East Durham Heritage and Lifeboat Centre
Durham and North East
Seaham

East Durham Heritage and Lifeboat Centre is located in Seaham’s Harbour Marina where the historic lifeboat The George Elmy is on permanent display.

East Durham Heritage and Lifeboat Centre is located in Seaham’s Harbour Marina where the historic lifeboat The George Elmy is on permanent display. The Centre’s exhibition facility enables the East Durham Heritage Group to hold themed displays relating to the maritime, industrial and social heritage of the area.

Seaham’s heritage history dates from before the 8th century Anglo Saxon church of St Mary the Virgin adjacent to Seaham Hall on the headland to the north of the town through the era of the Milbanke’s and their relationship with Lord Byron to Lord and Lady Londonderry who created the harbour for the export of coal from their collieries of East Durham. Following the closure of the collieries Seaham has seen many changes and is now attracting large numbers of visitors to the beaches, seafront promenade and marina. Seaham is located on Durham’s Heritage Coast and is County Durham's only port.

The Centre provides educational visit facilities for both school and adult groups on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The East Durham Heritage & Lifeboat Centre is managed and staffed solely by volunteers of the East Durham Heritage Group and enthusiastic new volunteers are always needed. If members of the public feel they would like to help then they should please visit the Centre.

Our aim is to collect and preserve information and artefacts relating to Seaham’s heritage and make it available to all generations as an educational facility. “Without knowing our past how can we know and appreciate our present and future?”