South Durham

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South Durham
Flag of South Durham
Coat of arms of South Durham
Country Sorrenian Federation
County CapitalBishop Auckland
Area
 • Total900 km2 (300 sq mi)
DemonymDurhamite
WebsiteMap of Sorrenia

South Durham is a county located in the Durham area of the Kingdom of Sorrenia.

Etymology

The county is named after County Durham, one of the major historic counties of England. This county itself was named after the City of Durham, although South Durham does not contain the city, and does not even border it.

Flag

The flag consists of the cross of St Cuthbert above a horizontal blue and yellow flag, with the colours inverted. St Cuthbert has been a symbol for the Durham area since his body was brought to Chester-le-Street from Northumberland, eventually residing in Durham Cathedral. The colours have also been used to represent Durham for at least several hundred years.

History

Before Kozlova

South Durham consists of several towns and villages which date back to early medieval times. Settlements such as Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle operated as market towns, and grew in importance alongside the city of Durham. Many commuters from Yorkshire and Cumbria travelled through such settlements.

Similar to the wider region, such settlements grew rapidly as coal mining became an important industry. Many collieries also sprang up during this period, and some of the earliest trains operated in the area.

Upon the decline of coal industry, those towns reliant upon it for employment began to shrink and suffer, although manufacturing has remained to some degree in larger towns.

Kozlova

A small part of what is now South Durham was initially claimed as an enclave of Kozlova. Upon the micronation's transformation into the Sorrenian Federation, the claim was relinquished.

Kingdom of Sorrenia

Until the Great Expansion, area south of Bowburn had never been claimed by Sorrenia, and so South Durham was unaffected by the War of the Sorrenian Succession.

After the expansive period, South Durham became one of Sorrenia's central states, with widespread support within the county for the move.

Some citizens located in the very south of the county have agitated for redrawn borders as they lie within Teesdale, similar culturally to the separate county of Teesside.

Politics

South Durham was supportive of the Great Expansion, and so high rates of approval with the monarchy can be found. As a result, South Durham is a safe county for the New and Old Monarchists, who each operate in one constituency.

Party Vote Percentage Seats +/–
Bishop Auckland (June 2018)
New Monarchists 55% 1 6%
The Republicans 24% 0 10%
NDLP 21% 0 4%
Newton Aycliffe (June 2018)
Old Monarchists 45% 1 5%
The Republicans 35% 0 5%
NDLP 20% 0 10%

Geography

South Durham is a largely rural state, with the most notable settlements located to its north, closest to the city of Durham.

To the county's west, one finds the Pennines, a mountain range that runs throughout all of Sorrenia.

To its east, one enters Teesside, a more populated part of Sorrenia with large settlements such as Darlington and Middlesbrough.

South Durham borders Amon Lasgalen to its south and is close to the historic town of Richmond, as well as the Yorkshire Dales.

Many people commute through South Durham. Its eastern border is the A1 motorway which runs throughout all of England. One of only two major roads uniting the north-west to the north-east also runs through South Durham.

Gallery

Economy

Similar to many counties in the area, many South Durhamites commute north to the City of Durham. Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe also have manufacturing industries.

Tourists also often visit the county, residing within it and travelling to the Pennines during the day. Sights such as Binchester Roman Fort also attract many local and national tourists.

Main Sights

 • Egglestone Abbey - Egglestone is a Premonstratensian abbey founded around the 12th century
 • Barnard Castle - this town straddles the Cumbrian-Durhamite border, and possesses a prime example of a Norman castle
 • Vinovia - this Roman fort has one of the best preserved examples of a Roman military bath house hypocaust in the country
 • Auckland Castle - this castle has been the official residence of the Bishop of Durham since 1832
 • Bishop Auckland - the largest settlement in the county, Bishop Auckland is a prime example of a traditional market town
 • Newton Aycliffe - found to the east of Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe is a smaller - but nonetheless prime - market town