The two hundred and thirty year old Silver Swan is probably the best know and best loved object in The Bowes Museum. It still delights audiences of all ages with its elegant performance.

The Silver Swan is a product of the late 18th century, a time of enterprise and invention when highly creative minds could flourish. James Cox, a London businessman and silversmith, and John Joseph Merlin, an inventor and engineer, found for their creation and audience eager to be entertained by ingenious novelties.

First exhibited in Cox’s museum, the Swan was intended to thrill and to charm. The museum was famed for its glittering and intriguing examples of clockwork automata and its sliver trinkets and ‘toys’. None was more celebrated than the Silver Swan which then, as now, was marveled at for its sheer beauty and indulgence.

Throughout its history, the Silver Swan has been an object of admiration and wonder. The quality of the workmanship and its remarkably realistic movements have enthralled viewers, while the complex mechanism continues to amaze even the mot knowledgeable and experienced specialists.*

Sadly, due to refurbishment The Silver Swan was not performing on the day of our visit.

*from an information board next to the Swan

We arrived at breakfast to find that most items were in short supply, causing us to hurry through breakfast rather than tarry a while.

We walked to Durham Town square to see various features including the History time line that is featured on the pathway across the square. We ventured into the market to see its architectural features before visiting the Town Hall where I knew there was a hidden gem behind the unimposing frontage, the Medieval Guild Hall built in 1665.

Sadly the church of St Nicholas was shut. This seemed to be an emerging theme with churches in Durham so we decided not to venture further to St Oswalds’ church which was also on our morning ‘to visit’ list.

Instead we drove to Shildon to visit the National Railway Museum. We arrived to find it shut on Mondays and Tuesdays…

Plan B came into operation, a visit to the Bowes Museum. We arrived just in time for lunch so we joined the queue for the tearoom. When we were seated we realised why there was a long queue, the system they operate is not very organised. The food, when it arrived, was delicious. The French chateau styled building and the collections within are a delight. I enjoyed the galleries of paintings, in particular those showing biblical scenes and figures.

Despite the earlier chaos in the tearoom, we decided that afternoon tea and cake was in order before heading back to the hotel. The queue was shorter and the tearoom less full but the service was just as chaotic as it had been at lunch. We shared a delicious slice of chocolate and orange cake.

Later we dined in Restaurant 17 followed by our now customary night cap in the Swan before retiring to our hotel.