Durham ... a city steeped in history!

So I was talking with one of my friends last night and she asked how Durham was these days. See my friend, C, lives in LA. We met in Durham over 3 years ago and had many a fun filled lunch date or night out. Anyway during our chat C mentioned how she missed Durham and it got me to thinking how much myself and the fiancé had missed Durham last year when we were living in Leeds.

Image from http://www.dur.ac.uk/r.c.widdison/tour/peninsula.html#

It sounds strange because Durham is such a small city but there is just something about it. One of my favourite sights is when you come into Durham on the train and first see the Cathedral, sitting atop the peninsula with the streets sprawling out beneath it.  The minute I see the scene above I know I'm home!

How could you not feel a sense of awe looking at such a majestic building. The whole city is full of hidden treasures of history. You can walk down silver street or up saddler stree full of modern looking shops and restaurants and feel like you in any other small city but just take a look up above the store fronts and you will notice all the old brick work, vintage windows and just a general feel of the old city still thriving while modernity tries to adapt to fit. Take for example Jack Wills on saddler street, if you look up above their store front you will see a stain glass window which has been left in place and proclaims that this is the Robe Makes of Durham. The robe makers have actually moved onto north road but the window still remains. Oh and yes we still have a robe makers, this would be because whilst the Cathedral and Castle are the heart of the city, the University is its central nervous system.

This is another reason I love Durham, the collegiate atmosphere, some people might get annoyed at the students but I enjoy the atmosphere they can bring. The main difference I find between Durham and other Universities is that the buildings are melded with the city. I had matriculation and congregation in the Cathedral and lectures in one of the buildings on palace green, other colleges are hidden throughout the bailey and surrounding area. Aside from Castle and Hatfield the only way you can pick out college or subject buildings is by spotting the little gold plaques by the door. The students are a little easier to spot, look for the standard student attire or various college apparel but for the most part they harmless. A little spoilt but then hey if you go to London you have to wade though hordes or tourists so I wil take the spoilt students hehe 

Clockwise, Lecture rooms on Palace green, Cathedral Knocker,  Palace Green Library and the Market place Horse.

Another key feature of Durham is the market place. This has undergone a bit of an overhaul in the past few years but the overall feel is still the same. Yes the Horse has moved and is now facing the wrong way but hes still there. I cannot count the number of times I have uttered or heard someone utter the phrase, "so meet at the Horse yeah" it has always been a gathering place and before they put in seats one of the only places to sit and eat your lunch. There are two things the market place has lost that I do miss, the first is the cobbles, this is mainly for pure comedy value on a night out watching the female students stumble and fall whilst the rest of us walked over them easily having been doing so regularly since we were 16. The other is the phone boxes, there was a collection of them outside the pub, old red ones that really added something. Now the market place is more open and has been resurfaced. but it is still surrounded by the same old buildings keeping watch and it sill holds markets and fairs at various intervals. My favourite being the food fair with all its european treats and delicacies. 

There are still a few little treats you ca find up on palace green. Namely this old school phone box and vintage post box. Sometimes one of the best things to do in Durham is to just go for a walk. Me and the fiancé have done this on several occasions and in various types of weather. Our favourite route is to walk down from the back of the Cathedral over Prebends bridge and along the riverfront. Its hilarious in the snow and relaxing on a summer evening after a meal out. 

Looking at Framwellgate bridge and then the view of the footpath from Framwellgate bridge

Clockwise, lamp at the end of Prebends bridge, footpath below Framwellgate bridge, top of the steps from the path onto Framwellgate bridge and finally the end of Prebends bridge in the snow.

It is very hard to explain my love of this historic city, it was the first place I went on the bus to go shopping as a teenager, the first place I went drinking, where I graduated from for my Masters, the first place I lived with Fiancé and in May next year I will get married in another historic castle in County Durham, Lumley Castle, then it will be the first city I live in married to Fiancé. So many memories all linked to one small city nestled in the North of England. It may be cold, it may have many hills and it me be small and packed with people at times but I wouldn't change a thing about it for anything. 

Snowy pics of the Cathedral from the river bank and the Castle

My final pic to close this post is of me and C inside the Cathedral the summer we met. So many memories of good times with great friends in an amazing city. 

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