St Margaret's Church, Durham

St Margaret’s Church stands on Crossgate in Durham, an active parish church with parts dating from the 12th century. The Grade I listed building shows its long history in its changing shapes and styles. Inside, the nave, aisles and chancel reveal different ages of construction. The font and some windows survive from the 12th century. A 17th-century ledger slab marks the grave of Sir John Duck, a mayor known as Durham’s Dick Whittington. The church has seen disputes, expansions and restorations over the centuries. In 1343 the Prior removed the font after a quarrel with parishioners. Later, the people won the right to use the font and to bury their dead in the churchyard. A 19th-century restoration added stained glass and rebuilt the north aisle. The organ, installed in 1917, came from a local firm whose factory once stood nearby. Visitors find a spacious interior with memorials from the 18th and 19th centuries. The eagle lectern remembers the Shafto family lost in the Boer War. A modern Madonna and Child statue by a local artist was added in 1993. Outside, the churchyard and nearby St John’s Church recall its wider mission. St John’s began as a mission chapel in 1896 and now hosts an annual Eco-Festival.