Plan your visit to Durham Castle with North East Escapes. Tour the UNESCO World Heritage Norman fortress and find holiday homes near Durham. |
Visit Durham Castle, A Norman Fortress at the Heart of a World Heritage City
Durham Castle stands directly opposite Durham Cathedral on the sandstone peninsula above the River Wear, the two buildings together forming one of the most impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Britain. Built by William the Conqueror in 1072, the castle was for eight centuries the palace and seat of power of the Prince Bishops of Durham, men who wielded extraordinary secular and ecclesiastical authority over the North of England. Today it forms part of Durham University, and regular guided tours give visitors access to its magnificent chapel, great hall, Norman gallery and other historic spaces that are not otherwise open to the public.
Durham Castle was purpose-built as a statement of Norman power after the Conquest, commanding the strategic river crossing and the approach from the north. For eight centuries it served as the palace of the Bishops of Durham, who as Prince Bishops held unique powers in their county, including the right to raise an army, mint coins, hold courts and levy taxes, powers granted to defend the northern marches against Scottish incursion. The castle was substantially modified in each century of its use, giving its interior a layered richness of architectural styles from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic to Tudor and Jacobean. In 1837 the castle was given to the newly founded Durham University and converted to student accommodation, a use it still serves today as University College, the oldest college of Durham University.
Guided tours of the castle, which run daily throughout most of the year, take visitors through spaces that would otherwise be closed. The Norman Gallery is one of the most important Norman architectural spaces in England, with its blind arcading and carved capitals. The chapel dates from 1080 and is among the oldest Norman chapels surviving in England. The great hall, with its remarkable wooden hammerbeam roof, was used for feasting and formal occasions by the Prince Bishops and is still used by Durham University today. The castle's exterior and its position on Palace Green beside the cathedral are best appreciated from below, from the banks of the Wear or from the ancient Framwellgate Bridge.
Durham Castle is located at Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RW, immediately adjacent to Durham Cathedral in the city centre. Guided tours must be booked in advance via the Durham University website, as the castle is an active university building. Tour availability varies through the academic year and is most consistent in summer. Durham city centre is easily reached on foot from Durham railway station in around ten minutes. The nearby Café at Palace Green and a range of city centre restaurants provide refreshment options.
North East Escapes offers a selection of holiday homes near Durham Castle and the World Heritage Site, ideal for visitors exploring the city and the wider County Durham region. Staying in or near Durham gives you easy access to both the Castle and Cathedral, and the city's compact size makes it perfect for exploring on foot. From Durham you can readily reach Beamish Museum, Raby Castle, The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, Auckland Palace, the Durham Heritage Coast and the Durham Dales, making it one of the most rewarding bases for a longer North East break.
