I am sharing today in A walk through Durham pictures from my trip earlier this week. I am going to make a dedicated post about the hotel in a couple of days.
view of Durham castle from a very old bridge
Indigo Hotel, where we stayed
Durham Castle is where one of the Durham University colleges is housed, so it is a working castle in a different way than one might expect. We had a short, 30-minutes, tour. I am very keen on the idea of studying/socializing in a castle.
arch in Durham castle
old chapel in Durham castle
Durham Cathedral at night
The Sanctuary Knocker was used by those who ‘had committed a great offence’, for example kill someone in self-defence, could rap the knocker, and would be given 37 days of sanctuary. They could try to reconcile with their enemies or plan their escape in this time.
This is Bede’s tomb, which I got very excited to see. I didn’t know it will be there as I didn’t look on their website or searched about it before going there. I knew about the Cathedral, so I knew I will visit it if possible anyway. From their gift shop I bought “Mead and Bede”, which sounds funny, but it is, in fact, Mead from Lindisfarne (Lindisfarne!! anyone into medieval history understands my excitement) and a recent print of Bede’s The Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
Durham is also on my ‘bucket travel list’, although I have yet to convince hubbie it is somewhere he really needs to go!
I worked for many years with a colleague who comes from that area and we both got to know her quite well. I think it was the fact that she spoke so much about the mining community she grew up in and the fact that her family were always taught to believe that there are mens’ jobs and womens’ jobs and never the twain shall meet.
I am certain that views are much more liberal now, however this all contrived to make hubbie decide that he could live without experiencing that cultural difference.
Don’t worry, I am working on him 🙂
Really? I went to Durham for the open days at university. It’s one of the best universities in the country and I think that shows in the way it feels too. The place seems more like Oxford and Cambridge than Stoke-on-Trent, if that makes sense (as you mentioned mining).
For me Durham is just stunning and the people are friendly, I would like to spend more time there.
I’ve not visited Durham but the cathedral and castle look amazing. Loved the story behind the door knocker as well!
Durham is on my England travel list! I haven’t been yet to the North of England but there seem to be such a nice atmosphere there, a little different than around London etc. At least that’s how it seems to me in pictures!
It was fun walking around with you. I’d love to study in Durham castle too – must be great for motivation to be in a space like this!
Julia x
Very fascinating to read about the Sanctuary Knocker and how it gave people the opportunity of a sanctuary and a chance of turning another leaf. Gorgeous cathedral.
Durham is another place I’ve not visited, but would like to. I remember studying the cathedral in school, those chevron designs on the columns in particular. Lovely photos!
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I loved Durham, such a wonderful place, quiet, peaceful, full of dogs (I think I saw about 50 in 2 days), and a mix of medieval – Tudor – Georgian – Victorian buildings, it’s just beautiful.
Wow. The cathedral is spectacular. And the town and hotel look charming. I know little about Durham but I can see why it would be a beautiful trip out of London. Is it far? Train or bus? Or did you drive? It looks like a wonderful spot.
It’s a beautiful place with lots of things to see around too. It’s not a trip out of London though at 3h by train, closer to the Scottish borders, near Newcastle.