[2] The earliest part of the current facility is the guildhall which was commissioned by Bishop John Cosin and dates back to 1665.

[5] The complex was extended to the west, i.e. the rear of the guildhall, to create a town hall, which was designed by Philip Charles Hardwick in the Perpendicular style, in 1851.

[6] The walls of the Great Hall are lined with wooden plaques commemorating some of freemen of the City of Durham including the footballer Sir Bobby Robson, the writer Bill Bryson and the cleric Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

[2] The adjoining indoor markets, which were built around and underneath the town hall complex, opened on 18 December 1852.

[7] Further alterations were made in 2008 including a new public entrance, disabled access and fire protection throughout the complex installed at a cost of £0.8 million.