Durham (1)

The City of Durham is the main town of the County Durham, the historic part of which stands on a hill within a bend on the River Wear.

This is the first of three posts I made over two visits on the 13th November and 4th December. This one is essentially a photographic post and J_on_tour observations .... that is meant to tantalise you into checking out the second post which will be a winter and historical one. The third post will be a surprise !
I make no apologies that it is possible that this city may be the most photographed on this blog in the future as it is my number 1 destination and within 30 minutes drive from my house.

Like most historical and tourist cities, The City of Durham has always had a problem with the parking of cars. The local council has addressed this with a series of "park and ride" car parks where minibuses take people right into the city centre. The car park I always use is at the roundabout of the A1 road to the east of the city.... the car park is free and the fare has been a £1.70 all day ticket for as long as I can remember. I am generally not a fan of Park and ride facilities where the safety of the car is an issue in some urban places and the traffic into the centre (e.g. Oxford) is another problem. However with bus lanes, it works really well here.

Although the 11th century Norman Cathedral is the main attraction, visitors find themselves in the market place first where the focus is St Nicholas' church built and opened in 1858.

The vicar at the time committed a crime in that he had the 12th century church knocked down in order to build something more grand and with a steeple rather than what he thought was a plain tower. He wouldn't even be allowed in the council building today with an idea like that far less planning permission.

The vicar of St Nicholas may have had to hide behind his own door

In more recent times (the last year), another controversy has taken place with the removal, restoration and repositioning of Lord Londonderry (or The man on a horse) with the council thinking it will create a larger space for events despite a 4000 strong Facebook group opposing the move.

Not running away again

It seems that the council seem to be good at allowing unpopular ideas throughout history in Durham.

The historic indoor market also built in the 1850s is nothing spectacular on the inside but has some grand entrances and archways leading from the square. The building provides local shoppers with food and household items to supplement the other high street shops that Durham has to offer.

One thing that visitors to Durham notice is the amount of student buskers who play in the street...

Mature students !!

...  I'm not quite sure if this was an advert outside the shop for what was being sold on the inside !!

It was time to leave the shops at the bottom of the hill and take the famous riverside walk where the first photo is taken from. The following few photographs are taken from under and around the bridge where the walk starts...... I will take you on this walk in the next post with winter conditions.

...and you thought this was England !

Durham is a University town with the castle being the focus of that, but that brings associated problems with drunken and disorderly behaviour in certain areas of the non historic part of town. One particular street near the bus station seems to give the Police more concern than others.

Castle and Cam

At the top of this street is the huge viaduct which carries the railway from London to Edinburgh. All passengers who are unfamiliar with the journey are in awe of the view as they cross this point as the train slows into Durham station.

Retracing my steps back over the river and up the hill to the Cathedral, just in time to see the sun go down....

One of Durham Cathedrals most famous relics is the sanctuary knocker on the outside door although I'm not sure who would want to buy one as it may chase the postman away or at the very least.. give his dog a fright !!