Durham Cathedral
2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Architecture
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, which is almost always referred to as Durham Cathedral, in the city of Durham, County Durham, North East England, was founded in 1093 and remains a centre for Christian worship today. It is generally regarded as one of the finest examples of a Norman cathedral in Europe, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with nearby Durham Castle, which faces it across Palace Green, high above the River Wear.
The Cathedral houses the shrine and related treasures of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, a 7th century saint, and these are on public view. It is also home to the head of St Oswald of Northumbria and the remains of the Venerable Bede. One can also climb the 325 steps to the top of the 66 m tall tower, from where a fine view of Durham and the surrounding area can be enjoyed.
There are regular services sung by the Cathedral Choir. Except for Mondays, and certain vacations, the Choir sing every day.
The Bishops of Durham were very powerful Prince-Bishops up to the mid-19th century. The seat of Bishop of Durham is still the fourth most significant in the Church of England hierarchy, and signposts for the modern day County Durham are nowadays subtitled "Land of the Prince Bishops".
History
Saxon
The seed of Durham takes its origins from the Diocese of Lindisfarne, set up by Saint Aidan at the behest of King Oswald around AD 635. The see lasted until AD 664 at which point it was translated to York. The see was then reinstated in AD 678 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The community of Lindisfarne produced many Saints, of which Saint Cuthbert is central to the development of Durham Cathedral.
After repeated Viking raids the monks fled Lindisfarne in AD 875, transferring St Cuthbert's relics wherever they went. The diocese of Lindisfarne remained itinerant until AD 882 when a community was established in Chester-le-Street. The see had its seat here until AD 995 further incursions once again caused the monks to move with the relics. According to local legened, the monks followed two milk maids who were searching for a dun (i.e. brown) cow and were led into a peninsula formed by a loop in the River Wear. At this point Cuthbert's coffin became immovable and this was taken as sign that the new shrine should be built here. A more prosaic set of reasons for the selection of the peninsula is its highly defensible position, and that a community established here would enjoy the protection of the Earl of Northumberland, as the bishop at this time, Aldhune, had strong family links with the earls.
Initially, a very simple temporary structure was built to house the relics of Cuthbert made from nearby trees. The shrine was then transfered to a sturdier, probably wooden, building known as the White Church. This church was then itself replaced three years later in AD 998 by a stone building also known as the White Church; by AD 1017 only the west tower was unfinished. Durham soon became a site of pilgrimage, encouraged by the growing cult of Saint Cuthbert. King Canute was one early pilgrim, granting many priviliges and much land to the Durham community. The defendable position, flow of money from prilgrims and power embodied in the church at Durham ensured that a town formed around the cathedral, establishing the early core of the modern city.
Medieval
The present cathedral was initially designed and built under the first Prince Bishop, William of St. Carilef. Construction began in 1093, although William died before completion of this phase in 1135, passing responsibility to his successor Ranulf Flambard (who also built Flamwell Bridge, the first crossing of the River Wear, in the town). The building is notable for the ribbed vault of the nave roof, with pointed transverse arches supported on relatively slender composite piers alternated with massive drum columns, and flying buttresses or lateral abutments concealed within the triforium over the aisles. These features appear to be precursors to the Gothic architecture of Northern France a few decades later, doubtless due to the Norman stonemasons responsible, although the building is considered Romanesque overall. It was the skilled use of the pointed arch and ribbed vault which made it possible to cover far more elaborate and complicated ground plans than hitherto. The buttressing made it possible both to build taller buildings and to open up the intervening wall spaces to create larger windows
Saint Cuthbert's tomb lies at the East, and was once an elaborate monument of green marble and gold.
In the twelfth century, Bishop Hugh de Puiset added the Galilee Chapel at the West end of the cathedral. Also known as The Lady Chapel, the Galilee Chapel holds the remains of the Venerable Bede and of Bishop Langley, the latter of whose tombs blocked the Great West Door of the cathedral.
William of St. Carilef, Ranulf Flambard and Hugh de Puiset are all buried in the cathedral's Chapter House, which lies opposite the cloisters and dates from 1140.
The thirteenth century saw the construction of the Chapel of the Nine Altars, at the Eastern end of the cathedral, beginning under Richard le Poore ( 1228- 1237). The central tower of this time was destroyed by lightning, so the current tower dates from the fifteenth century.
Dissolution
Cuthbert's tomb was destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538, but survives as a modest stone affair. Two years later, in 1540, the Benedictine monastery at Durham was dissolved, although the cloisters are well preserved architecturally, and its last prior - Hugh Whitehead - became the cathedral's first dean.
1600-1900
In 1650, Durham Cathedral was converted into a prisoner of war camp, and held Scots POWs from the Battle of Dunbar (Sept 3, 1650). As many as five thousand prisoners died en route to the Cathedral or while there. Their bodies were buried in unmarked graves. The survivors were shipped to the West Indies, Virginia and Massachusetts. One hundred and fifty Scots POWs were shipped to Berwick, Maine in December 1650.
The Chapel of the Nine Altars features a large rose window originally from the 1600s and rebuilt in the 18th century, and a statue of William Van Mildert, the last Prince Bishop ( 1826- 1836) and driving force behind the foundation of Durham University.
20th century
In 1986, the Cathedral - together with the nearby Castle - became a World Heritage Site. The UNESCO committee classified the Cathedral under criteria C (ii) (iv) (vi), reporting "Durham Cathedral is the largest and most perfect monument of 'Norman' style architecture in England" ( View full report (PDF)).
Today, the Cathedral remains seat of the Bishop of Durham, an Anglican church in the diocese of Durham. Durham Cathedral has also been featured in the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where it had a spire added onto the top of the famous towers to make it look less prominent. Interior views of the Cathedral were featured in the 1998 film Elizabeth.
Quotations
"Durham is one of the great experiences of Europe to the eyes of those who appreciate architecture, and to the minds of those who understand architecture. The group of Cathedral, Castle, and Monastery on the rock can only be compared to Avignon and Prague." - Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England.
"I paused upon the bridge, and admired and wondered at the beauty and glory of this scene...it was grand, venerable, and sweet, all at once; I never saw so lovely and magnificent a scene, nor, being content with this, do I care to see a better." - Nathaniel Hawthorne on Durham Cathedral, The English Notebooks.
"I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for best cathedral on planet Earth." - Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island.
- "Grey towers of Durham
- Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles
- Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot
- And long to roam those venerable aisles
- With records stored of deeds long since forgot."
- Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles
- Sir Walter Scott, Harold the Dauntless, a poem of Saxons and Vikings set in County Durham.
More pictures
 Durham Cathedral and Castle. |
 The Quire in 1890. |
 The Gallilee Chapel in 1890. |
 The interior |
 West view from the Main Tower |
 View from St Margaret's churchyard |
 View from South Street |
 View from Prebends Bridge |
 The Cathedral Cloisters |
 The Cathedral at sunset |
 From Durham Students' Union |