The Best Cathedral on the Planet
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Recommendation added: 19/04/2006 11:31
By: electricia (YSUK rating +5)electricia has been thanked 2 times for this contribution
"Fine example of Norman Architecture, A cheap day out. Disadvantages Scaffolding."I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for best cathedral on planet Earth." - ( Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island.) Durham Cathedral is one of Britains most revered buildings. It has been voted Britains best loved building in a poll of Radio Four listeners, but don't let that put you off as it's well worth a visit. I should know as I have visited it on several occasions which makes me an expert authority on the subject.
~A Little History~
To begin with, there was a simple church on the site built in 998 AD, but dismantled about 100 years later. Following the Norman invasion work began in 1093 on the construction of the present day Cathedral, and the result is now acknowledged as the finest example in existence of Norman Cathedral architecture. It was to be a final resting place for the body of St Cuthbert, whose poor old, (but allegedly perfectly preserved), body had been moved around the North East since his death in 687. There were five main stages during which the building was completed and these range between 1093 and 1490. It is a building of huge architectural importance, built in large part from locally quarried sandstone in the architectural style often called Romanesque.
~The View~
The Cathedral sits next to Durham Castle on a World Heritage Site overlooking the river Wear, (Not the Tyne as Roger Whittaker famously sang incorrectly in 'Old Durham Town'). It makes a wonderful skyline for this little city. Lit up at night the scene is very striking and, oddly now I come to think of it, it is one of the reasons I was attracted to Durham as a place to study and live. The path to the Cathedral takes you by Palace Green, (a grassy area between Castle and Cathedral), through small cemetery grounds to the North Door.
~The North Door~
The first thing that strikes you about the door is its famous knocker which looks a bit like a spooky lion. It's known as The Sanctuary Knocker. This is because fugitives who banged on it received sanctuary for up to thirty seven days and were given the choice of trial or exile. No-one bangs the knocker these days, although the one on the door now is actually a copy of the original, which is far too valuable to be left lying around outside and can be found instead in the Cathedral's museum. If you wanted to bang your own knocker but can't get to the giftshop, I've discovered you can buy a copy of it at www.snobsknobs.co.uk, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you like tat. The door dates back to 1140 and is surrounded by a carved stone doorway. Upon entering you will often find guides around, ready to greet and assist visitors and there is a helpdesk at the rear of the Nave surrounded by a host of - leaflets. If you walk through any of the doors behind this desk you will find yourself , (no double meaning intended), in The Galilee Chapel.
~The Galilee Chapel~
Also known as The Lady Chapel, this is home to some beautiful windows containing mediaeval stained glass. There are wall paintings of St Cuthbert and St Oswald which are amongst the few surviving examples of twelfth century wall painting in Britain. There are several arches supported by clusters of pillars. The chapel has its own feel which to me is one of separateness from the rest of the cathedral. It is quite wide but short in length and inscribed tombstones are laid into the floor. Here also is the stately tomb of St Bede, often called The Venerable Bede; he was a monk and a scholar credited with the accolade 'Father of English History'. A sculptured quotation from one of his prayers hangs on the wall above his tomb. There are a couple of modern wooden sculptures in here; 'Statue of the Annunciation' and 'The Last Supper Table' which was made by an ex artist in residence from 500 year old oak removed from the bell tower. Originally a chapel was started closer to the tomb of St Cuthbert but cracks appeared in the walls and were taken as a sign that the Saint did not want a Lady Chapel so close to him, so it was moved. The old misogynist.
Leaving the chapel brings you back into The Nave.
~The Nave~
Massive beautifully decorated pillars support the huge arched roof which is 22 metres high. The roof of stone ribbed vaulting was an innovation which later became widely used in Gothic cathedrals. The Nave is 900 years old and retains much of its original appearance today. To stand in this area is to take in something of the sheer majesty of the building which, at 400 feet in length, can feel quite overpowering.
An intricate font canopy will catch your eye at the west end of the Nave. It dates back to 1663 and is over 12 metres high. There are several altars but sadly many were destroyed during the reformation along with most of the stained glass. Much of the present stained glass in Nave windows was installed relatively recently and some is very modern.The Scots army, who occupied the Cathedral and used it as a barracks in 1640, also caused a lot of destruction and more was to come ten years later as nearly all the woodwork was burnt when Scots prisoners were held in the Cathedral. Interestingly, the only wooden structure to survive this period was the magnificent Prior Castell's Clock which is in the South Transept, and happens to have a Scottish thistle on top of its case.
There are various tributes to Lords and other well to do folk dotted around, but I prefer the touch of The Miners Memorial, a tribute to the local workforce placed here in 1947. A seventeenth century frieze surrounds it with some pudgy looking cherubs and foliage n' stuff.
In mediaeval times the Nave was for the use of the public and a huge stone screen carved with pictures of kings and bishops seperated much of the rest of the cathedral which was for the use of the Bishop, Benedictine Monks and other clergy. Standing in the Nave today you can see straight down the centre aisle to the High Altar and the Neville Screen.
~The Neville Screen~
This exquisite gothic screen was built in the fourteenth century by The Neville Family. It was adorned with over a hundred statues said to be removed before they could be destroyed during the reformation. It stands behind the High Altar and behind it lies St Cuthberts Tomb.
~St Cuthberts Tomb~
This is in a powerfully peaceful shrine. A wooden plaque at the entrance reads:
"Borne by his faithful friends from his loved home of Lindisfarne here, after long wanderings, rests the body of St Cuthbert in whose honour William of St Carileph built this cathedral church and at his side lies buried the head of St Oswald King of Northumbria and martyr, slain in battle by the heathen whom he so long defied."
A statue of Cuthbert holding the head of St Oswald stands in the corner. Unfortunately on my last very recent visit to the cathedral this area was inaccessible for 'safety reasons'. This leads to the only negative comment I am going to make; such an ancient structure obviously requires a huge amount of maintenance and for long stretches parts of the building can be marred by scaffolding. In recent years the area mainly affected has been the Cathedral's east end. A walk around this area will take in the thirteenth century Chapel of the Nine Altars, the Choir Aisles and The Vibrant Millenium Window.
Back in front of the High Altar, stand in front of the glorious pulpit and look up. Arch stands upon arch upon arch in high up areas now inaccessible to the public. From here you can see the fine ribbed vaulting of the central tower.
~The Central Tower~
This was the last part of the building to be completed. It was rebuilt between 1465 and1490. You can climb it but you need to be healthy to manage the 325 step spiral staircase. The cathedral website states that it is not recommended to those who are infirm or whose heart is not as strong as it might be. I would add that it is also not recommended to those who have a severe hangover and do not wish to collapse in a heap having turned an attractive bright purple colour when they reach the top. There is a little corridor about half way up where you can take a slight breather, but for the rest it's very steep and narrow and you have to squeeze past other visitors and keep the pace moving. Maybe the hangover was a contributary factor, but I had never experienced claustrophobia until I climbed up here and whilst it's a fantastic view, it's a climb I can't see myself repeating. There is an admission charge of £3.00 for adults, £1.50 for children under 16 or a family ticket for £8.00. Opening times are 10am to 3pm in Winter and until 4pm between April and September. It is closed on Sundays, during services and events, and bad weather.
Step out of the Cathedral through either the Monks door or the Priors door and you will step into the Cloisters.
~The Cloisters~
This area will be familliar to Harry Potter fans as it pretended to be some of Hogwarts corridors in the films. It surrounds a green and was heavily rebuilt in the early 19th century so little of the original work remains, except for the ornate wooden roof. At the western end there is a plaque dedicated to a 15th century prior at the cathedral called John Washington; 'whose family has won an everlasting name in lands to him unknown.' George Washingtons family originated from Washington near Sunderland, although I presume it was called something else in those days. Also on the west side is The Monks' Dormitory which apparently charges an entry fee, but I haven't been in here and I couldn't find any evidence of fee prices last time I was there. There is an original Norman undercroft beneath the refectory on the south side of the Cloisters which is thought to be the oldest part of the building. There is an entrance here to what used to be the Great Kitchen with a unique octagonal vaulted stone roof which has now been converted into the Cathedral bookshop; certainly the most impressive roof I have ever seen in a bookshop. There is also an entrance to the restaurant, the giftshop, which sells some lovely jewellery amongst other items, and the Treasury Museum.
~The Treasury Museum~
Exhibits here include the seventh century coffin of St Cuthbert, the original door knocker, manuscripts, embroideries, etcetera. I haven't been in here but I can tell you the prices: Adults - £2.50, Children - £0.70p, Family ticket - £6.00, Concessions/groups - £2.00. Opening times are Monday to Saturday 10.00 - 4.30 and Sundays 2.00 - 4.30.
~Entry Charges~
This is free, but a donation of £4.00 is suggested and there are fees charged for entry to the Tower, Monk's Dormitory and St. Cuthbert's Treasury.
~Getting There ~ Parking~
To get anywhere in Durham you always have to climb a hill. Mercifully for some there are little touristy buses; the number 40 operates every 20 minutes every day. Personally I think it's a pretty lazy and not very environmentally friendly way of going about things, but if you must, you can catch it from the bus station in North Rd and it links the Cathedral, Rail Station and Car and Coach Parks. For further information Tel Traveline 0870 608 2 608. There are limited parking spaces around the Palace Green which cost £5 per visit, this is on top of the £2 you will have paid on the toll road through Durham Market Place. I would advise parking elsewhere or using the local park and ride scheme. Tourist Information can give more details if you ring them on 0191 384 3720. If you are on foot, head for Durham Market Place then go up Saddler Street until you come to Owensgate where a right turn will bring you out on Palace Green. Durham City is pretty small, so once you're there you shouldn't really have any problem finding the cathedral.
~Lastly~
A review such as this can't really explain enough about the Cathedral as it's something that needs to be experienced. I haven't described all of the altars, statues, architectural features etc, because that would have required me to write a book, but I hope I've managed to convey some of the flavour of the building to anyone who's interested. Thankyou for reading.
(originally posted by noodlesandwich on another site)"
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