The River Gaunless is a river of County Durham in England. Its name was given by the Vikings, who found no major uses for it and thus Gaunless, meaning 'useless', became fixed.Formed just south of the village of Copley, by the confluence of Arn Gill (to the south, coming west from south of Langleydale Common) and Hindon Beck (to the north and coming east from Langleydale Common), the Gaunless wends its way east, passing the settlements of Butterknowle, Cockfield and Evenwood and through West Auckland before skirting the south and east of Bishop Auckland on its way to meet the River Wear.