Billingham

Billingham is a town in County Durham that was founded around 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people and it is from this, that the name Billingham is thought to have originated. Billingham was the home of the chemical works operated by ICI and as the place that inspired Aldous Huxley to write the book “Brave New World” after a visit he made here.

Billingham is well known for its annual festival that was first held in 1965 and today attracts huge numbers of visitors from across the world. The festival came about after the development of a traffic free shopping centre here in the late ‘50’s, the Council decided to attract shoppers with entertainment. One Saturday an Irish Dance Troupe performed on the Town Square and attracted a large and enthusiastic audience. At the end of the show the prospect of a festival was discussed and the Billingham Festival continues to this day. Other attractions in Billingham include the vast Billingham Beck Valley Country Park in a beautiful area of diverse countryside with colourful meadows, ponds, marsh and woodland; and the Billingham Forum sports and leisure complex with a great choice of activities as well as the Forum Theatre that has attracted Wendy Richard, Arthur Lowe, David Jason, Penelope Keith, Terry Scott, Timothy West, Carroll Baker and Dame Anna Neagle to perform here.