7 7DW -
Up to
256 guests
Offers
catering
Internal Catering
allowed
Set within 500 acres of nature, just four miles from Durham City Centre. Ushaw is a venue for arts and culture, with an extensive programme of events and exhibitions. Formerly a Catholic Seminary with a long and interesting history.
Ushaw is a registered independent charity (527408) by selecting us as your venue, you are helping to preserve the history, culture and heritage of Ushaw for future generations to enjoy.
The Exhibition Theatre is located on the ground floor of the main house, originally Ushaw's first Chapel from 1808-1847. After the opening of St Cuthbert’s Chapel, it was transformed by architect, Joseph Hansom, into a public room for dramatic performances and academic exhibitions of learning.
The Theatre is suitable to hire for performances, lectures and conferences.
Take time during your day to explore our amazing Historic House, Chapels & Gardens – a complementary addition to your visit.
Residential, full and half day packages available.
Capacity & layout
Theatre
up to 256
Catering & drinks
Catering arrangements
Refreshments
Alcohol
Amenities
Disabled access
Lectern
Natural light
Stage
Public transport
Premises parking
Overnight accommodation
Space rules
Allowed events
Licensed for alcohol
Cancellation policy
Ushaw will provide full terms and conditions including cancellation policy on confirmation of your event. Please contact the team for any questions.
Location
Reviews
Alison Morris
April 2025We enjoyed our visit, the chapels are fantastic and the food in the cafe was good, although the staff seemed a bit grumpy! Great book shop too. I also enjoyed the art on the walls, both from the artist, Derek Slater, and the local art club.
Hannah Macklin
March 2025Wonderful house and lovely host and staff. Giving five stars despite some issues which aren't necessarily staff's fault and I'm sure will/could be fixed (some scuff marks behind bed, shower pressure was pretty much a trickle and mold in the kettle - which was cleaned and apologies made. Which was appreciated 👍🏼😀) Despite these small issues, the bed was lush and the room was lovely. Great breakfast provided, continental style. Beautiful chapel too. Amazing value for money. Will visit again!
Peter Dooley
March 2025What a little hidden gem.. We ventured to Stanley to visit family, one of whom has a studio in this fantastic building. After we visited her studio, she took us on a tour of the building. Each room is beautifully presented with artefacts and related information. The chapel itself is quite remarkable. A beautiful area, with rooms dedicated to figures relating to the buildings' rich history. I'm really happy we found this place, which I discovered you can stay in if you're visiting the area. The views are amazing, and the ruins on the site are a reminder of just how massive this site was back in the day.
Tracey B
March 2025Ushaw is a beautiful building with some stunning architecture and a great history. The chapels are amazing! We visited at the beginning of March, so the gardens weren't in bloom, but I can imagine they look lovely in spring/summer. The staff are very friendly, welcoming, helpful, and knowledgeable about the building and surrounding area. We stayed here during a weekend exploring Durham, so that was helpful. The room was basic but a decent size and had a very comfortable bed. The added bonus for us was the pre-loved book shop, what a great idea! We spent quite a while looking at the options and bought a few to chill out and read during the stay/bring home. The breakfast at Ushaw is a continental style with the options of cereal, toast, yoghurt, pastries, and drinks. All of this was very good quality and delicious. All in all, I would stay here again and would recommend it to others.🙂
