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Durham Castle

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Durham Castle
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Durham Castle - view from across the River Wear
LocationDurham, England, United Kingdom
Part ofDurham Castle and Cathedral
CriteriaCultural: (ii), (iv), (vi)
Reference370bis
Inscription1986 (10th Session)
Extensions2008
Area8.79 ha (0.0339 sq mi)
Coordinates54°46′29″N 1°34′34″W / 54.77472°N 1.57611°W / 54.77472; -1.57611
Durham Castle is located in County Durham
Durham Castle
Location of Durham Castle in County Durham

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been occupied since 1837 by University College, Durham after its previous role as the residence of the Bishops of Durham. Designated since 1986 as a cultural World Heritage Site in England, along with Durham Cathedral, the castle is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students. The castle stands on top of a hill above the River Wear on Durham's peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral (grid reference NZ274423).

History

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Early history

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Construction of the castle, of the motte and bailey design favoured by the Normans, began in 1072 under the orders of William the Conqueror, six years after the Norman conquest of England, and soon after the Normans first came to the North. The construction took place under the supervision of Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, until he rebelled against William and was executed in 1076.[1] Stone for the new buildings was cut from the cliffs below the walls and moved up using winches.[2]

The holder of the office of the bishop of Durham, Bishop Walcher at the time, was appointed by the king to exercise royal authority on his behalf, with the castle being his seat.[1] Adding to his status by the purchase of the Earldom of Northumbria, Walcher began a line of prince-bishops which continued until the Bishops of Durham lost their temporal powers under the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836.[3] The prince-bishops were entitled to raise an army, levy taxes and mint their own coinage. The wide remit granted them by the English crown allowed them virtual autonomy to act as a defence both against Scottish incursions from the north, and internal rebellions.[4]

Walcher continued the building of the castle, as a combination of bishops' palace and defensive stronghold. Inner and outer baileys and a keep were constructed. The earliest structures may have been of wood, but there is evidence of building in stone from the end of the 11th century.[5] In May 1080, the castle was attacked and besieged for four days by rebels from Northumbria and Bishop Walcher was killed.

In the 12th century, Bishop Pudsey (Hugh de Puiset) built the Norman archway and the Galilee of the cathedral.[6] In 1177, King Henry II of England seized the castle after a disagreement with de Puiset.[7] Other major alterations were made by Bishop Thomas Hatfield in the 1300s, including a rebuilding of the keep and enlargement of the keep mount.[8]

The castle has a large Great Hall, originally called a Dining Hall, created by Bishop Antony Bek in the early 14th century; Bishop Hatfield added a wooden minstrels' gallery. The hall was modified and enlarged, then reduced, in size by subsequent bishops.[9][10] Today, the Hall is 14 metres (46 ft) high and over 30 metres (98 ft) long.[8]

University College

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Main article: University College, Durham

The Castle remained the bishop's palace for the Bishop of Durham until Auckland Castle was made the bishops' residence in 1832; the current bishop still maintains offices at that castle, roughly ten miles to the south. Subsequently, Durham castle was donated to the University of Durham[2] by Bishop William Van Mildert and would later become the college.[11] The college did not occupy the castle until 1837, after the next Bishop, Edward Maltby, had completed renovations of the building.[12]

The cathedral was targeted for a Baedeker Blitz or bombing raid by Germany but escaped because fog rolled in and blocked the pilots' view.[13]

Architecture and description

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Chapels

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The Norman Chapel is the oldest accessible part of the castle built about 1078. Its architecture is Anglian in nature, possibly due to forced Anglian labour being used to build it. In the 15th century, its three windows were all but blocked up because of the expanded keep. It fell into disuse until 1841 when it was used as a corridor through which to access the keep. During the Second World War, it was used as a command and observation post for the Royal Air Force. The chapel was re-consecrated shortly after the war and is still used for weekly services by the college.[14]

Tunstall's Chapel, named after Cuthbert Tunstall, was built in the 16th century and is used for worship within the college.[15] It was modified in the 17th century by Bishop Cosin.[16]

World Heritage status and historic listing designations

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Durham Castle is jointly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, a short distance across Palace Green.[1][17]

The UNESCO report provides specifics about the Castle's important aspects:[18]

Within the Castle precinct are later buildings of the Durham Palatinate, reflecting the Prince-Bishops’ civic responsibilities and privileges. These include the Bishop’s Court (now a library), almshouses, and schools. Palace Green, a large open space connecting the various buildings of the site once provided the Prince Bishops with a venue for processions and gatherings befitting their status, and is now still a forum for public events.

Seventeen elements of the castle are listed, all at the highest Grade, I. These are: the keep, the north and west ranges, the entrance gatehouse, a bastion and twelve sections of the castle walls.[19]

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  • Entrance to Bishop Bek's Great Hall
    Entrance to Bishop Bek's Great Hall
  • Inside Bishop Bek's Great Hall
    Inside Bishop Bek's Great Hall
  • Durham Castle
    Durham Castle
  • The original great hall range with later adaptations
    The original great hall range with later adaptations
  • The entrance to Durham Castle, remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries
    The entrance to Durham Castle, remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Durham Castle". Durham World Heritage Site. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Durham of the Prince Bishops". British Heritage. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  3. ^ The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. His Majesty's Statute and Law Printers. 1836. p. 130. bishop of durham temporal Powers by Palatine Act 1836.
  4. ^ "The Prince Bishops of Durham". Durham World Heritage Site. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Durham Castle". United Nations. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  6. ^ The Castle, Durham. T. Caldcleugh. 1892. p. 1.
  7. ^ The Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce, and Manufacture. 1790. p. 859.
  8. ^ a b Page, William (1928). "'The city of Durham: The castle', in A History of the County of Durham: Volume 3". London: British History Online. pp. 64–91. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. ^ "The City of Durham - The Castle, 1928". British History Online. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  10. ^ The Castle, Durham. T. Caldcleugh. 1892. pp. 4–5.
  11. ^ "Durham Castle". Britain Express. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Van Mildert and the Foundation of Durham University". Durham University. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  13. ^ "The tourist guidebook that helped Nazis to blitz British cities". Fortune. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  14. ^ University College chapels. "History, Chapels of University College, Durham". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  15. ^ College Chapels Archived 4 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 2010
  16. ^ The Castle, Durham. T. Caldcleugh. 1892. p. 2.
  17. ^ Historic England. "Durham Castle and Cathedral (1000089)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Durham Castle and Cathedral". UNESCO. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  19. ^ *Durham Castle: Keep Historic England. "Durham Castle: Keep (Grade I) (1322868)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 January 2023. *Durham Castle: North Range Historic England. "Durham Castle: North Range (Grade I) (1160921)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: West Range Historic England. "Durham Castle: West Range (Grade I) (1121383)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Gatehouse, entrance gateway, side walls, linking walls and front wall Historic England. "Durham Castle: Gatehouse, entrance gateway, side walls, linking walls and front wall (Grade I) (1322867)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Bastion behind No. 50 and attached wall Historic England. "Durham Castle: Bastion behind No. 50 and attached wall (Grade I) (1322897)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Terrace wall, castle wall behind No.s 7-18 consecutive Historic England. "Durham Castle: Terrace wall, castle wall behind No.s 7-18 consecutive (Grade I) (1323246)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Wall around motte on west, north and east sides Historic England. "Durham Castle: Wall around motte on west, north and east sides (Grade I) (1120631)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Wall behind Hatfield College Historic England. "Durham Castle: Wall behind Hatfield College (Grade I) (1121422)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Wall behind No.3 Historic England. "Durham Castle: Wall behind No.3 (Grade I) (1322845)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Wall behind Nos. 16-22 and No.22a (St Chad's) Historic England. "Durham Castle: Wall behind Nos. 16-22 and No.22a (St Chad's) (Grade I) (1121431)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Wall behind Nos. 26-28 Historic England. "Durham Castle: Wall behind Nos. 26-28 (Grade I) (1310622)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Terrace wall north of Bow Lane Historic England. "Durham Castle: Terrace wall north of Bow Lane (Grade I) (1120714)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle walls: Terrace wall south of Bow Lane and east of Kingsgate Historic England. "Durham Castle walls: Terrace wall south of Bow Lane and east of Kingsgate (Grade I) (1159233)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle: Durham Castle walls: Wall behind Nos. 12 and 12a Historic England. "Durham Castle walls: Wall behind Nos. 12 and 12a (Grade I) (1161398)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle walls: Wall behind St John's College from Nos. 1 to 11 consecutive, and garden house attached behind No.11 Historic England. "Durham Castle walls: Wall behind St John's College from Nos. 1 to 11 consecutive, and garden house attached behind No.11 (Grade I) (1322901)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle walls: Wall to west of No.13 Historic England. "Durham Castle walls: Wall to west of No.13 (Grade I) (1121334)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023. *Durham Castle walls: Walls attached to No.s 12 to 15 Historic England. "Durham Castle walls: Walls attached to No.s 12 to 15 (Grade I) (1120695)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
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