Durham cathedral
Durham cathedralThroughout the world, there are many churches, cathedrals, and basilicas; however, of these the best known are most likely the cathedrals. The word cathedral comes from the Latin �cathedra,� which means �chair.� This is because cathedrals are churches that hold the chair of the Bishop. England houses some of the most famous, wondrous cathedrals ever built.
Durham cathedral is located in Durham County, England. (See Appendix A) The Cathedral exceeds all other sacred edifices in England in the beauty of its situation; and although not so large as others, its magnificence is surpassed by none. Durham cathedral occupies the summit of a lofty peninsula enclosed by the river Wear, which at that point makes so sweeping a curve that the promontory is almost an island. The elevated tableland thus formed is bordered by steep rocks and beautifully wooded slopes, extending to the margin of the river. (See Appendix F) This singular position adds greatly to the striking effect and grandeur of its general appearance. (History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894)
During the cathedral's construction, Durham was one of the most important northern outposts of the Normans, who had begun construction on the cathedral shortly after their victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Norman prince bishop William St. Carileph, who had been exiled to France for some time, razed the older Anglo-Saxon church upon his return to Durham in 1092 to make way for the building of the cathedral that stands today. The cathedral itself was built fairly quickly. Construction began in 1093 and was completed in large part, as Bishop William had planned it, by 1133, with the two western towers added in 1217-1222.
When Richard le Poore, former Bishop of Salisbury, became Bishop of Durham in 1228, the east chapel was in bad shape, so he began the construction that replaced it with the present Chapel of Nine Alters (See Appendix B). By the time Thomas Langley came to the diocese helm in 1406, the western end of the cathedral was in danger of slipping down the steep hill and into the river, due to the shallow foundations originally laid. As a consequence the buttresses that stand today were put in place.
After the Reformation, Robert Horne and Williams Whittingham (the second and third Deans of Durham respectively) tore down a good deal of the original ornamentation in the cathedral. Damage to the interior occureed in 1650 when Oliver Cromwell herded 4,000 Scots prisoners into the cathedral and denied them any source of heat, so they chopped up nearly every piece of wood in the building for their fires. Attempts at repair were made later on when Sir Gilbert Scott directed the 1870's construction of the present choir screen, not considered by many to be very attractive. The official guide to the Cathedral has this to say of the marble and alabaster screens: "The best that can be said of...
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