County Durham - Castles, Cathedrals and Museums

County Durham is an area that was close to the hostile border with Scotland. When the Scots were peaceful, the English tended to fight amongst themselves. The need for defense and frantic prayer figured prominently in the lives of the locals. As a result, the area is blessed with beautiful architecture such as Durham Cathedral and Castle, Raby Castle, and Escomb Church. Other places of interest include Bowes Museum, Beamish Open-Air Museum, Hadrian’s Wall, the Pennine Way, and Hamsterley Forest.

My wife and I stayed in West Auckland, an unpretentious village on the A68 road, minutes from the A1 Motorway, with Teeside International Airport and Darlington rail station nearby and the main attractions within short driving distance.

To complete the experience of ancient sites, we decided to stay in the stone Manor House Hotel. It seemingly dates from the 13th century and, at one time, was a hunting lodge for Henry VIII. Later, it must have served as the manor house to a local estate. We weren’t disturbed by ghostly sounds, but the racket from the Beehive Bar in the original kitchen below our bedroom did the job.

As is the case with many old buildings, extensions have been added over the centuries; these give the hotel a sprawling appearance. The age and new use for some rooms were of added interest. Unexplained alcoves and ceiling or wall attachments raised questions about their use. The modern paintings in the dining rooms also raised questions like -– was the artist sane, sober, or even an artist? I thought I deciphered one painting's meaning, but who knows.

What had been stables or coach houses have been pressed into service as part of the hotel facilities. Part of it is used for bedrooms and part for a superb health club including indoor swimming pool, fully-equipped gym, spa, sauna, solarium, and beauty-treatment rooms.

The bedrooms are full of character, individually designed with stylish fabrics, furniture, and antiques -- even four-poster beds in some. Our bedroom came into the special deal category -– without the character -- and had a small and too soft double bed and some furniture that was old and presumably antique. It had an adjoining bathroom.

"The hotel beckons all lovers of fine cuisine to Juniper Restaurant." We ate our main meal in the Brasserie, which offered fewer choices but a three-course meal with coffee came in at £15 -- good value for the UK -- and the service was excellent. Breakfast was in the Juniper Restaurant. A full English breakfast, which includes bacon, sausages, fried bread, fried egg, beans, and black pudding gives cholesterol junkies a 'fix' and eliminates the need for a midday meal. Apart from a waiter dropping my wife’s fried bread on the floor on one occasion -– it was replaced by a fresh offering, we hope -– service was polite and attentive.

Entering the driveway, I could only say "wow" as I viewed a magnificent French chateau nestling in the hills of Teesdale. This remarkable museum is out of place on British soil, and scandal, romance, passion, and misfortune weave their way through the life stories of its founders -- Josephine and John Bowes.

Josephine and John Bowes were a successful pairing of opposites during their marriage from 1852 until Josephine’s early death in 1874. He was an educated man from a distinguished Teesdale family who served as a Member of Parliament and was a successful business person who liked horse racing. She was an actress and painter from Paris who epitomised French style and lifestyle with a strong interest in public arts. Together, they sought to produce a museum that would be their legacy for local people. French architect Jules Pellechet designed and purpose-built the museum as a public art gallery; it opened in 1892.

The museum, the 20 acres of landscaped park surrounding it, and its art collection were created from nothing over 15 years. The Bowes collected paintings, sculpture, furniture, and textiles from all over Europe but, sadly, they both died before their vision was complete. Their story and dream lives on through this splendid fine- and decorative-art collection. The local area is represented by important archaeological material from County Durham sites such as Binchester Roman Fort, and social history from Teesdale from up to 5,000 years ago.

There is a surprise around every corner. Wonder at paintings by Goya, Canaletto, and others. Allow your mind to race through time in the archaeology and local history galleries. Alternatively, imagine yourself at home surrounded by the opulence of fine furniture, textiles, and ceramics from the French 2nd Empire. The piece de resistance of the museum's collection is the life-size silver swan automaton that will fascinate and enthrall you.

The Museum boasts a collection of European fine- and decorative-arts from 1400-1875 that's unrivalled in the North of England and considered outstanding in Britain. There is particular emphasis on the arts of France, including items from the Bowes' home in Paris. Spanish paintings are another specialisation, and there are good collections of Italian and Northern European paintings, English furniture, and European ceramics and textiles.

Both local and international in its outlook, the museum reflects the mixed origins of its founders. Their combined vision and interest in modern art, design, history, and tradition makes the Bowes Museum a rich and rewarding experience.

The Museum hosts a programme of exhibitions throughout the year that includes an exhibition of work by local craftspeople, displays of North Country craftwork and quilts, and exhibitions of notable local and national artists. In addition, there are special costume displays and a programme of afternoon and evening concerts. These include recitals in the Music Room featuring the Museum's own instruments.

Suspended above the River Wear, Durham Cathedral is a powerful and moving building. Its interior design, although nearly 1000-years-old is still strikingly modern and rich in meaning. The Cathedral has been voted Britain's favourite building by listeners of BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

In medieval times, the Durham Cathedral was one of England's great pilgrimage centres -- the chief reason for pilgrimage was the rich and glorious Shrine of St Cuthbert that once resided here. Today, the simple greystone tomb inscribed 'Cuthbertus' is all that remains.

Bishop William St Carileph designed the Cathedral and began construction in 1093; 40 years later it was complete. The nave’s boasts striking massive spiral and zigzag-decorated cylindrical columns; larger and compounded colums support the impressive diamond-ribbed high-ceiling vaulting.

At the west end of the cathedral above the gorge formed by the River Wear is the Gailee Chapel, a later addition. It’s famous as the home of the black marble-topped tomb of The Venerable Bede (673-735 A.D), who was the first historian of England. The Chapel known also as the Lady Chapel was once the only part of the cathedral open to women.

The huge Chapel of the Nine Altars at the east end of the cathedral was also added later. It has a prominent statue of Bishop William Van Mildert -- the last Prince Bishop of Durham and the man largely responsible for the foundation of Durham University in 1832. The Chapel has a beautiful rose window, too -- the rose itself measures 90 feet across, and its central core depicts Christ surrounded by the 12 apostles.

To the south are the cloisters, clustered around a small square called the Cloister Garth, that once served as the monastic priory buildings and included the Chapter House, the Monk’s Dormitory, the Refectory, and the Great Kitchen. A walkway on the northern side of the cloisters, by the main cathedral wall, was the monk’s Scriptorium. This contained reading chambers in which the monks could study. At the western end of this walkway, a plaque announces that an ancestor of George Washington's was a prior at Durham Cathedral.

The cathedral’s restaurant, bookshop, and Treasury Museum lie in the southwest corner of the cloisters. This Museum, one of the most important in the north of England, contains many relics of Northumbria’s past.

Most visitors to the cathedral will have entered the building from Palace Green and by the north door -- look for its imposing, bronze sanctuary-knocker. This is a replica of the 12th-century original currently on display in the Treasury Museum. It has the face of a repugnant lion-like beast and represents the ancient privilege of sanctuary that was formerly granted criminal offenders; criminals could seek refuge at Durham by loudly banging the knocker to alert the attentions of the watchers who lived in two small chambers overlooking the door.

The lord is in his castle and the peasants slave below. Such was life in medieval England. The contrasting lifestyles of nobility and 'workers' beggars belief.

The prince bishops of Durham resided in Durham Castle. Their coats of arms appear everywhere within its walls. Suspended above the River Wear, Durham Castle, like Durham Cathedral, is a powerful and moving building.

Historically, the defensive walls linked to the castle surrounded the 48-acre Durham river peninsula and the whole enclosed area, including the cathedral, was known as 'the castle'. Just within the castle walls, on the eastern side, was the Castle Baileys –- the South Bailey and the North Bailey streets. The Baileys are among the most historic and attractive streets in Durham. In early times, soldiers lived there. Most of the present houses are of Georgian origin as, in the 18th century, these streets were lined with fashionable townhouses belonging to County Durham’s wealthiest landowners.

Originally a defensive wall divided the Baileys. The road passed through the wall at the Bow Church Gate near the church of St Mary le Bow. This church is now the Durham Heritage Centre. The most impressive gate into Durham was the Great North Gate that stood at the top of North Bailey, where it joined Saddler Street. Built around 1072 and adjoining the castle to the west, it served as a gate and city prison from the early 15th century.

The palace green separates the castle from the cathedral. Until the 12th century, this area was the centre of Durham, its market place, and contained a huddle of wooden houses. Now the green is flanked on its east and west sides by historic buildings dating mostly from the 18th century -- including a former grammar school. The castle takes up the northern end and the cathedral the south.

The Keep -- now sleeping quarters for students of Durham University College -- dominates the castle. A courtyard west of the Keep is enclosed by the older and largest part of the castle. Entry is by a gatehouse near the castle moat that's crossed by a drawbridge.

As you pass through the castle gatehouse and into the courtyard, you'll see the 13th- and 14th-century Great Hall to the left -- it's about 100-feet long and 45-feet high and contains a 500-year-old kitchen. The grand dining hall -– now the dining hall for University College Durham -- occupies most of the Great Hall building.

From the western side of Palace Green a narrow lane called Windy Gap leads to the wooded riverbank and Fulling Mill. Once the property of the Priors of Durham and known as Jesus Mill, it is now the home of the University Museum of Archaeology, which contains relics of the region’s Anglo-Saxon and Roman past. A little to the south is the Prebends Bridge, built in 1777, and with a view of Durham Cathedral to its best advantage. The Cathedral’s western towers commandingly overlook the wooded river bank and Fulling Mill.

Beamish transported us back in time to 1913 and 1825. In a 300-acre site sits a recreated North of England town, drift coalmine, farm and manor house of the period. Site workers in period customs play the role of characters from that bygone age.

We rode the Beamish tramway around the site and alighted at the stops in The Town and other attractions. It gave us experience of town travel in the early 20th century. Other transport systems on offer are a replica 1913 double-deck bus and horse-drawn charabancs.

The Town 1913
The Town has a spooky feel to it for it wipes out the present. It is a typical market town street of the early 1900s. Buildings from the region have been brought here, rebuilt and furnished. A fabulous Carriage House stands alongside the Livery Stables. A superb collection of horse-drawn vehicles, including a fire engine, removals van, charabanc and horse-drawn hearse, are on display.

The Town has Co-operative Shops, Motor & Cycle Works, Stationer's Shop, Printing Works, The Bank, The Sun Inn Pub, Music Teacher's House, Solicitor's Office, Livery Stables. We entered a Sweet Factory & Confectionery and watched toffee being made. The Dentist's Surgery had instruments differing little from those of today. We had a snack in a Co-operative tearoom of the period.

Railways
Railways were pioneered in the northeast of England and spread rapidly throughout the world. Beamish Station recreates a typical branch line country station. The 1867 passenger building includes a ticket office and waiting room for women only. The station includes the Station Building, Signal Box, Goods Shed, Weighbridge House and Coal Cells.

A full-size, working replica of an 1815 locomotive, The Steam Elephant, is on display. Built in Newcastle upon Tyne for Wallsend Colliery, the Elephant worked there and at Washington and at Hetton Collieries

The Colliery Village 1913
Coal was once the power that drove industry and heated homes and a central part of life, in the North of England. Winning the coal was hard, brutal dirty and dangerous work. The Colliery Village and the role play of the staff there bring the period to life. A tall stone engine house and winding wheel dominates the skyline of the pit.

Home Farm 1913
Home Farm was originally an estate farm, managed by the landowner's bailiff, and used to show tenants good farming practice. Some of the traditional buildings have been rebuilt and others like the "Gin-Gan", or horse engine, added. It was worked under horse power and cheeses made in the dairy. How the farmer's wife spent her busy day in the large farmhouse kitchen is displayed.

The manor house and horse-yard stands on what was an ancient defensive site - the Border areas of Scotland and England were turbulent. The house, gardens and farm buildings are as they were in the 1820s when a yeoman landowner, servants and labourers, ran the estate. It was a considerable task to run a house of this nature with its large kitchen and grounds.