The city was built on a meander of theRiver Wear, which surrounds the centre on three sides and creates a narrow neck on the fourth. The surrounding land is hilly, except along the Wear's floodplain to the north and southeast.
Durham was founded in 995 by Anglo-Saxon monks seeking a place safe fromViking raids to house the relics of StCuthbert. The church the monks built lasted only a century, as it was replaced by the presentDurham Cathedral after theNorman Conquest; together withDurham Castle it is aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. From the 1070s until 1836 the city was part of theCounty Palatine of Durham, a semi-independent jurisdiction ruled by theprince bishops of Durham which acted as a geopolitical buffer between the kingdoms ofEngland andScotland. In 1346, theBattle of Neville's Cross was fought half a mile west of the city, resulting in an English victory. In 1650, the cathedral was used to house Scottish prisoners after their defeat at theBattle of Dunbar.[5] During theIndustrial Revolution, theDurham coalfield was heavily exploited, with dozens of collieries operating around the city and in nearby villages. Although these coal pits have now closed, the annualDurham Miners' Gala continues and is a major event for the city and region. Historically, Durham was also known for the manufacture of hosiery, carpets, and mustard.[6]
The city is the home ofDurham University, which was founded in 1832 and therefore has a claim to be thethird-oldest university in England. The university is a significant employer in the region, alongside the local council and national government at the land registry and passport office. TheUniversity Hospital of North Durham andHM Prison Durham are also located close to the city centre. The city also has significant tourism and hospitality sectors.[7]
The name "Durham" comes from theBrythonic elementdun, signifying ahill fort, and theOld Norseholme, which translates as island.[8] The LordBishop of Durham uses aLatin variation of the city's name in his official signature, which is signed "N. Dunelm".[8] Some attribute the city's name to the legend of theDun Cow and themilkmaid who in legend guided the monks ofLindisfarne carrying the body ofSaint Cuthbert to the site of the present city in 995 AD.[9] Dun Cow Lane is said to be one of the first streets in Durham, being directly to the east of Durham Cathedral and taking its name from a depiction of the city's founding etched in masonry on the south side of the cathedral.[9] The city has been known by a number of names throughout history. The original NordicDun Holm was changed toDuresme by the Normans and was known inLatin asDunelm. The modern formDurham came into use later in the city's history. The north-eastern historianRobert Surtees chronicled the name changes in hisHistory and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham but states that it is an "impossibility" to tell when the city's modern name came into being.[8]
Durham is likely to beGaer Weir inArmes Prydein, derived fromBrittoniccajr meaning "an enclosed, defensible site, fort" from Latincastrum, “fort, military settlement” (cf.Carlisle;Welshcaer) and the river-nameWear.[10]
Archeological evidence suggests a history of settlement in the area since roughly 2000 BC.[8] The present city can clearly be traced back to AD 995, when a group of monks fromLindisfarne chose the strategic high peninsula as a place to settle with the body ofSaint Cuthbert, that had previously lain inChester-le-Street, founding a church there.[9]
Legend of the founding of Durham (from a carving on the north side of the cathedral)
Local legend states that the city was founded in A.D. 995 by divine intervention. The 12th-century chroniclerSymeon of Durham recounts that after wandering in the north, Saint Cuthbert'sbier miraculously came to a halt at the hill ofWarden Law and, despite the effort of the congregation, would not move.[11]Aldhun, Bishop ofChester-le-Street and leader of the order, decreed a holyfast of three days, accompanied by prayers to the saint.[12] During the fast, Saint Cuthbert appeared to a certain monk named Eadmer, with instructions that the coffin should be taken to Dun Holm.[12] After Eadmer's revelation, Aldhun found that he was able to move the bier, but did not know where Dun Holm was.[12]
The legend of the Dun Cow, which is first documented inThe Rites of Durham, an anonymous account about Durham Cathedral, published in 1593, builds on Symeon's account.[13] According to this legend, by chance later that day, the monks came across amilkmaid at Mount Joy (southeast of present-day Durham). She stated that she was seeking her lostdun cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm. The monks, realising that this was a sign from the saint, followed her.[12] They settled at a wooded "hill-island" – a high wooded rock surrounded on three sides by the River Wear.[12] There they erected a shelter for the relics, on the spot where Durham Cathedral would later stand.[12] Symeon states that a modest wooden building erected there shortly thereafter was the first building in the city.[11] Bishop Aldhun subsequently had a stone church built, which was dedicated in September 998.[14] This no longer remains, having been supplanted by theNorman structure.
The legend is interpreted by a Victorian relief stone carving on the north face of the cathedral and, more recently, by the bronze sculpture 'Durham Cow' (1997,Andrew Burton), which reclines by the River Wear in view of the cathedral.
During the medieval period the city gained spiritual prominence as the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert andSaint Bede the Venerable. Theshrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind theHigh Altar of Durham Cathedral, was the most important religious site in England until the martyrdom ofSt Thomas Becket atCanterbury in 1170.[9]
Saint Cuthbert became famous for two reasons. Firstly, the miraculous healing powers he had displayed in life continued after his death, with many stories of those visiting the saint's shrine being cured of all manner of diseases. This led to him being known as the "wonder worker of England".[9] Secondly, after the firsttranslation of hisrelics in 698 AD, his body was found to beincorruptible.[15] Apart from a brief translation back toHoly Island during theNorman Invasion[16] the saint's relics have remained enshrined to the present day.[17] Saint Bede's bones are also entombed in the cathedral, and these also drew medievalpilgrims to the city.[9]
Durham's geographical position has always given it an important place in the defence of England against theScots.[18] The city played an important part in the defence of the north, and Durham Castle is the onlyNorman castlekeep never to have suffered a breach.[19] In 1314, the Bishopric of Durham paid the Scots a 'large sum of money' not to burn Durham.[20] TheBattle of Neville's Cross took place around half a mile west of the city on 17 October 1346 between the English and Scots and was a disastrous loss for the Scots.[21]
The city suffered fromplague outbreaks in 1544, 1589 and 1598.[22]
Owing to thedivine providence evidenced in the city's legendary founding, theBishop of Durham has always enjoyed the formal title "Bishop by Divine Providence",[23] similar to the archbishops of Canterbury and York, as opposed to the style of "Bishop by Divine Permission" used by most bishops.[8][24] However, as the north-east of England lay so far fromWestminster, the bishops of Durham enjoyed extraordinary powers such as the ability to hold their own parliament,[8] raise their own armies,[9] appoint their ownsheriffs andJustices, administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issuecharters,[11] salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins.[8] So far-reaching were the bishop's powers that thesteward of BishopAntony Bek commented in 1299 AD: "There are two kings in England, namely the Lord King of England, wearing a crown in sign of his regality and the Lord Bishop of Durham wearing amitre in place of a crown, in sign of his regality in thediocese of Durham".[25] All this activity was administered from the castle and buildings surrounding the Palace Green.[9] Many of the original buildings associated with these functions of thecounty palatine survive on the peninsula that constitutes the ancient city.[18]
From 1071 to 1836 the bishops of Durham ruled thecounty palatine of Durham.[26] Although the term "prince bishop" has been used as a helpful tool in the understanding the functions of the bishops of Durham in this era, it is not a title they would have recognised.[9] The last bishop to rule the palatinate, BishopWilliam Van Mildert,[9] is credited with the foundation of Durham University in 1832.Henry VIII curtailed some of the bishop's powers and, in 1538, ordered the destruction of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert.[9]
A UNESCO site describes the role of the bishops in the "buffer state between England and Scotland":[27]
From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England's northern frontier.
View of Durham Cathedral and its surroundingsc. 1850
The city remained loyal to KingCharles I in theEnglish Civil War – from 1642 to the execution of the king in 1649. Charles I came to Durham three times during his reign of 1625–1649. Firstly, he came in 1633[31]to the cathedral for a majestic service in which he was entertained by theChapter and Bishop at great expense. He returned during preparations for the First Bishops' War (1639).[32]His final visit to the city came towards the end of the civil war; he escaped from the city asOliver Cromwell's forces got closer.[33][need quotation to verify][34]Local legend[35] stated that he escaped downthe Bailey and through Old Elvet. Another local legend has it that Cromwell stayed in a room in the present Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet during the civil war.[36] The room is reputed to be haunted by his ghost.[37] Durham suffered greatly during the civil war (1642–1651) andCommonwealth (1649–1660). This was not due to direct assault by Cromwell or his allies, but to the abolition of theChurch of England[35] and the closure of religious institutions pertaining to it. The city has always relied upon theDean andChapter and cathedral as an economic force.
The castle suffered considerable damage and dilapidation during the Commonwealth due to the abolition of the office of bishop (whose residence it was). Cromwell confiscated the castle and sold it to theLord Mayor of London shortly after taking it from the bishop.[36] A similar fate befell the cathedral, it being closed in 1650 and used to incarcerate 3,000 Scottish prisoners, who were marched south after theBattle of Dunbar.[36][38]Graffiti left by them can still be seen today etched into the interior stone.[39]
At theRestoration in 1660,John Cosin (a formercanon) was appointed bishop (in office: 1660–1672) and set about a major restoration project. This included the commissioning of the famous elaborate woodwork in the cathedralchoir, the font cover and the Black Staircase in the castle.[40][41] Bishop Cosin's successor Bishop LordNathaniel Crewe (in office: 1674–1721) carried out other renovations both to the city and to the cathedral.
In the 18th century a plan to turn Durham into a seaport through the digging of a canal north to join theRiver Team, a tributary of theRiver Tyne nearGateshead, was proposed byJohn Smeaton.[42] Nothing came of the plan, but the statue of Neptune in the Market Place was a constant reminder of Durham's maritime possibilities.[43]
The thought of ships docking at the Sands or Millburngate remained fresh in the minds of Durhammerchants. In 1758, a new proposal hoped to make the Wear navigable from Durham toSunderland by altering the river's course, but the increasing size of ships made this impractical. Moreover, Sunderland had grown as the north east's main port and centre for shipping.[44][page needed]
The Representation of the People Act 2000 and is regarded as the second most senior bishop and fourth most senior clergyman in theChurch of England.[48] TheCourt of Claims of 1953 granted the traditional right of the bishop to accompany the sovereign at the coronation,[49] reflecting his seniority.[9]
The first census, conducted in 1801,[50] states that Durham City had a population of 7,100. TheIndustrial Revolution mostly passed the city by. However, the city was well known for carpet making and weaving. Although most of the mediaeval weavers who thrived in the city had left by the 19th century, the city was the home of Hugh MacKay Carpets’ factory, which produced the famous brands ofaxminster andtufted carpets until the factory went into administration in April 2005.[51] Other important industries were the manufacture ofmustard and coal extraction.[52]
The Industrial Revolution also placed the city at the heart of the coalfields,[53] the county's main industry until the 1970s. Practically every village around the city had a coal mine and, although these have since disappeared as part of the regional decline in heavy industry, the traditions, heritage and community spirit are still evident.
The 19th century also saw the founding ofDurham University[54] thanks to the benevolence of BishopWilliam Van Mildert and the Chapter in 1832. Durham Castle became the first college[52] (University College, Durham) and the bishop moved toAuckland Castle as his only residence in the county. Bishop Hatfield's Hall (laterHatfield College, Durham) was added in 1846 specifically for the sons of poorer families, the Principal inaugurating a system new to English university life of advance fees to cover accommodation and communal dining.
The firstDurham Miners' Gala was attended by 5,000 miners in 1871 in Wharton Park,[55] and remains the largest socialist trade union event in the world.[52]
Early in the 20th century, coal became depleted, with a particularly important seam worked out in 1927, and in the followingGreat Depression Durham was among those towns that suffered exceptionally severe hardship.[56] However, the university expanded greatly.St John's College andSt Cuthbert's Society were founded on theBailey, completing the series of colleges in that area of the city. From the early 1950s to early 1970s, the university expanded to the south of the city centre.Trevelyan,Van Mildert,Collingwood, andGrey colleges were established, and new buildings forSt Aidan's andSt Mary's colleges for women, formerly housed on the Bailey, were created. The final 20th century collegiate addition came from the merger of the independent nineteenth-century colleges of the Venerable Bede and St Hild, which joined the university in 1979 as theCollege of St Hild and St Bede.[57] The 1960s and 1970s also saw building on New Elvet.Dunelm House for the use of the students' union was built first, followed by Elvet Riverside, containing lecture theatres and staff offices. To the southeast of the city centre sports facilities were built at Maiden Castle, adjacent to theIron Age fort of the same name, and the Mountjoy site was developed, starting in 1924, eventually containing the university library, administrative buildings, and facilities for the Faculty of Science.[57]
View over the university's Mountjoy site towards the cathedral.
Durham was not bombed duringWorld War II, though one raid on the night of 30 May 1942 did give rise to the local legend of 'St Cuthbert's Mist'. This states that theLuftwaffe attempted to target Durham, but was thwarted when Cuthbert created a mist that covered both the castle and cathedral, sparing them from bombing. The exact events of the night are disputed by contemporary eyewitnesses.[55] The event continues to be referenced within the city, including inspiring the artwork 'Fogscape #03238' at Durham Lumiere 2015.[58]
'Durham Castle and Cathedral' was named aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1986. Among the reasons given for the decision were 'Durham Cathedral [being] the largest and most perfect monument of "Norman" style architecture in England', and the cathedral's vaulting being an early and experimental model of thegothic style.[59] Other important UNESCO sites near Durham includeAuckland Castle,North of England Lead Mining Museum andBeamish Museum.[60]
The River Wear at Durham, looking toward Milburngate Bridge
TheRiver Wear flows north through the city, making an incisedmeander which encloses the centre on three sides to form Durham'speninsula.At the base of the peninsula is the Market Place, which still hosts regular markets; a permanent indoor market,Durham Indoor Market, is also situated just off the Market Place. The Market Place and surrounding streets are one of the main commercial and shopping areas of the city. From the Market Place,the Bailey leads south pastPalace Green; The Bailey is almost entirely owned and occupied by the university and the cathedral.
Durham is a hilly city, claiming to be built upon the symbolic seven hills. Upon the most central and prominent position high above the Wear, the cathedral dominates the skyline. The steep riverbanks are densely wooded, adding to the picturesque beauty of the city. West of the city centre, another river, theRiver Browney, drains south to join the Wear to the south of the city.
Saddler Street looking to the market square
There are three old roads out of the Market Place: Saddler Street heads south-east, towardsElvet Bridge, the Bailey andPrebends Bridge. Elvet Bridge leads to theElvet area of the city, Durham Prison and the south; Prebends Bridge is smaller and provides access from the Bailey to south Durham. Heading west, Silver Street leads out of the Market Place towardsFramwellgate Bridge and North Road, the other main shopping area of the city. From here, the city spreads out into theFramwelgate,Crossgate,Neville's Cross and viaduct districts, which are largely residential areas. Beyond the viaduct lie the outlying districts ofFramwellgate Moor andNeville's Cross. Heading north from the Market Place leads to Claypath. The road curves back round to the east and beyond it lieGilesgate, Gilesgate Moor and Dragonville.
As part of the wider Tyne and Wear Green Belt area, Durham's portion extends beyond its urban area extents of Framwellgate Moor/Pity Me,Elvet and Belmont, it being completely surrounded bygreen belt. This primarily helps to maintain separation from Chester-le-Street,[61] and restrain expansion of the city and coalescence with nearby villages such asBearpark, Great Lumley andSherburn. Landscape features and facilities within the green belt area include Raintonpark Wood, Belmont Viaduct, Ramside Hall, Durham City Golf Course, the River Wear, Browney andDeerness basins, and Durham University Botanic Gardens. It was first drawn up in the 1990s.[62]
Sir Walter Scott's words on Durham are inscribed into Prebends Bridge
The historic city centre of Durham has changed little over 200 years. It is made up of the peninsula containing the cathedral, palace green, former administrative buildings for thepalatine andDurham Castle.[11] This was a strategic defensive decision by the city's founders and gives the cathedral a striking position.[18] So much so that Symeon of Durham stated:
To see Durham is to see the EnglishSion and by doing so one may save oneself a trip toJerusalem.[11]
SirWalter Scott was so inspired by the view of the cathedral fromSouth Street[63] that he wrote "Harold the Dauntless", a poem about Saxons and Vikings set inCounty Durham and published on 30 January 1817. The following lines from the poem are carved into a stone tablet on Prebends Bridge:
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.[64]
The old commercial section of the city encompasses the peninsula on three sides, following the River Wear. The peninsula was historically surrounded by the castle wall extending from the castlekeep and broken by two gatehouses to the north and west of the enclosure.[8] After extensive remodelling and "much beautification"[8] by theVictorians the walls were removed with the exception of thegatehouse which is still standing onthe Bailey.
The medieval city was made up of the cathedral, castle and administrative buildings on the peninsula.[9] The outlying areas were known as the townships and owned by the bishop,[11] the most famous of these beingGilesgate (which still contains the mediaevalSt Giles Church), Claypath andElvet.[8]
The outlying commercial section of the city, especially around the North Road area, saw much change in the 1960s during a redevelopment spearheaded byDurham City Council; however, much of the originalmediaeval street plan remains intact in the area close to the cathedral and market place.[8] Most of the mediaeval buildings in the commercial area of the city have disappeared apart from theHouse of Correction and the Chapel of Saint Andrew, both underElvet Bridge.[8]Georgian buildings can still be found on the Bailey and Old Elvet[8] most of which make up the colleges of Durham University.
The table below gives the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine figures taken between 1981 and 2010, and extreme temperatures back to 1850 for the weather station atDurham University Observatory:
Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Durham has atemperate climate. At 675.65 millimetres (27 in),[70] the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1,162.70 millimetres (46 in).[70] Equally there are only an average of 124.14 days[70] where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 159.08 days.[70] The city sees an average of 1479.95 hours of sunshine per year,[70] compared with a national average of 1402.61 hours.[70] There isfrost on 46.81 days[70] compared with a national average of 53.36 days.[70] Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 13.20 and 5.71 °C (55.8 and 42.3 °F)[70] compared with a national averages of 12.79 and 5.53 °C (55.0 and 42.0 °F) respectively.[70]
Durham has the second longest weather record in England, with continuous daily records since August 1843. The coldest temperature recorded was in February 1895, falling to −18.0 °C (−0.4 °F), and the hottest was in July 2022, reaching 36.9 °C (98.4 °F), beating the previous record from July 2019 by 4.0 °C (39.2 °F). The wettest day since homogeneous rainfall records began in 1876 was in September 1976, with 87.8 millimetres (3.46 in) falling in 24 hours.[71][72]
Thecounty town of County Durham, until 2009, Durham was located in theCity of Durham local government district. This extended beyond the city, and had a total population of 87,656 in 2001, covering 186.68 square kilometres in 2007.[73] In 2001, theunparished area of Durham had a population of 29,091, whilst the built-up area of Durham had a population of 42,939.[74][75][76] Many of the inner city areas are now inhabited by students living in shared housing.
Since April 2009,city status has been held bycharter trustees, who are the Durham county councillors for the area of the former district. The trustees appoint the Mayor of Durham.[77] The creation of the new City of Durham Parish Council has not affected the charter trustees.[78]
Durham Town Hall is located on the west side of the Market Place. The earliest part of the complex of buildings is the guildhall which dates from 1665. The town hall, at the rear, was opened in 1851 (at the same time as the indoor market, which extends beneath and either side of the hall).[79]
A local referendum was held on creating aparish council forunparished areas of Durham City in February and March 2017, in which 66% of voters supported the proposal. The County Council approved the plans in September 2017. The City of Durham Parish Council was created on 1 April 2018, with the first elections for the 15 council seats taking place on 3 May 2018.[80][81] The parish council is divided into three electoral wards, electing a total of 15 councillors. One in Aykley Heads, 6 in Elvet and Gilesgate and 8 in Nevilles Cross.[82][83][84] These councillors are responsible for burial grounds, allotments, play areas and some street lighting. Elections to the town council are held every four years and the most recent elections were held in May 2025.[85]
This is a table of trend of regional gross value added of County Durham at current basic pricespublishedArchived 25 May 2006 at theWayback Machine (pp. 240–253) byOffice for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
The whole of the centre of Durham is designated aconservation area. The conservation area was first designated on 9 August 1968, and was extended on 25 November 1980.[86] In addition to the Cathedral and Castle, Durham contains over 630listed buildings,[87] 569 of which are located within the city centre conservation area. Particularly notable properties include:
The castle was originally built in the 11th century as a projection of the Norman power inNorthern England, as the population of England in the north remained rebellious following the disruption of theNorman Conquest in 1066. It is an excellent example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans.[99] The holder of the office of Bishop of Durham was appointed by the King to exercise royal authority on his behalf and the castle was the centre of his command.
It remained the Bishop's Palace for the Bishops of Durham[100] until the BishopWilliam Van Mildert madeBishop Auckland their primary residence. A founder of Durham University, Van Mildert gave the castle as accommodation for the institution's first college,University College.[101] The castle was famed for its vast Great Hall, created by BishopAntony Bek in the early 14th century. It was the largest great hall in Britain until BishopRichard Foxe shortened it at the end of the 15th century. However, it is still 46 feet high and over 33 yards long. The castle is still the home of University College, Durham (which is, as a result, known informally as "Castle"). It has been in continuous use for over 900 years.
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly referred to asDurham Cathedral was founded in its present form in AD 1093 and remains a centre for Christian worship today. It is generally regarded as one of the finest Romanesque cathedrals in Europe and the rib vaulting in the nave marks the beginning of Gothic ecclesiastical architecture. The cathedral has been designated aUNESCO World Heritage Site[102] 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, and these are on public view. It is also home to the head of St Oswald of Northumbria and the remains of theVenerable Bede.[102]
The city also has other listed churches, some have been repurposed:
New College Durham is the city's largest college offurther education. It was founded in 1977 as a result of a merger between Neville's Cross College of Education and Durham Technical College. The college operated on two main sites near the city of Durham:Neville's Cross andFramwellgate Moor. The site at Framwellgate Moor opened in 1957 and has subsequently been rebuilt. The Neville's Cross centre is now home toUstinov College, the postgraduate college of Durham University.[116]
Durham is home toDurham University. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name)[118] by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted aRoyal Charter in 1837. It was one of the first universities to open in England for more than 600 years, and is claimed to beEngland's third oldest after the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Durham University has an international reputation for excellence, as reflected by its ranking in the top 200 of the world's universities.[119]
By road, theA1(M), the modern incarnation of the ancientGreat North Road, passes just to the east of the city. The road's previous incarnation, now numberedA167, passes just to the west.
Durham market place and its peninsula form the UK's first (albeit small)congestion charging area, which was introduced in 2002.[125]
Durham bus station was located off North Road, a short walk from the cathedral, university and railway station; it was managed and owned by the county council. In February 2021, the bus station was demolished to make way for a £10m redevelopment and originally was planned to reopen in Summer 2023 before being twice delayed to November 2023 and January 2024, when it finally reopened.[127][128] During the time of the closure, scheduled buses ran from temporary stands on North Road and Milburngate.[129]
The current bus station has increased space for passengers and new facilities including toilets, a changing places unit, improved information displays and additional seating in the passenger waiting area.[130]
Durham CityPark and Ride consists of three sites (Belmont, Howlands and Sniperley), which are located around the outskirts of the city centre. The Belmont site is closest to the A1(M). Frequent, direct bus services operate up to every 10 minutes between 7am and 7pm (Monday–Saturday). Car parking is free, with a return bus journey costing £2 per person (as of June 2020).[131]
Durham's nearest airports are atTeesside, within the county to the south-east, andNewcastle to the north; both are located 25–30 miles (40–48 km) from the city by road.
Durham hosts severalarchery clubs who shoot at various locations in the city,[132][133][134] members of these clubs shoot for the region and individually at national events, as well as many who shoot for recreation. In 2014, the regional Durham And Northumberland Archery Team won the National Intercounty Team Event at Lilleshall NSC, this event saw 260 archers from 19 counties competing over two days for the title.[135]
Durham CityCricket Club plays atGreen Lane Cricket Ground near the River Wear. Formed in 1829, Durham City was one of the founder members of the Durham Senior Cricket League upon its creation in 1903 and the First XI have been champions on thirteen occasions.[136]
The town'sfootball clubDurham City A.F.C. was a member theFootball League between 1921 and 1928, but has long been a non-league club, currently playing in theNorthern League. Their home ground was New Ferens Park. However, after a dispute with the landlord, Durham left New Ferens Park and made a deal to groundshare atWillington F.C.
Durham Ice Rink was a central feature of the city for some 60 years until it closed in 1996. It was home to theDurham Wasps, one of the most successful Britishice hockey clubs that competed in theNational Ice Hockey League during the 1980s and early 1990s.Durham City Wasps was another club that disbanded following the closure of Durham Ice Rink.
Durham Ice Rink's demolition began in May 2013.[142] On the location of the former ice rink now stands Freemans Reach which houses the Durham Passport Office[143]
Prebends Bridge and the weir marking the end of the stretch available for rowing.
The River Wear provides over 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) of river that can be rowed on, stretching fromDurham University Boat Club's boathouse atMaiden Castle in the east to theweir next toDurham School Boat Club's boathouse in the west. This includes the 700 metres (770 yd) 'short course' straight used for mostDurham Regatta races, the 1,800 metres (2,000 yd) 'long course'[146] that includes navigation through the arches of Elvet Bridge, reputed to be the narrowest row through bridge in Europe,[147] and 1,000 metres (1,100 yd) and 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) measured distances.[148] There is a path running alongside the river's south bank (i.e. the Cathedral side) for the entire length of the stretch available for rowing, the concrete section between Hatfield College boathouse and Elvet Bridge being completed in 1882.[149][150]
Durham Amateur Rowing Club, DARC, operates out of a purpose-built community clubhouse on the River Wear which opened in 2007:[152]
Durham Amateur Rowing Club is one of the country's oldest clubs (founded in 1860) and lies at the end of Green Lane in Durham, occupying a tranquil setting on the River Wear.[153]
The club takes part in the government scheme playing for success where it uses sport to combine rowing, science, computers and video to help boost literacy and numeracy.[154]
The River Wear is host to a number ofregattas andhead races throughout the year. These include:the Novice Cup, Wear Long Distance Sculls and Senate Cup in November and December; Durham Small Boats Head in February; Durham City Regatta in May; Durham Regatta and Admiral's Regatta in June; and Durham Primary Regatta in September.[147]
Durham Regatta has been held on the River Wear in Durham since 1834. It is the second oldest regatta in Britain[155] and is often referred to as 'the Henley of the North'.[156]Durham Regatta in its current form dates back to 1834, when only a handful of trophies were competed for over a period of three days. Today, the regatta takes place over a period of two days, at which dozens of trophies are competed for. Durham University,Durham School andDurham Amateur Rowing Club have competed regularly since the early days.[157]
Pleasure boating on the River Wear, close toElvet Bridge.
In addition to the competitive rowing and sculling of the boat clubs mentioned above, there is also hire of public pleasure boats from April to October.[158]
Durham City Rugby Club has its headquarters on Green Lane:Durham City RFC, the second oldest club in the county, was founded in 1872 with navy and gold playing colours and Durham Cathedral's sanctuary knocker as the club's crest.City's Hollow Drift home has been developed into a facility which includes two floodlit pitches and a training area.At present, City run four senior sides, a Veteran's XV, a Ladies' XV and mini and junior teams from aged 6 to 17.[159]
Rev.Edward Bradley (1827–1889). Studied at Durham University and took hispen name "Cuthbert Bede" from the names of the city's two saints.[165]
Richard Caddel (1949–2003), poet. Lived in Durham from the 1970s and was co-director of the Basil Bunting poetry centre at Durham University library from 1988.[166]
John Bacchus Dykes (1823–1876), hymnologist, clergyman in Durham from 1849 to his death.[171]
John Meade Falkner (1858–1932), arms manufacturer and novelist. Lived in Durham from 1902, and became Honorary Reader in Paleography at the University of Durham, and Honorary Librarian to the Dean and Chapter Library of Durham Cathedral.[172]
James Fenton (born 1949), journalist and poet. Attended the Chorister School 1957–1962.[163]
Max Ferguson (born 1924), Canadian broadcaster, born in Durham.[173]
John Garth (1721–1810), composer. Lived in Durham for much of his life.[174]
^abcdefghijklmSurtees, R. (1816)History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham (Classical County Histories)
^abcdefghijklmLiddy, Christian D (2008).The Bishopric of Durham in the Late Middle Ages: Lordship, Community and the Cult of St. Cuthbert. Boydell Press.ISBN978-1-84383-377-2.
^Crook, John (2000).The Architectural Setting of the Cult of Saints in the Early Christian West, c. 300–c. 1200. Oxford: Clarendon Press.ISBN9780198207948. p. 167.
^The Forms of Precedence of the Catholic Church as contained in the Catholic Encyclopaedia (1919)
^John S. Peart-Binns (2013).Herbert Hensley Henson: A Biography(PDF). Lutterworth Press. p. 9.The Bishop of Durham is marked off from his episcopal colleagues by some honorific distinctions. He takes rank next to the Bishop of London: he is one of the three bishops who sit in the House of Lords by title of their Sees, not in order of consecration; in his official documents he uses a style commonly distinctive of the archbishops of Canterbury and York, writing himself bishop 'by Divine providence', not, as is usual, 'by Divine permission'; the mitre which surmounts the arms of the See is bound with a ducal coronet and he has the privilege of supporting the Sovereign on the right at a coronation.
^As stated in Liddy, Christian D. (2008) The Bishopric of Durham in the Late Middle Ages: Lordship, Community and the Cult of St. Cuthbert. The attribution of the quote is questionable (seeCounty Palatine); however, the editor of this article is almost certain it is attributable toAntony Bek's steward.
^Dufferwiel, Martin (1996). "10: The King, the Covenanters and Oliver Cromwell".Durham: Over 1,000 Years of History and Legend (reprint ed.). Edinburgh: Random House (published 2011).ISBN9781780573946. Retrieved30 October 2019.[...] an account of the King's first visit to Durham. The occasion arose in 1633 during Charles's journey north to Edinburgh and his coronation on the throne of Scotland.
^Dufferwiel, Martin (1996). "10: The King, the Covenanters and Oliver Cromwell".Durham: Over 1,000 Years of History and Legend (reprint ed.). Edinburgh: Random House (published 2011).ISBN9781780573946. Retrieved30 October 2019.[...] the occasion of Charles's second visit to Durham. On 29 April 1639, he was again received [...] at Raby Castle [...]. He then proceeded to Durham where he remained while forces of horse and foot were raised in readiness for the march to the border.
^Compare:Dufferwiel, Martin (1996). "10: The King, the Covenanters and Oliver Cromwell".Durham: Over 1,000 Years of History and Legend (reprint ed.). Edinburgh: Random House (published 2011).ISBN9781780573946. Retrieved30 October 2019.[...] in 1647, he would make his final visit to Durham as a prisoner on his way south to his eventual trial and execution.
^abThe Society of Charles the King and Martyr: Newsletter (12)
^abcNoble, Mark (1798).The Lives of the English Regicides: And Other Commissioners of the Pretended High Court of Justice, Appointed to Sit in Judgment Upon Their Sovereign, King Charles the First.
^Simpson, David."Market Place, Silver Street and Saddler Street (Durham City)". Archived fromthe original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved23 July 2009.Neptune, God of the sea, symbolised an ambitious plan to turn Durham into an inland sea port by altering the course of the River Wear. In 1720 the plan was to construct a canal north to join the Team, a Tyne tributary near Gateshead.
^The Durham University Act, 1882 and the Royal Charter for the Founding of the University of Durham
^abDufferwiel, Martin (1996).Durham: A Thousand Years of History and Legend. Edinburgh and London: Mainstream Publishing. pp. 167–169.ISBN1-85158-885-X.
^Macfarlane-Grieve, Captain A.A., ed. (1922).A History of Durham Rowing. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Andrew Reid and Company, Limited. p. 53.This year 1882 also was constructed a new concrete path between the Hatfield Hall boathouse and Elvet Bridge. Rowing men are indebted to the Rev. W.A. Fearon, at that time headmaster of Durham School, for this improvement. Before this date it had been necessary for those running with the boats to cross the river at Elvet Bridge, and then proceed by way of New Elvet to the river bank at St. Oswald's Church, which made coaching from the bank a much more difficult undertaking than it is at present.
^Macfarlane-Grieve, Captain A.A., ed. (1922).A History of Durham Rowing. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Andrew Reid and Company, Limited. p. 189.At a meeting held in March, 1884, the Honorary Secretary ofDurham Amateur Rowing Club was instructed to forward a vote of thanks from the officers and members of the club to the Rev. W.A. Fearon, M.A., headmaster of Durham School, for his great generosity in building the wall and constructing a footpath below Hatfield Hall and connecting Elvet Waterside with that part of the banks known as Bow Corner. Present rowing men can hardly realise what the conditions were, both for coaching and following the long course races, before this useful walk was completed. Residents, other than those interested in rowing, have certainly reaped the benefit of this convenient and pleasant walk along the river.
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