Durham Castle

Durham Castle stands on a steep hill above the River Wear in the city of Durham, northern England. Built in the Norman motte-and-bailey style, it began in 1072 under William the Conqueror’s orders. The castle’s first stone walls rose from cliffs quarried below, hauled up by winches. For centuries it served as both fortress and palace for prince-bishops who ruled the region almost independently. The bishops minted their own coins and raised armies to defend against Scots and rebels. Bishop Walcher supervised early construction until his death in a 1080 siege by Northumbrian rebels. The castle’s Great Hall, over thirty metres long, was enlarged by Bishop Antony Bek in the early 1300s. A wooden minstrels’ gallery was added later by Bishop Hatfield. The oldest surviving part is the Norman Chapel, built around 1075–1080 with Anglian-style carvings on its columns. After becoming part of Durham University in 1837, the castle housed over a hundred students while remaining open to guided tours. Its World Heritage status recognises the unity of castle, cathedral and surrounding Palatinate buildings. Visitors walk through the keep and along the high curtain walls that enclose the inner and outer baileys. The Norman Chapel, restored after wartime use as a bike shed, still holds weekly college services. Tunstall’s Chapel, with 17th-century modifications, offers a quieter place for worship. Palace Green, once a processional route for prince-bishops, remains a public space for events. Seventeen Grade I listed structures—gatehouse, ranges and bastions—frame the view of Durham Cathedral across the green.