[1] The archives were held at County Hall, Durham until 2024 when the service moved to a new building which is part of The Story at Mount Oswald, South Road, Durham.
Further details are in the national register of Archives: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13530570 The Record Office is the approved local repository of The National Archives so holds official records relating to the County Durham area, potentially covering the pre-1974 county area plus those parts of the North Riding of Yorkshire incorporated into the 1974 county.
The archives are freely open to the public except for those records subject to statutory closures or data protection restrictions.
Durham County Council, including records related to Social Services, and Electoral Registers Predecessor District Councils, including Planning records Civil Parish Councils Darlington Borough Council Durham City Durham Constabulary Quarter Sessions inc. indictment rolls, order books, deposited plans, enclosure awards Durham Prison Petty Sessions and Magistrates Courts (but not records of divorces, Crown Court, Durham Assizes or wills/probate) County Coroner - inquests Inland Revenue 1910 land valuation Motor Taxation Local Authority Schools and Colleges (but not records of Durham University, except for the College of St Hild and St Bede) Poor Law Unions, including surviving workhouse records Winterton Hospital (the County Asylum) and some other local hospitals National Coal Board (NCB) in County Durham, including records of predecessor coal owners and mining companies Charity Commission Newton Aycliffe and Peterlee new towns Ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Durham, including parish registers, minute books and tithe plans (but not diocesan records which are held by Durham University Library) Also records of many non-conformist churches including Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Society of Friends and United Reform Church Durham Miners' Association, and other Trade Unions Local businesses, including Consett Iron Company, Weardale Lead Mining Company, Harrison and Harrison Organs, Vaux Brewery, Castle Eden Brewery, and many others The Co-operative movement, local political parties Solicitors' practices Large estates in County Durham, such as: the Londonderry Estate (Wynyard Hall, Seaham Harbour), Brancepeth Castle and Estate, Strathmore Estate (Streatlam and Gibside, the Bowes family), Salvin of Croxdale Hall, Adamson of Gainford, Edleston of Gainford, Eldon Estate, Sherburn Hospital and Greatham Hospital.
Other families' records, including Pease, Backhouse, Mounsey and other Darlington Quaker families, Watson of Barnard Castle Antiquarian collections such as the Bowes Museum collection and the Greenwell Deeds A comprehensive collection of Ordnance Survey plans and other maps The Durham Light Infantry regimental archives Local newspapers Women's Institute branches, and other clubs and societies such as Durham Dramatic Society Sports clubs such as Bishop Auckland Football Club and Durham City Cricket Club Allan Seaman 1962-1974 Keith Bishop 1974-1976 Kenneth Hall 1976-1979 David Butler 1979-1989 Jennifer Gill 1989-2008 Liz Bregazzi 2008-2022 Carolyn Ball 2022-