Durham Castle

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Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral in the background

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham in County Durham, England. It stands on a hill above the River Wear, opposite Durham Cathedral.

History

The castle was originally built in the 11th century to protect the Bishop of Durham from attack. The north of England was, especially after the conquest of the country by the Normans in 1066 (starting with the Battle of Hastings ), a "very wild " area. The castle is an example of the type favored by Norman Motte construction.

Built in the early 14th century by Bishop Antony Bek Great Hall was the largest of its time in Britain until Bishop Richard Fox, it decreased towards the end of the 15th century. Today, it is 14 m high and over 30 m long.

Chapels

Durham Castle has two chapels: Norman Chapel, built around the year 1078, and Tunstall 's Chapel (named after Cuthbert Tunstall, leader of the Church of England and two-time Bishop of Durham, 1474-1559 ), built in 1540.

Norman Chapel is the oldest part of the castle walk. The architecture of the chapel is of Saxon origin, probably due to the fact that Saxons were conscripted to build. In the 15th century, its three windows were almost completely blocked by the expansion of the Keeps. Until 1841 it was no longer used, and then served as a corridor for the Keep. During the Second World War, the Royal Air Force used the chapel as a command and observation posts and they discovered their original meaning. Shortly after the war, the chapel was blessed again and today there are weekly services are held.

Tunstall 's Chapel, with the larger of the two chapels, was frequently used for religious services. The Bishops Cosin and Crewe, they expanded in the late 17th century. In the back of the chapel, there are still some of the Misericordiae ( small wooden shelves designed to facilitate standing during services ) from the 16th century.

University College

1837 Bishop Edward Maltby donated the castle of the newly formed University of Durham as housing for the students and it was called University College. The Victorian architect Anthony Salvin reconstructed the decaying Keep after the original plans. Opened in 1840, it still serves as a dormitory students, making it the oldest inhabited university building in the world.

Students of the colleges today take their meals in the Great Hall to be where the annual Spring Ball of the Alumni of Durham Business School takes place while the basement serves as a bar. Both chapels are used today both for worship and theater events. The castle is also home to the Library of the College. During the semester break affordable accommodation and conference facilities are provided. For the public, the castle is otherwise accessible only by guided tour.

World Heritage

In 1986 the castle together with Durham Cathedral by the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site. The British government justified the nomination: