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'''County Durham''', the "Land of the Prince Bishops", is a county in the North East of [[England]]. It is bordered by [[Northumberland]] to the north, with the mouth of the [[River Tyne]] partially forming the border, the North Sea to the east, with its border with [[Yorkshire]] to the south and west following the [[River Tees]], bordering [[Westmorland]] and [[Cumberland]] across the [[Pennines]] to the north west. Historically, the Bishop of Durham ruled the county as his personal principality, a custom only ended in 1836.

'''County Durham''', the "Land of the Prince Bishops", is a county in the North East of [[England]]. It is bordered by [[Northumberland]] to the north, with the mouth of the [[River Tyne]] partially forming the border, the North Sea to the east, with its border with [[Yorkshire]] to the south and west following the [[River Tees]], bordering [[Westmorland]] and [[Cumberland]] across the [[Pennines]] to the north west. Historically, the Bishop of Durham ruled the county as his personal principality, a custom only ended in 1836. Part of the Anglian kingdom [[Northumbria]] between the 7th and 10th centuries, County Durham, which is roughly coextensive with the area known in Old English as ''Haliwerfolc'' (Holy folk of the River Wear), was key to the early development of Christianity in Great Britain, with two of Britain's oldest surviving churches, Escomb and St Peter's Monkwearmouth, being located in the county.

The county town is the city of [[Durham]], which is located on the River Wear and is famous for its cathedral and university. The largest settlement in the county is [[Sunderland]] (pop. 168,277), a port at the mouth of the Wear. other important towns are [[Bishop Auckland]], [[Blaydon-on-Tyne]], [[Chester-le-Street]], [[Consett]], Darlington, [[Easington]], [[Gateshead]], [[Hartlepool]], [[South Shields]], [[Stockton-on-Tees]] and [[Washington, County Durham|Washington]].

The county town is the city of [[Durham]], which is located on the River Wear and is famous for its cathedral and university. The largest settlement in the county is [[Sunderland]] (pop. 168,277), a port at the mouth of the Wear. other important towns are [[Bishop Auckland]], [[Blaydon-on-Tyne]], [[Chester-le-Street]], [[Consett]], Darlington, [[Easington]], [[Gateshead]], [[Hartlepool]], [[South Shields]], [[Stockton-on-Tees]] and [[Washington, County Durham|Washington]].