Durham Miners Hall, known as Redhills, opened in Durham City in 1915. Paid for by two hundred thousand working miners, the hall was a democratic hub and the heart of the Durham Coalfield. From Redhills, collective decisions were made, transforming the cultural and social fabric of County Durham; homes for aged miners were commissioned, healthcare for sick and injured miners provided, and welfare halls and reading rooms were built. It provided these services to the people of the coalfield a generation before the national welfare state was established. Redhills is Grade II listed, with its ‘Pitman's Parliament’ named by Historic England as one of its ' 100 irreplaceable places. It is ranked alongside the Palace of Westminster as one of the country's top ten landmarks in England's power, protest and progress history. Redhills is a beacon celebrating a unique heritage of social progress through community enterprise. With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Durham County Council, Redhills is undergoing an extensive programme of restoration and renewal as a vibrant centre of culture, education and heritage for the people of the Durham coalfield and beyond. The past we inherit; the future we build.
