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"A part of the World Heritage Site - Durham Castle and Cathedral"
Photo By
Mike Quinn
A part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site
that also includes
Durham Cathedral.
The castle is currently a part of Durham University, and has been since 1840. It is used for both a university building and student accommodation. It is also a registered museum. Guided tours lasting 1.5 hours are available some days is term time, see below, but check first as they may not always take place. This Norman castle stands on the top of a hill
overlooking the River Wear. It is near to
Durham Cathedral. The castle was the home and office of the Bishop of Durham from the time it was built until it was converted to a college. Early bishops exercising power over the region on behalf of the King. It was originally a mote and bailey castle, the great hall was added in the early 14th century by Bishop Beck and was the largest great hall in Britain until it was shortened by Bishop Fose at the end of the 15th Century. It remains a large hall, 30 metres long and 14 metres high.
View from the cathedral
By Kenneth
Yarham
In 1837 it was donated to the new university and named University College. Using original plans, Anthony Salvin (architect) rebuilt the castle keep, mostly to provide student accommodation, most of the current 100 students have rooms in the keep. The great hall is used for students and staff to eat in, and the great halls undercroft is the junior common room. Two chapels are still in use for services and theatrical performances. Other parts of the building house the library, IT facilities and college offices. The oldest accessible part of the castle is the Norman chapel, built about 1078. Due to the expansion of buildings in the 15th century all but three windows were blocked and the chapel was not then used until 1841, when it was used as a corridor to access the keep. During the Second World War it was used as a command and observation post by the RAF. Its original design and use was then discovered, shortly after the war it was re-consecrated and used for weekly college services. A larger and more used chapel Known as Tunstall's Chapel, was extended in the late 17th century, but still houses at the back of the chapel 16th century misericords, also known as mercy seats, and when folded up, have a ledge that people standing can rest on. These are often found in older cathedrals and abbeys and the like so that old monks could take part in long services and without them they would not have been able to stand for the time required. Although its use has changed and it has been changed or rebuilt, the castle can still claim to have been continuously occupied for 900 years and to have changed to suit the needs of the time.
Images
marked
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