DURHAM, the capital of the above-mentioned county, is situated in W. Long. 1. 14. N. Lat. 54. 50. It stands on a hill almost surrounded by the river Were; and is considerable for its extent and the number of its inhabitants, as well as for being the see or seat of
the bishop, who is lord paramount. It stands about 280 miles north from London; being remarkable for the salubrity of its air, and the abundance and cheapness of its provisions. These circumstances have induced a great deal of good company to take up their residence at Durham, which is still further animated by the presence and court of the bishop and his clergy. The town is said to have been built about 70 years before the Roman conquest, on occasion of bringing hither the body of St Cuthbert. It was first incorporated by King Richard I. but Queen Elizabeth extended its privileges. At length, in the year 1684, it obtained a charter; in consequence of which, it is now governed by a mayor, 12 aldermen, 12 common council men, with a recorder and inferior officers. These can hold a court leet and court baron within the city; but under the style of the bishop, who, as count palatine, appoints a judge, steward, sheriffs, and other inferior magistrates. The mayor and aldermen also keep a pic pouldres court at their fairs, and pay a yearly toll to the bishop. They have a weekly market on Saturday, and three annual fairs. Durham is about half a mile in length, and has been by some compared to the figure of a crab, the market place exhibiting the body, and the claws being represented by the streets, which bend according to the course of the river, which almost surrounds one part of the city. They are, moreover, dark and narrow; and some of them steep and dangerous to wheel carriages. The number of inhabitants in 1811 was 6763. The houses are in general strong built, but neither light nor elegant. The most remarkable edifices are the cathedral, with six other churches, three standing in the city, and as many in the suburbs; the college; the castle, or bishop's palace; the tolbooth near St Nicholas's church; the cross and conduit in the market place; with two bridges over the Were. The cathedral was begun by Bishop Carilepho in the 11th century. It is a large, magnificent, Gothic structure, 411 feet long, and 80 in breadth, having a cross aisle in the middle 170 feet in length, and two smaller aisles at each end. On the south side is a fine cloister; on the east, the old library, the chapter house and part of the deanery; on the west, the dormitory, under which is the treasury and chantry; and on the west side is the new library, an elegant building begun by Dean Sudbury about 70 years ago, on the spot where stood the old refectory of the convent. The middle tower of the cathedral is 212 feet high. The whole building is arched and supported by huge pillars. Several of the windows are curiously painted; and there is a handsome screen at the entrance into the choir. Sixteen bishops are interred in the chapter-house, which is 75 feet long, and 33 broad, arched overhead, with a magnificent seat at the upper end for the instalment of the bishops. The consistory is kept in the chapel of the west aisle called Galilee, which was built by Bishop Pubsey, and had formerly 16 altars for women, as they were not allowed to advance farther than the line of marble by the side of the font; here likewise are deposited the bones of the venerable Bede, whose eulogium is written on an old parchment scroll that hangs over his tomb. The long cross aisle at the extremity of the church was formerly distinguished by nine altars, four to the north, and four to the south, and the most magnificent in the middle dedicated to the patron St Cuthbert,
Durham. bert, whose rich shrine was in this quarter, formerly much frequented by pilgrims. The church is possessed of some old records relating to the affairs of Scotland, the kings of which were great benefactors to this cathedral. The ornaments here used for administering the divine offices, are said to be richer than those of any other cathedral in England. Before the Reformation, it was distinguished by the name Ecclesia sanctæ Mariæ et sancti Cuthberti; but it obtained the appellation of Ecclesia cathedralis Christi et beatæ Mariæ, in the reign of Henry VIII. who endowed the deanery with 12 prebendaries, 12 minor canons, a deacon, subdeacon, 16 lay singing men, a schoolmaster and usher, a master of the choir, a divinity reader, eight almsmen, 18 scholars, 10 choristers, two vergers, two porters, two cooks, two butlers, and two sacristans. On the south side of the cathedral is the college; a spacious court formed by the houses of the prebendaries, who are richly endowed and extremely well lodged. Above the college gate, at the east end, is the exchequer; and at the west, a large hall for entertaining strangers, with the granary and other offices of the convent. The college school, with the master's house, stands on the north side of the cathedral. Between the churchyard and castle is an open area called the palace green; at the west end of which stands the shire hall, where the assizes and sessions are held for the county. Close by is the library built by Bishop Cosin; together with the exchequer raised by Bishop Nevil, in which are kept the offices belonging to the county palatine court. There is an hospital on the east, endowed by Bishop Cosin, and at each end of it are two schools founded by Bishop Langley. On the north, is the castle built by William the Conqueror, and afterwards converted into the bishop's palace, the outward gate of which is at present the county gaol.
The city consists of three manors; the bishop's manor, containing the city liberties and the bailey, held of him by the service of castle guard; the manor of the dean and chapter, consisting of the Elvet's cross-gate, South-gate street; and the manor of Gilligate, formerly belonging to the dissolved hospital of Kepyar in this neighbourhood, but granted by Edward VI. to John Cockburn, lord of Ormistoun, and late in the possession of John Tempest, Esq.
The bishopric of Durham is deemed the richest bishopric in the kingdom; and the prebends are frequently styled the Golden Prebends of Durham. The diocese contains the whole counties of Durham and Northumberland, except the jurisdiction of Hexham in the latter. It hath also one parish in the county of Cumberland: making in the whole 135 parishes, whereof 87 are impropriate. The see is valued in the king's books at 2821. 1s. 5d. but is said to be worth about ten times that sum annually. The clergy's tenths amount to 3851. 5s. 6d. It has two archdeacons, viz. of Durham and Northumberland. This see hath given to the church of Rome eight saints and one cardinal; and to the English nation one lord chief justice, five lord chancellors, three lord treasurers, one principal secretary of state, one chancellor to the university of Oxford, and two masters of the rolls.
In the neighbourhood of this city is Nevil's cross, famous for the battle fought in the year 1346, against
David II. king of Scotland, who was defeated and taken prisoner.