A LOVELY hardback book has just been published telling the stories of about 150 mansions that have been lost over time in County Durham.

It has been compiled by Jim Davidson as a follow-up to his first book about lost Northumberland mansions. Jim has a collection of more than 20,000 postcards, some of which are used to illustrate the book. In many instances, it is only these postcard views that survive to tell us what these grand country houses looked like.

Jim became interested in the subject when studying his home village of Dunston-upon-Tyne at the northern edge of Durham. It once had several country estates, but as industry flourished, their parkland was built on which meant the hall became a less desireable place to live. An alternative use was therefore sought for the hall which caused it to decay further - especially if the army took it over during a war - and so its demolition became inevitable.

We had a first selection of 10 of Jim's lost halls a week or so ago. They were mostly from the south of the county. Now here's a few from the north of the county...

The Northern Echo: Acorn Close at Sacriston was built in the 1860s as a colliery manager’s house – in 1903, it was the home of Colonel William Blackett, the manager of Sacriston Colliery. It was described as “a fine house with extensive grounds”,

Acorn Close at Sacriston was built in the 1860s as a colliery manager’s house – in 1903, it was the home of Colonel William Blackett, the manager of Sacriston Colliery. It was described as “a fine house with extensive grounds”, and had orchards, greenhouses, fishponds and tennis courts. However, subsidence caused by a drift mine forced its demolition around 1953.

The Northern Echo: The Deanery at Chester-le-Street was a country home that dated back to the 16th Century. In 1906, it was bought by Durham County Education Committee which built a secondary school on top of it. The school opened in September 1911 and from 1969 to 1976

The Deanery at Chester-le-Street was a country home that dated back to the 16th Century. In 1906, it was bought by Durham County Education Committee which built a secondary school on top of it. The school opened in September 1911 and from 1969 to 1976 was known as "the Deanery". It is now Park View School - does anything of the original Deanery survive?

The Northern Echo: Crook Hall, near Consett, was mentioned in the Boldon Book, which was the survey conducted of County Durham by Bishop Hugh Puiset in 1183, so at its core it was ancient. It was the home of the Shafto and Barker families, and from 1794 to 1808, it was

Crook Hall, near Consett, was mentioned in the Boldon Book, which was the survey conducted of County Durham by Bishop Hugh Puiset in 1183, so at its core it was ancient. It was the home of the Shafto and Barker families, and from 1794 to 1808, it was used as a Roman Catholic seminary while Ushaw College was being built. It ended up in the ownership of the Consett Iron Company which demolished it around 1900. Much of its stonework was used to build West Park in nearby Lanchester

The Northern Echo: County Durham's Lost Houses. A picture postcard history by Jim Davidson (Wagtail Press, £19.50)

County Durham's Lost Houses: A picture postcard history by Jim Davidson (Wagtail Press, £19.50) and is available from the Hexham publisher's website, wagtailpress.uk

The Northern Echo: Helmington Hall at Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, was a grand house dating back to 1686, but in 1894 it was said to be "in a ruinous state owing to colliery workings". In the following year, a fire destroyed what was left of it

Helmington Hall at Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, was a grand house dating back to 1686, but in 1894 it was said to be "in a ruinous state owing to colliery workings". In the following year, a fire destroyed what was left of it

The Northern Echo: Old Park Hall at Byers Green, to the south of Durham, was one of the most remarkable of all the 150 houses featured in the new book. It was enlarged around 1760s by the Wharton family who added the the "attractive architectural features" which

Old Park Hall at Byers Green, to the south of Durham, was one of the most remarkable of all the 150 houses featured in the new book. It was enlarged around 1760s by the Wharton family who added the the "attractive architectural features" which give it an ecclesiastical feel. Those features must have come from somewhere - but where? In 1868, the Whartons sold the hall to the Church Commissioners, and in 1894 it was described as "occupying a beautiful and retired situation, about a mile above the Wear and not far from Byers Green station". The Commissioners demolished this eccentric palace in 1901

The Northern Echo: Consett Hall was first mentioned in 1820, so it was one of the few buildings in Consett to pre-date the establishment of the iron works in the 1840s. However, this Edwardian postcard makes it look like a mid-Victorian Gothic villa, so it must have been

Consett Hall was first mentioned in 1820, so it was one of the few buildings in Consett to pre-date the establishment of the iron works in the 1840s. However, this Edwardian postcard makes it look like a mid-Victorian Gothic villa, so it must have been rebuilt. And we don't know when it disappeared...

The Northern Echo: This is Newton Hall, after which a huge housing estate on the edge of Durham is named. It was a stately residence, dating to the 18th Century, if not earlier, and was built for the Liddells of Ravensworth. Later it became home to the Russells of

This is Newton Hall, after which a huge housing estate on the edge of Durham is named. It was a stately residence, dating to the 18th Century, if not earlier, and was built for the Liddells of Ravensworth. Later it became home to the Russells of Brancepeth. Towards the end of the 19th Century, it became the county lunatic asylum, and during the First World War it housed soldiers. Army occupation was the death knell for many country homes, and Newton Hall was no exception. Derelict, it was demolished in 1926