High Force Hotel was built at the beginning of the 19th century by the dukes of Cleveland as a hunting lodge. The two end elevations were built some 100 years later to accommodate the royal hunting party. The then Prince of Wales visited high force in August 1866 and his photograph can be seen in the present bar.

It was built in its present position so the water fall could be seen from all the front windows. The present road that runs past the front of the hotel was not in position at the time of building, it ran to the rear of the hotel and the trees that now form the woodland walk down to the waterfall were not there so the view from the hotel would have been unimpaired.

J.M.W Turner the celebrated artist also visited the waterfall in August 1816 and painted high force and cauldrons snout.

The area has been an attraction for botanist for many years below is an extract from an article detailing ‘A Botanical Excursion In Teesdale, July 1840′
“The next morning, accompanied by Mr Thomson, the landlord of the Talbot Inn we started for High Force Inn, a distant of five miles, calling in our way at New Bigging. Thence we passed over the fields to Winch Bridge, where the Tees is crossed by a foot bridge. Here the troubled stream of the tees is confined by rocks, upon which and on the adjoining ground grow Serratula tinctoria, Cnicus heteropohyllus, Galium.
To this day it is the only place in England were you can see what is known as The Teesdale Violet.”