Durham Cathedral at night (Von Simon Lane - Adobe Stock)
For 900 years, Durham Cathedral and its castle have stood at the northeast corner of England as a monument of exceptional beauty and historic importance. Not only is it Britain’s largest and most important Norman building, travelers and historians also describe its setting above the Wear River among the most romantic in Europe. Rising high on cliffs in a loop in the river, the site is protected by a natural moat on three sides. Over 600,000 visitors cross its portal every year.
WHO WERE THE NORMANS?
In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel from France with 8,000 infantry and cavalry and at the single decisive Battle of Hastings won his name as The Conqueror. Ten weeks later on Christmas Day, he was crowned King of England.
William then ruthlessly installed his own nobles, bishops and language giving out titles, land and spoils of war. With master builders from France, he initiated a huge construction program of castles, monasteries and cathedrals in the Romanesque style of his dukedom to solidify his reign. The style quickly became known as “Norman.”
Durham is the greatest monument to this effort. Started in 1083 during William’s lifetime, the cathedral and castle became a spiritual center of worship and a military bulwark whose great size was intended for shock and awe. The political message was blunt: “We’re Normans. We’re here and we’re in charge.”
Durham River on cloudy day with the Cathedral and trees in the background (Mic Fleming)
WHY THE CATHEDRAL IS IMPORTANT
Durham is the greatest influencer of medieval architecture ever. The interior retains its pure Norman character of thick walls, round head arches and chevron moldings. But here we see the first use of pointed stone arches over a nave and the first placement of ribs between these arches to support a stone roof of enormous size and weight, the largest surviving early vault of its size. These two engineering feats made possible the rise to the soaring heights of the later Gothic cathedrals, the dominant style of the next four centuries.
Masons carved the nave’s massive columns in pieces that were assembled like a giant LEGO® set. They measure 12 feet in diameter and are filled with rock construction rubble. And like much of the interior, they were once painted in reds, greens and yellows. Traces of the paint remain.
Such a grand space has proven irresistible to Hollywood.
Harry Potterheads, grab your wands! Scenes from both “The Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Chamber of Secrets” were filmed here. Hogwarts hallways are in the side aisles, the cloister green is where Hedwig flies away and Ron’s spell boomerangs. Visitors can take a special Harry Potter tour to see all the locations.
For Tudor fans, Cate Blanchett strides confidently through the nave representing Whitehall, her royal palace in “Elizabeth” (1998).
THE SANCTUARY RING
Everyone’s first selfie is at the front door. The large door knocker features a fierce demon or lion with a mane of flames holding the ring in its maw. The original, now in the museum, was thought to have red glass eyes making it even scarier.
In the Middle Ages, fugitives could run up, grab the ring and claim sanctuary. Historians have determined that originally there was a little lookout booth on the inside above the door where monks watched out for the seekers. The souvenir shop is filled with keepsakes of the creature’s image.
Durham RAF Window (Mic Fleming)
CUTHBERT
The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Cuthbert, the most beloved of English saints. Miracles were credited to him immediately after his death in 687. Viking raids forced the monks to flee Lindisfarne, where he lived and died, with his coffin and relics. Legend says their cart became stuck in the road near Durham behind a brown cow, lost by its milkmaid. Taking it as a divine sign of the saint’s will, they settled there. The event is memorialized on a sculpture on the north transept wall.
In our own times, the faithful credit Cuthbert with saving the cathedral. On May 1, 1942, Luftwaffe bombers stormed over the Northeast. At their approach to Durham, a heavy mist suddenly appeared lasting from the first air raid signal to the all-clear. A modern stained glass window dedicated to the RAF depicts a cloud cover over the Cathedral towers.
Today, Cuthbert’s remains are interred in a shrine behind the main altar now reserved for quiet contemplation and Morning Prayer. Fragments of his coffin are in the museum.
However, you don’t need to believe in miracles to appreciate the Cathedral. It is wonderful just as it is, proud and majestic. It truly is a great building, well worth the journey. Entrance is free.
Durham Cathedral front view on a cloudy day (Mic Fleming)
Things to Do and See
Best Nearby Restaurants
· Tea and Scones: The Undercroft Café in the Cathedral
· Inexpensive: Bells Fish & Chips, unpretentious, great price/value
· Moderate to expensive: Restaurant 17, good for date night and small groups.
Related Activities
· Take a boat ride or rent a kayak on the River Ware.
· Climb the 325 steps of the central bell tower.
· Durham Castle. It’s now part of the university, so check hours.
· Specialized tours times and tickets at www.durhamcathedral.co.uk.
· Day trip to Lindisfarne. Learn more about that here.
Mic Fleming is a travel writer living in the rugged Mani of Greece. He holds a BA from Yale University in early medieval architecture and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Among other stations during his career in the Army, he served two tours in Germany.
