Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham in County Durham, England. It stands on top of a hill above the River Wear on Durham's peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral. The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous Gauls of France and the Viking invaders under the leadership of Rollo (Gange Rolf). ... The Alcázar of Segovia, Spain A castle (from the Latin castellum, diminutive of castra, a military camp, in turn the plural of castrum or watchpost), is a fort, a camp and the logical development of a fortified enclosure. ... Durham (IPA: locally, in RP) is a small city in the north east of England. ... County Durham is a county in north-east England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... The River Wear (pronounced Wee-er) is a river in the North East of England. ... Peninsula A peninsula (Latin, literally meaning almost island) is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... Durham Cathedral - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Durham Castle, seen here in front of the Cathedral.

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History

It was originally built in the 11th century to protect the Bishop of Durham from attack, as the population of England — particularly in the wild north — remained "wild and fickle" following the disruption of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is an excellent example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Arms of the Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned King of England the day after Edward the Confessor dies. ... The remains of a motte, at Brinklow in Warwickshire, England A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle. ...

The castle has a vast Great Hall, created by Bishop Antony Bek in the early 14th century. It was the largest Great Hall in Britain until Bishop Richard Fox shortened it at the end of the 15th Century. However, it is still 14 m high and over 30 m long. Antony Bek (d. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right}. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to... Richard Fox (c. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...

Chapels

Durham Castle has two chapels: the Norman Chapel, built around 1078, and Tunstall's Chapel, built in 1540. Events Romanesque church begun at Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain Anselm of Canterbury becomes abbot of Le Bec William the Conqueror ordered the White Tower to be built Births Deaths Categories: 1078 ... Cuthbert Tunstall (or Tonstall) (1474 - November 18, 1559) was an English church leader, twice Bishop of Durham. ... Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ...

The Norman Chapel is the oldest accessible part of the castle. Its architecture is Saxon in nature, possibly due to forced Saxon labour being used to build it. In the 15th century, its three windows were all but blocked up because of the expanded keep. It thus fell into disuse until 1841 when it was used as a corridor for the keep. During the Second World War, it was used as a command and observation post for the Royal Air Force when its original use was recognised. It was re-consecrated shortly after the war and is still used for weekly services. A map showing the general locations of the major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms The Anglo-Saxons were originally a collection of differing Germanic tribes from Angeln—a peninsula in the southern part of Schleswig, protruding into the Baltic Sea, and what is now Lower Saxony, in the north-west coast of... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... take you to calendar). ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Tunstall's Chapel is the more heavily-used of the castle's chapels, being somewhat larger. Bishop Cosin and Bishop Crewe extended it in the late 17th century. At the back of the chapel, some of the seats are 16th-century misericords (literally, mercy seats). These were designed such that a person standing for long periods of time could rest on a ledge of the upturned seat. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Misericords are small wooden shelves underneath folding seats in order to provide some level of comfort for those standing during long periods of prayer. ...

University College

In 1837, the castle was donated to the newly-formed University of Durham by Bishop Edward Maltby as accommodation for students. It was named University College. Architect Anthony Salvin rebuilt the dilapidated keep from the original plans. Opened in 1840, the keep still houses 100 students. 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Durham University is a university in England. ... University College, commonly known as Castle, is a college of the University of Durham in England. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

World Heritage Site

Durham Castle is jointly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, a short distance across Palace Green. The following quotation is taken from the British government's nomination for the World Heritage List: UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. ... World Heritage Site #86: Memphis and its Necropolis, including the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt). ... Palace Green is a small area of grass in the centre of Durham in England, flanked by Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ...

Few buildings in England can boast a longer history of continuous occupation than Durham Castle. Founded soon after the Norman Conquest, the Castle has been rebuilt, extended and adapted to changing circumstances and uses over a period of 900 years.

External link

• Tour of Durham Cathedral and Castle