Which market town is the best in England? Experts have whittled dozens down to the last 15 - and Mayor John Yarker believes his North-East "gem" should take the crown.

He said yesterday that Barnard Castle, County Durham, which was built around a fortress beside the River Tees nearly 1,000 years ago, is just about the perfect place to bring up a family.

Country Life magazine has split the country into five sections, with three contenders from each. Barnard Castle (population 5,000) is one of the trio in the North, with Hexham, in Northumberland, and Beverley, in the East Riding.

The judge for the region is the Reverend David Hope, former Archbishop of York, who stood down to become a parish priest at Ilkley in West Yorkshire.

He will visit each of the three soon, looking for "qualities that make a town a lovely place to live".

Councillor Yarker and his wife, Marie, decided to settle in the town for life as soon as he was posted to it as a prison officer at Deerbolt young offenders' institution, a job from which he has now retired.

He said: "I believe we may be the best of all, but to be included in the top 15 is an accolade in itself, and I am really proud of it.

"I was brought up in Knaresborough, which was a lovely market town. But it has lost some of its character due to modern developments, as have a lot of other places around the country.

"But our town has retained its charm. It still has its sheep and cattle market, as well as its open air weekly market stalls and a monthly farmers' market.

"So it is truly a market town, and it has a colourful history, along with traditional buildings and beautiful scenery. What more could anyone want?"

Local historian Alan Wilkinson said the road layouts still showed evidence of markets that were started in the 1500s.

Horsemarket is fairly narrow because horses were run up and down it to prove their merits. But Market Place is wider because it had different areas for selling various products, such as grain, leather and meat.

The much-photographed Market Cross, on a road roundabout, was for centuries the venue for farmers' wives who sold butter and other dairy produce.

Mr Wilkinson said: "Barnard Castle must have a chance because it has so many historic market features, as well as having town centre buildings which are all in keeping with its past centuries."

Planners have helped over the years by insisting that shops have fascias, lighting and advertisements that suit the town's image.

An example was a gift shop being ordered last year to remove pink paint from its front walls and change to a quieter colour.

Anne Wilkinson, of Barnard Castle tourist information centre, said: "We often get visitors saying how much they like the old world feeling of the town, with its antique shops and markets.

"They also remark about how friendly the people are, and they think that is important."

Barnard Castle's stronghold was built in the 12th century. Its most notable time came in 1569 when Sir George Bowes defended it on behalf of Queen Elizabeth I against rebels for 11 days, giving loyalist forces time to gather and halt the revolt.