 |
Durham is a small city with a population of about 89,000. It is a historic location, with both a cathedral and castle. The river and green spaces make it a very attractive place to live or to visit, with many lovely views. Express trains from London King's Cross take about 3 hours to reach Durham.
 Railway bridge into Durham |
 North-east England train company |
 Map of Durham city centre |
|
DURHAM CATHEDRAL |
Durham Cathedral is built on a hill, so there are beautiful views of it from many parts of the city. Its construction was started in 1093. The building is the first one in the world to use vaulting (large stone arches). The cloisters were used during the filming of the Harry Potter films (local schoolchildren were also used in the film). If you are energetic you can pay a small amount to climb the 364 steps to the top of the clock tower, for excellent views of the city. For further information, see: http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk
 Cloisters |
 View from the south |
 View from the west |
 View from the top of the cathedral tower |
 Cathedral window |
 Crest of Saint Cuthbert |
Back to top
|
DURHAM CASTLE |
After William the Conqueror invaded England, he wanted to create a strong defence against the Scots in the north. He therefore created the title of Prince Bishop, with this person being chosen by agreement between the king and by the local monks. The Prince Bishop was allowed to raise local taxes, to keep a local army and to make some of his own laws. He lived in Durham Castle. The last Prince Bishop was appointed in 1833. Because England was at peace with Scotland by this time, it was decided that he could no longer have the right to raise local taxes. He could not afford to live in the castle, so decided to give it to Durham University. It is still part of the university today. To go inside the castle you need to pay for one of the guided tours which are offered, or you can enjoy a virtual tour of Durham Castle at the following website: http://www.durhamcastle.com
 The gatehouse (entrance) of the castle |
 Arms of Prince Bishop Tunstal, engraved on walls in the castle (the symbols on the right are sheep combs) |
 Guided tours inside the castle |
Back to top
|
DURHAM UNIVERSITY |
Durham University was founded in 1832 and today has about 12,000 students and 11 colleges.
Website: http://www.dur.ac.uk
 St Mary's College, Durham University |
 Durham Students' Union |
http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Travel/Tours/England/Durham.htm