A recent litter pick has brought a small piece of Durham School's history back into view. Volunteers from Durham City Riverscape Community cleared ivy from a wall near Elvet Bridge, revealing a plaque commemorating Fearon Walk and the Headmaster who helped create it. For many of us, the riverside path between Elvet Bridge and Bow Lane is familiar territory. We walk past the boathouses, enjoy the views and perhaps pause to watch a crew on the water. Less familiar is the story behind its name. The plaque records that the walk was constructed and provided for public use in 1883 through the efforts of the Reverend William Andrewes Fearon, then Headmaster of Durham School. His contribution also features in A History of Durham Rowing, edited by Captain A. A. Macfarlane-Grieve and published in 1922. That history gives a vivid sense of the difference the path made. It records a new concrete path between Hatfield Hall's boathouse and Elvet Bridge in 1882, crediting Fearon with the improvement. Previously, anyone following a crew along that stretch had to cross Elvet Bridge and make their way through New Elvet to reach the riverbank at St Oswald's Church. Coaching from the bank required a considerable detour. By March 1884, Durham Amateur Rowing Club had instructed its Honorary Secretary to send Fearon a formal vote of thanks. Members recognised his generosity in building the wall and constructing the footpath below Hatfield Hall, connecting Elvet Waterside with Bow Corner. The account makes clear that the benefits extended well beyond rowing. The new route gave residents a convenient and pleasant walk beside the Wear, opening up a stretch of riverbank that continues to be enjoyed today. The references to work in 1882, the plaque's date of 1883 and the club's thanks in 1884 together trace an improvement whose value was quickly recognised. For the Durham School community, the rediscovered plaque is a reminder that our history reaches beyond the School gates. A Headmaster's practical contribution to rowing also left something lasting for the city. Our thanks to the volunteers who brought this connection back into view. Next time you pass the boathouses, look out for the plaque: you are walking along Fearon Walk. Historical source: A History of Durham Rowing, edited by Captain A. A. Macfarlane-Grieve (1922), pp. 53 and 189.