Durham Castle
 Castles |
The cathedral's twin in this World Heritage Site, the castle, presents a formidable defence of the northern approach to the Peninsula. Like the cathedral, Durham Castle also stands on high ground; constructed in the early 11th century it is unique among England's northern strongholds in that it never fell to the Scots. As its defensive role declined over the centuries, so alterations were made to provide gracious living-quarters for the prince-bishops. The castle remained the palace of bishops from 1072 until 1837, at which date it was handed over to the newly founded University as its first college, and the castle now functions as a student residence. Durham University, founded in 1832, is the oldest in England after Oxford and Cambridge, and is centred on the cathedral/castle complex.
Entry to the castle is across the former dry moat and through the imposing gatehouse, originally the work of Bishop le Puiset and heavily restored at the end of the 18th century by Wyatt. The 16th century heavy oak doors, with studded ironwork, give access to the inner bailey or courtyard. Many rooms in the castle are still used for their original purposes. Fox's Kitchen dates from the 15th century and is reached after passing through a black door carved in deep relief. Named after Bishop Fox (1494-1501), the kitchen enjoys huge deep fireplaces, low stone arches and ancient brickwork with imitative castellation, all of which evokes grand medieval banquets. Many a monarch has been lavishly served from this kitchen, but none more grandly than Margaret, daughter of Henry VII, who, on her way to marry James IV of Scotland, was entertained to a banquet lasting for three days.
Five hundred years later the kitchen is still used, albeit not on such a grand scale, to cook more than 300 meals every day for hungry students. The Norman Chapel dates from 1072, the earliest Norman work in Durham and the castle's oldest part, it has recently been re-opened. Embedded deep in the castle's foundations it is an architectural gem with remarkable acoustics, which can be experienced weekly in the plainsong chant of Vespers, sung appropriately in Medieval Latin. The capitals in this ancient chapel are carved with grotesque figures, plants and geometric designs, while the circular columns are naturally attractive in their own right displaying swirling grains of the colourful local sandstone.
The Great Hall, at 100ft in length, is aptly named and one of the grandest dining halls in the country where a decided air of dignity pervades the room. The armour on display in the gallery is largely 17th century, a reminder that the prince-bishops had to maintain their own standing army. The Tunstall Gallery has the finest Norman doorway in Durham, at the end of which is the Tunstall Chapel dating from 1542. Historic buildings line the Palace Green, including the long low mellow-stoned building known as Bishop Cosin's Almshouses, rebuilt by Cosin in 1668. The Church of St Mary le Bow, in the North Bailey, was rebuilt in 1685, after its arch and tower collapsed in 1637, destroying much of the church's naïve at the same time; the original tower formed part of the city's fortifications. It is thought to have been the site of the wattle church in which the coffin of St Cuthbert rested when first brought to Durham; the building is now a Heritage Centre. The little church of St Mary-the-Less, in the South Bailey, dates from the 12th century, but was completely rebuilt in 1847.