Northern diver feature in Dive Into Durham: 20 Years of Underwater Archaeology

Exploring Durham’s hidden history beneath the River Wear

What’s hiding beneath the River Wear?

For more than 20 years, underwater archaeologist and author Gary Bankhead has been exploring the River Wear as part of his Dive into Durham project, uncovering archaeological finds and helping to reveal previously hidden stories from Durham’s past. His latest one-hour documentary brings two decades of research and exploration together, combining underwater footage, drone photography, illustrations and never-before-seen archive footage. We’re pleased to see Northern Diver equipment featured throughout Gary’s underwater work.


20 years of underwater discovery

The Dive into Durham project has documented thousands of historic artefacts recovered from the River Wear, providing fascinating insights into the people who have lived, worked and travelled through Durham over the centuries. The latest documentary explores archaeological discoveries beneath Elvet Bridge, historic finds associated with Durham’s role as a pilgrimage destination, museum collections and a newly identified submerged archaeological site beside South Street Mill.

The film also takes viewers inside Durham’s historic Fulling Mill, investigating surviving traces of its ancient machinery. Together, these discoveries help illuminate over 1,000 years of Durham’s history and demonstrate the incredible archaeological potential that can exist beneath the surface of our waterways.