County Durham, England, North East, United Kingdom

Durham – The Five Minute Spare Guide

Durham – The Five Minute Spare Guide
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Durham is a historic city and the county town of County Durham in North East England. The city lies on the River Wear, 13 miles (21 km) to the west of Sunderland and 18 miles (29 km) south of Newcastle upon Tyne. The city is revered as the final resting place of both St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede.

In 1986, the site of the cathedral and adjacent 11th-century castle was designated UNESCO World Heritage status. The city is also home to a much-respected university and as a location to one of HM Prisons’.

 

Durham – A Fleeting History

Archaeological evidence suggests that there has been a settlement in the Durham area since around 2000 BC. The name “Durham” is derived partly from the Celtic, as in “dun”, which means ‘hill fort’, and partly from Old Norse “holme”, which translates to English as ‘island’.

The founding of the present city can be traced back to AD 995, when a church was built at the spot where the cathedral would later stand, by a group of Lindisfarne monks as a resting place for the body of Saint Cuthbert. Local folklore has it that the site of the city was inspired by divine intervention, as chronicled by Symeon of Durham in the 12th century. The story goes that a local milkmaid guided the monks to the idyllic resting place of ‘Dun Holme’ for the body of St Cuthbert while searching for her lost cow.

The event became known as the ‘Legend of Dun Cow’ and Dun Cow Lane became one of the first streets in Durham, situated just to the east of the Cathedral.  The legend is interpreted by a Victorian stone carving on the south face of the cathedral, and more recently, by the bronze sculpture ‘Durham Cow’ (1997), which rests close to the River Wear in view of the cathedral.

Early Religious Center

During medieval times the city gained spiritual prominence as the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable. The shrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind the High Altar of Durham Cathedral, became the most important religious site in England, at least until the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170. Saint Bede’s bones were entombed in the cathedral, and thus also drew medieval pilgrims to the city.

Durham’s strategic location gave it great importance in the defence of the north of England against the Scots. Durham Castle was the only Norman castle keep never to have suffered a breach. In October 1346, the Battle of Neville’s Cross took place close to Durham, with the Scots suffering heavy losses at the hands of the English.

During the 14th century life in the north-east was badly affected by the Black Death, which first reached Durham in 1349. The plague was rumoured to have started in Bristol, the country’s then busiest seaport. Soon spreading to London and then northwards, it is estimated that it wiped out between 30% and 45% of the general population. The city also suffered outbreaks of the plague in 1544, 1589 and 1598, although they appear to have been somewhat more merciful than the original incident of 1349.

Coal Is King

Even in Norman times, there is clear evidence that coal was being mined in and around Durham. The Prince Bishops, who effectively ruled the County Palatine of Durham between 1071 and 1836 by royal consent, were all major investors in the exploitation of local coal reserves.

The Bishops enjoyed extraordinary powers, having the ability to hold their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices, administer their own laws, levy taxes, customs duties and other revenues, issue charters, salvage shipwrecks and mint their own coins. There are detailed accounts in the Cathedral archives as far back as 1458 showing the Bishops involvement with coal mining.

With the growth of the shipbuilding industry in Tudor times, timber became in short supply, resulting in wood as a fuel becoming more expensive. Thus, the demand for coal began to accelerate, especially in London as its population grow quickly.

However, with the advent of the English civil war in 1642, Durham’s fortunes were about to take a change for the worse. With the loss of its bishopric influence, Durham’s prosperity went into rapid decline and continued for the duration of the Republican period that followed. Durham Castle which had been the residence of the Bishop suffered damage during the civil war and fell into disrepair. Cromwell confiscated the castle and sold it on to the Lord Mayor of London.

In 1650, a similar fate befell the cathedral, as it was taken over by the Republicans and used to incarcerate 3,000 Scottish prisoners. In 1660, following the restoration of the monarchy, John Cosin was appointed Bishop of Durham and commissioned major renovation works for the cathedral. His successor Lord Bishop Nathaniel Crewe, not only carried out further renovations of the cathedral but also city-wide restoration works.

The Industrial Age

The local coal-mining industry began to thrive throughout the latter 17th century and early 18th century. However, it positively boomed during the second half of the 18th century with the dawning of the Industrial Revolution, which made vast demands on coal suppliers. The invention of the steam engine and the new-found use of coal in the smelting iron were developments of particular significance for north-east coal production.

However, as well as coal mining, carpet making and weaving were also important industries to Durham at this time. With an abundance of work, the city’s population began to rise. The first nationwide census of 1801, reported that Durham had a population of 7,100. The times also saw the early rise of the trade union movement in the city.

After more than 650 years, the Great Reform Act of 1832, saw the removal of the Prince Bishop’s powers. However, the position retained the right to a seat in the House of Lords, the kudos of being the fourth most senior clergyman in the Church of England, and the right to accompany the monarch at a coronation. It was also in 1832 that Durham University was founded through the benevolence of Bishop William Van Mildert. Durham Castle became the first faculty of the University, with the bishop taking up a new place of residence at Auckland Castle.

Twentieth Century Durham

In 1913, coal production in Great Britain peaked at over 270 million tons, with 58.7 million tons coming from County Durham. However, despite increasing mechanisation, the industry went into decline thereafter. With depleting coal reserves, the worldwide Great Depression that started in 1929 hit Durham along with the rest of the north-east, particularly hard.

In 1947, the coal industry was nationalised and the newly formed National Coal Board took over County Durham’s 127 collieries, which employed more than 100,000 men. Nationalisation saw investment in the industry and miners secured better working conditions and wages. However, further restructuring of the national coal industry saw an increasing number of pit closures in County Durham, with production increasingly been concentrated at the larger coastal pits. As a result, more than 8,000 local coal workers and their families moved to Yorkshire to take up available jobs.

 

Durham – The Modern Era

From the 1950s onwards, coal nationally began to be replaced by alternate sources of fuel for both industrial and domestic consumption. By the early 1970s, the whole of County Durham only employed 25,000 miners at 22 collieries. The national coal strikes of 1972 and 1984, focussed public attention on the plight of the industry, which was not always sympathetic, given the disruption involved.

By the early 1970s, one of the city’s major assets and employers, Durham University, had greatly expanded to the south of the city centre. Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Collingwood, and Grey colleges had all been established, along with new buildings for St Aidan’s and St Mary’s colleges for women. In 1979, the two independent 19th-century colleges of the Venerable Bede and St Hilda merged and joined the university as the College of St Hilda and St Bede. After Oxford and Cambridge, Durham University is now recognised as one of the top seats of learning in the UK.

In 1986, the site of Durham Castle and Cathedral was allotted UNESCO World Heritage status. The cathedral was cited as one of the best examples of Norman architecture in the country. This has only added to Durham’s kudos as a superb tourist destination.

In December 1993, the last deep mine in the Durham Coalfield, Wearmouth Colliery, was closed with a loss of 670 jobs. The pit had supported more than 2,000 jobs just 2 years earlier. By this time, deep coal mining in the whole of the north-east was at an end.

Soon After work began to remove disused colliery structures, landscape pit heaps and generally clean up the area. Like its town and city neighbours, Durham’s economy became more and more reliant on the service and tourist industries as the 20th century wore on.

A Few Durham Facts

In 1871, the first Durham Miners’ Gala was attended by 5,000 miners in Wharton Park.

Durham is currently twinned with eleven other town and cities throughout Europe and the USA.

These are the Durham’s of North Carolina, Connecticut and New Hampshire, USA.

Tübingen and Kreis Wesel, Germany.

Kostroma, Russia;

Department of the Somme, France;

Banská Bystrica, Slovakia;

Nakskov, Denmark;

Alcala de Guadaira, Spain and

Jászberény, Hungary.

At the 2011 UK Census, the population of Durham was recorded as 47,785.

 

Getting there and around!

Road

It’s fairly easy to get to Durham from all parts of the country if you are travelling by car. The most direct and easiest way to get to Durham from London and the south is via the A1(M). Simply turn left at the crossroads with A690, Durham is about 2 miles further on. From Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, follow the A1/A1(M) and then turn right at the A690 crossroads.

Heading north you could take the A167 for the last 10 miles turning left off the A1(M) at Brafferton. Similarly heading south, turn right off the A1(M) on to the A167 at Chester-le-Street for the last 5 miles of your journey.

Rail

Durham railway station is situated on the East Coast Main Line between Edinburgh and London. On an average weekday, there are nineteen direct trains daily, in each direction, between Durham and London King’s Cross. The journey normally takes just under 3 hours.  Durham railway station also operates frequent services to and from York, Newcastle Central, Edinburgh Waverly, Birmingham, Liverpool Lime Street and Plymouth.

Bus

Durham bus station serves the city and is managed by Durham County Council. The main operators from the bus station are Go North East, Arriva North East, Scarlet Band, Stanley Travel, Weardale Motor Services. From the terminal, it is possible to get a bus to all citywide destinations as well as all the surrounding towns and cities of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Sunderland. National Express also operate from the terminal, running coaches as far as London, and to other major destinations around the country.

Durham County Council also operates a bus-based park and ride service to the city centre from three sites on the periphery of the city. The service operates every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday between 7 am and 7 pm.

Airport

Durham is accessible by air through Newcastle International and Durham Tees Valley airports, which are equidistant from the town. It takes approximately 40 minutes to complete the 25 miles journey between the city and the airports. Expect the journey to/from Newcastle Airport to take 50 minutes or so via the Metro and train.

From Tees Valley by public transport, the easiest way is to take a bus or taxi between the airport and Darlington, which is around 7 miles, and then take the train from Darlington to Durham. Newcastle has a far greater choice of to/from destinations.

 

Places to see in Durham!

As a major tourist destination there are lots of things to see in and around Durham, a few suggestions are:

Durham Cathedral

The Cathedral contains the remains of St Cuthbert, the 7th-century bishop of Lindisfarne. It also holds the tomb of Bede, the chronicler of Cuthbert’s life and the first English historian. There are guided tours available which include; Treasures of St Cuthbert, Monks’ Dormitory, ‘Building the Church’ exhibition, the Tower and the Cathedral Library, which include a number of audio-visual displays. There are also some spectacular walks around the cathedral’s nearby woodland and riverside, where you’ll encounter the Corn Mill, the Fulling Mill, Prebend’s Bridge, various boathouses and the Count’s House Folly. As an active place of worship, the Cathedral is not always fully accessible to visitors, so it’s always best to make an enquiry before visiting. Generally, you’re welcome and left to do your own thing.

Durham Castle

Durham Castle

Image: Iordanis/Shutterstock.com

A 10th-century Saxon fort is thought to have stood on the site of Durham Castle. In 1072, William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a new fort at the site, some of which survives today as Durham Castle. The Castle has had a fascinating history as a fortress, palace and finally as a college of Durham University. In 1986, together with the Cathedral, the Castle was awarded the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Even though the Castle forms part of a busy university, it’s still possible to take a guided tour.

However, opening times do vary, so all enquiries about tours should be made to the Palace Green Library. During the University’s holidays, it’s possible to stay at the Castle, as there are more than 80 rooms available for bed and breakfast accommodation.

Durham Museum and Heritage Centre

The museum is situated in a historic Listed Building that once served as a parish church. It was rebuilt in the 17th century and has some impressive architecture from that time. The museum garden contains two sculptures by a well-known local artist. The displays are full of objects that depict the origins of the city and how it grew, its lost trades and industries, and the life of the people.

There is also a model of the city during medieval times, a Crime and Punishment section with a Victorian prison cell. It’s open every afternoon between April and October. It’s cheap to enter, only £2.50 for adults and 50p for kids.

 

Things to do in Durham!

As a major tourist destination there are lots of things to do in and around Durham, a few suggestions are:

Prince Bishop River Cruiser

The cruise is a one-hour long event that passes by many of the city’s most celebrated sights from the alternative viewpoint of a floating vessel on the River Wear. On the trip that culminates at the Cathedral, you will take in some of the city’s most spectacular views, including old bridges, the castle and many of the University buildings. Just make sure you have your binoculars and camera on hand. All cruises are accompanied by a lively and informative guide commentary.

Tickets for the trip are issued on board the boat, so no need to queue – a nice plus! Particularly if you’re bringing children along. Departure is from Brown’s Boathouse at Elvet Bridge, which is behind the Prince Bishop Shopping Centre.

Adventure Valley

If you’re looking for a place to take energetic kids then Adventure Valley is the place for you. There’s Action Creek, with pedal go-karts, jumping pillows, slides, sandpits swings, etc. and a designated area for the under 5s. There’s also 18-hole adventure golf, a wild west play town and daily shows at the Showtime Theatre, amongst other attractions. There’s also Indoor Play Town which has 18,000 sq. ft. of slides, tubes, tunnels and scramble nets for children to play. There’s also a roller disco and a farm zoo where kids can get hands-on with the animals. After all the fun there’s an Italian café where parents can chill out for a while

 

Where to stay in Durham?

A broad indication of prices for the most readily available types of accommodation in Durham based on 2 people sharing are:

Hotel: £80 – £100

Lodge/B & B/Guesthouse: £50 – £80

Try Our Durham Quiz

 


 

 

 

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