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Durham City, England

Tracing a Thousand Years of English History

By Marilyn Loeser

In the north of England, the skyline of Durham City is dominated by Norman cathedral and castle towers, the crown of a city perched on the banks of River Wear. Our plans for this warm autumn morning were to tour these centuries-old landmarks and discover how each helped shape the city we were approaching.

Leaving a modern parking garage and setting out into the city center, we found ourselves in the market place with its tiny shops, town hall, St. Nicholas' Church and a statue of Charles Vane-Stewart.

The city is small enough to explore on foot, tracing Durham's mediaeval layout in the narrow winding streets. Away from the bustling town center, visitors find wooded riverbanks offering pleasant areas to stroll and take in views of the city.

Durham has a number of interesting small museums, providing fascinating insights into the colorful heritage and archaeology of the city and county.

My daughter Olivia and I, and our friends Michelle and Bryan O’Donoghue were most interested in visiting the cathedral and castle, so we immediately began to climb a narrow cobbled street past shops and restaurants toward our destination.

Durham Cathedral

Durham's Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin is a massive structure of stone and stained glass. The original rib vaulted church, an architectural innovation of great importance, took 40 years to build and was completed in 1133.

Upon entry, we were greeted by a large door knocker along with the explanation of “sanctuary” for those grabbing its ring and knocking on the heavy wooden door, asking for harbor against history’s authorities.

A major portion of the cathedral dates back some 900 years and is widely regarded as one of the most complete and perfect examples of Romanesque architecture still in existence.

Our footfalls echoed through the sanctuary and followed us up to an area where Benedictine monks lived. The cathedral is also the last resting place of Saint Cuthbert, said to be the greatest of the early English saints; Saint Bede, said to be the finest scholar of his age; and the head of Saint Oswald, the warrior king and martyr.

Monuments to religion, history and culture, the cathedral and nearby castle were named United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage sites in 1986.

Durham Castle

Founded in 1072, Durham Castle remains one of England's largest and best preserved Norman strongholds. For nearly 800 years it was the principal seat of Durham's Prince Bishops.

Since 1836 the castle has housed the Foundation College of Durham University. The university takes up a large part of the city and is the third oldest university in England after Oxford and Cambridge. It was established in 1834.

King William the Conqueror ordered the castle’s construction in 1072, shortly after the Norman Conquest.

The first purpose of the castle was to help pacify the rebellious Saxon population of the North of England. During the early medieval period, however, it developed into a strategic bulwark to defend the border with Scotland.

As the threat from the Scots receded, the castle evolved into a comfortable palace for Durham's all-powerful Prince Bishops.

When the castle was turned over to the university, it contained the entire university. As the university grew, the castle became housing for both university officials and students, and still is.

A colorful thespian acted as our tour guide, vividly performing lively scenes from the castle’s rich history, comparing what was and what is in the castle’s stone walls.

If you go:
Religious centers and castles are a must-see in England. In many cities, you will find most of the community’s history and lore by visiting these historic sites.

For more information on Durham City including hotels and other attractions, visit http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/, http://www.durhamcastle.com and other search engine recommended web sites.

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