THE stories of theatre and cinema in Durham City go hand-in-hand, and over the next five weeks, we will look at the development of both forms of entertainment in the city over 300 years.

Starting with the early development of Georgian theatre in 1722, through to the decline of cinema in the late 20th Century, we will remember the theatres and cinemas that have opened and closed across the city.

The 18th and 19th Century was the peak for theatre in Durham, while the 20th Century has witnessed the rise and fall of cinema.

With the growth of tourism, the importance of cinema and theatre in Durham has been increasingly recognised, but Durham has often struggled to sustain the two enterprises.

Over the past 40 years, there have been constant campaigns in Durham for a purpose-built theatre and these often coincided with similar campaigns for the preservation of the city's cinemas.

It was not until 2000 that Durham received the purpose-built professional theatre it had longed for, with the opening of the Gala Theatre.

Sadly the city's last cinema closed in January - an end to one form of entertainment as another was re-emerging.

Ironically, the Gala Theatre incorporates a large-screen cinema, which means that a theatre is now the sole provider of cinema in the city.

The Gala was by no means the first theatre in Durham to also serve as a cinema. The Palace Theatre, in Walkergate, along with the Palace of Varieties, in Court Lane, and the city's Assembly Rooms, in the Bailey, have all served this dual purpose.

Of course the invention of moving photographic images would not arrive until the 1890s, by which time theatre and even music hall performances were already well established. It is with the story of theatre that we must therefore begin our journey of Durham's stage and screen.

Dramatic performances have taken place in Durham for many centuries. It is known, for example, that medieval mystery plays with a religious content were performed in the city in early times.

No doubt travelling performers and showmen also visited the city from time to time, but the first mention of a purpose-built theatre does not appear until 1722.

In that year, the Newcastle Courant mentioned "a very handsome playhouse built for the reception of quality and gentry" in Durham.

Companies from cities like York, Newcastle and Edinburgh would perform, booking the venue for the years to come.

In 1742, for example, it is known that a Newcastle group performed the Beggars Opera in the Durham Theatre.

The theatre of 1722 was situated off Saddler Street, in Drury Lane, an alley named after London's theatre land.

Durham's Drury Lane is clearly marked on a map of Durham published in 1754. This shows a long building trailing along the course of Drury Lane down towards the river and this was almost certainly the city's first theatre.

Durham had a very small population for a city, and it may have struggled to support a theatre, even during the heyday of Georgian drama.

Performing companies were keen to book the theatre in periods when they would be assured of a captive audience.

It is known, for example, that during the race meeting of 1743, a company from Edinburgh booked the theatre.

In 1746, the future of the Drury Lane theatre hung in the balance when it was merely mentioned in part of the sale of a dwelling house that belonged to John Smith.

Smith died in that year and the property came up for sale. It was simply described as a "dwelling house with shop and stables, a cock-pit and playhouse with conveniences belonging thereto".

The history of the theatre after this period is not certain until 1754, when John Richardson acquired the property and continued to operate it as a theatre.

In 1760, a new theatre would open in the city, in addition to Drury Lane, this time in Hallgarth Street, Elvet.

A theatrical company from Edinburgh established the new venue, but very little else is known about this particular theatre or how long it operated.

Whatever its fate, it certainly did not bring an end to the story of theatre in Saddler Street, as we will see next week.

The history of Durham features in my new book, titled North-East England: places, history, people and legends, published by Business Education Publishers of Sunderland. It is available from local bookshops.

If you have memories or old photographs of Durham, including old pubs, shops, cinemas or well-known personalities, write to David Simpson, Durham Memories, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. E-mail david.simpson@nne.co.uk, or telephone (01325) 505098