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Durham Cathedral A profile of County Durham, England, highlighting attractions, history, and visitor information. |
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 Durham CathedralDurham Cathedral is a wonderful reminder of the age of the Prince Bishops. In this building the three main innovations of the revolutionary Gothic style come together; pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses (hidden above the aisle vaults). The majority of the interior work was completed in only 40 years, with the result that the cathedral shows a remarkable unity of style not often found with large building projects from the medieval period. Durham is one of the high points of cathedral architecture in this or any other land. The cathedral was founded in 995 by monks from Lindisfarne who had fled their island home when the Danish Vikings came calling. The monks needed a home for the relics of St. Cuthbert, and they built a superb church on a rise above a bend of the River Wear. The church built by Cuthbert's followers was pulled down by William of St. Carileph, the second bishop of Durham, when the present building was begun in 1093.
The choir begun by William was finished in 1099, and the nave was rebuilt under the reign of his successor as Bishop, Ranulf Flambard. The nave is astonishing; the relatively slender composite piers alternate with massive drum columns, and the stone vaulting is the finest Romanesque example in Europe. In 1104 the body of St. Cuthbert was finally laid to rest in the Cathedral proper. It had been kept in a nearby chapel until the church was being built. The monks inspected the body and found it in a state of perfect preservation (possibly due to embalming).
In 1173 the Galilee Chapel was begun at the western end of the cathedral. This chapel was a "Lady Chapel", intended for the use of women, who were not allowed to enter the cathedral proper. Abortive attempts were made to erect a lady chapel at the eastern end of the building, but the foundations kept collapsing. Some [males] interpreted this as a sign that St. Cuthbert objected to the presence of women so close to his tomb behind the high altar at the eastern end. Whatever the reason, once the Galilee Chapel was moved to the west, work was able to proceed wthout further problems. The result is a wonderful piece of ecclesiastical architecture, a low rectangle that is essentially a church in its own right, with zigzag arches supported on shafts of dark Purbeck marble. St. Cuthbert's alleged dislike of women surfaced again in 1333 when Queen Philippa, accompanying her husband Edward III on his way north to fight the Scots, was asked to leave the cathedral and stay at the nearby Castle of Durham to avoid upsetting the saint.
A great Central Tower was constructed in the 1230s, and the Chapel of the Nine Altars was begun (finished 1242). This chapel is unusual in that the floor level is lower than that of the choir aisles, but the result is an impression of great height, enhanced by the slender Purbeck marble shafts that stand free of the the windows and wall arcading. From the chapel the tomb of St. Cuthbert is approaching by mounting a platform. Tragedy occurred in 1137 when a tightrope walker was employed by the Prior of Durham to entertain the monks. The man attempted to walk along a rope stretched between the Central Tower and one of the Western Towers, but he slipped and fell to his death.
In 1371 the Bishop's throne (called a "cathedra") was built, followed only a few years later by the installation of the Neville Screen. This lovely carved screen, largely paid for by the powerful Neville family, was created in Caen, France, and shipped to Newcastle. Then it was brought in sections to Durham, where it was reassembled in the cathedral. In 1438 the cloisters were added to the cathdral, but the monks were only to enjoy their pleasant walking space for just over a century before the Cathedral Monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540 and the monks disbanded. The cathedral suffered greatly in the aftermath of the Civil War. After the Battle of Dunbar some 3000 Scots were imprisoned within the cathedral. The prisoners proceeded to wreck many of the tombs within the cathedral, and break up wordwork to make firewood. Within
the Cathedral itself are: The Monk's Dormitory - used as sleeping quarters by the minks of Durham in the medieval period, the dormitory now houses parts of the cathedral library. The hammer-beam roof, built of oak, is a superb example of the art. Entry: fee charged Cathedral Libraries - There are 3 libraries at Durham Cathedral. The one of most interest to the majority of visitors is the Chapter Library, the remains of the medieval monastic library. There is a rich collection of pre-Conquest manuscripts as well as 17th and 18th century music. Also on the site is a library of current theological works and a third library of German Protestant theological texts. The Tower - For those of strong constitution the cathedral tower can be climbed for wonderful views of the city and surroundings. There are 325 steps up a steep, spiral staircase, so be prepared for some exertion. The tower is closed during services and during inclement weather.
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Text © David Ross and Britain Express | |
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