Peterlee, United Kingdom
Peterlee is a town of 20,300 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Peterlee
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 38 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include The Lubetkin Theatre, Apollo Pavilion, Deserted medieval village and Castle Eden Dene National Nature Reserve.
Weather in Peterlee
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Peterlee
Peterlee is a town in County Durham, England, south of Sunderland, north of Hartlepool, west of the Durham Coast and east of Durham. It gained town status in 1948 under the New Towns Act 1946, which also created the nearby settlements of Newton Aycliffe and Washington, Tyne and Wear.
From the Wikipedia article Peterlee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes38
Moorcock
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
Burnhope Way, Peterlee
Mo 12:00-23:00; Tu 12:00-21:30; We 12:00-22:30; Th-Sa 12:00-00:00;...
Siesta Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
1 Cook Way, Peterlee
Mo-Fr 06:30-17:30; Sa 08:00-16:30; Su 10:00-16:00
Costa
Cafe · Coffee Shop
Yoden Way, Peterlee
Mo-Fr 07:00-18:00; Sa 07:30-18:00; Su 08:30-16:30
Scene1
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
Willerby Grove, Peterlee
Sa-Tu off; We 18:30-20:00; Th 12:00-14:00,18:00-21:00; Fr 12:00-14:00
Café Eden
Cafe
7-8 Upper Yoden Way, Peterlee
Mo-Fr 08:00-16:00; Sa 07:00-18:00; Su 10:00-15:00
Hearts of Oak
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
Oakerside Drive, Peterlee
Mo-Th 14:00-23:00; Fr 14:00-23:45; Sa 11:00-23:45; Su 11:00-22:30
26 more on the map.
History
The case for founding Peterlee was put forward in Farewell Squalor by Easington Rural District Council Surveyor C. W. Clarke, who also proposed that the town be named after celebrated Durham miners' leader Peter Lee. It is one of the few places in the British Isles named after a recent individual, and unique among post-Second World War new towns in having its existence requested by local people through their MP. A deputation, consisting mostly of working miners, met the Minister of Town and Country Planning to put the case for a new town in the district. The minister, Lewis Silkin, responded by offering a half-size new town of 30,000 residents. The subsequent new residents came largely from surrounding villages in the District of Easington.
Peterlee Development Corporation was founded in 1948, first under Dr Monica Felton, then under A.V. Williams. The original master plan for tower blocks of flats by Berthold Lubetkin was rejected as unsuitable for the area's geology, which had been weakened by mining works, and Lubetkin resigned in 1950. George Grenfell Baines' plan was accepted, and construction quickly began, but it was of poor quality. Williams invited artist Victor Pasmore to head the landscaping design team.
From the History section of Peterlee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Peterlee
Mark HobanBritish politician (born 1964)Photo: Policy Exchange, CC BY 2.0- Gina McKeeBritish actress
- Eddy HuntingtonBritish singer
- Callum CookeBritish association football player (born 1997)
- Steve ThompsonBritish footballer (born 1989)
- John AlexanderBritish television director
- Dean BurrowsEnglish cricketer (born 1966)
- Alfie JoeyBritish comedian
Born in Peterlee, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship13
Our Lady Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
South Terrace, Peterlee
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 0.5 mi
Eden Lane, Peterlee
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.5 mi
77 Eden Lane, Peterlee
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries18
Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
School · Roman Catholic · 1.1 mi
Thorpe Road, Peterlee
St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College
School · Roman Catholic · 0.4 mi
Westway, Peterlee
Healthcare3
Map of Peterlee
95 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Teesside International Airport (MME) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- Seaham 5 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Ryhope 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Sunderland 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Spennymoor 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- Middlesbrough 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Thornaby-on-Tees 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Newcastle upon Tyne 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Yarm 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Whickham 19 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Prudhoe 25 mi northwest, about 40 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Peterlee
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Peterlee Memorial Methodist Church, domollie, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Peterlee Town Centre, February 2022, Jo Jerrica Decker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Peterlee - Apollo Pavilion, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- East durham college houghalldrive, Adidostar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ford Escort Mark II, David Dawson from Weybridge, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Horden Colliery Welfare park, george hurrell, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.