DURHAM, the capital of the above county, is a city of great antiquity. About the end of the tenth century the monks of Lindisfarne rested here with the remains of St Cuthbert; and soon afterwards a church was built by Bishop Aldun, and dedicated to that saint, whose remains were enshrined in it. Durham suffered severely from the cruelties of William the Conqueror, who repeatedly laid waste the surrounding country with fire and sword. In 1072 a strong castle was built here; and Walcham, a Norman, was appointed to the bishopric, and assumed the title of Count Palatine. In 1093 the old church built by Aldun was pulled down, and the present magnificent edifice commenced by King Malcolm, Carlepho the bishop, and Targot the prior. Durham figured conspicuously in all the great transactions that have agitated the north. It frequently suffered from the invasions of the Scots; and was often the headquarters of Edward III. and other monarchs and commanders in their excursions against Scotland. Durham is governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors, and returns two members to parliament. Pop. (1851) 13,188. The city is irregularly built on a rocky eminence, and is nearly surrounded by the river Wear. The cathedral and castle occupy the highest part of the eminence, and are fully 80 feet above the bed of the river. The cathedral was founded in 1093, and is one of the noblest edifices in the kingdom. The successive additions which have been made to it afford a striking illustration of the gradual changes in the English style down to the beginning of the fifteenth century. This remarkable edifice has been admirably delineated in Billings' Architecture of Durham Cathedral. It is 507 feet in length, by 200 in extreme breadth, with a central tower 214 feet in height, and two smaller ones 138 feet high at the west end. The Galilee or western chapel was built by Bishop Pudsey between 1153 and 1195, and contains the remains of the Venerable Bede. In the chapel of the Nine Altars are the remains of St Cuthbert, brought to light in 1827. The cathedral library contains a number of curious and interesting works, MSS., and relics. The castle of Durham, which stands opposite the cathedral, was erected by William the Conqueror, and till recently was the residence of the bishops of the Palatinate. It is now appropriated to the uses of the university, with the exception of a suite of rooms reserved for the use of the bishop when he visits the city. A university was founded here by Cromwell in 1657, but on the Restoration it was dissolved. The present university was opened in 1833; an account of it will be found under the head UNIVERSITIES. The see of Durham was long the richest bishopric in England. At an average of the three years ending 1831, it yielded a nett revenue of £19,066 a-year. The total revenue of the dean and chapter during the seven years ending 1831 amounted to £36,937 a-year. On the demise of the incumbent in 1836, at the recommendation of the ecclesiastical commissioners the income of the bishop was fixed at £8,000 per annum—the surplus revenues of the see being reserved to form a fund for augmenting the incomes of the poorer bishops. Besides the cathedral, Durham has six parish churches, and places of worship for Independents, Methodists, Quakers, and Roman Catholics. The grammar-school connected with the cathedral has four exhibitions of £25 each for the sons of clergymen, and of £50 each at either of the English
universities, besides several scholarships at Peterhouse, Cambridge. There are also a diocesan training school, a blue coat, national, infant, charity, and other schools. Durham likewise possesses a mechanics' institute, savings-bank, subscription library, news-room, assembly rooms, theatre, infirmary, alms-houses, and various charities. The banks of the river are ornamented with gardens and plantations, forming an agreeable public promenade. The district called the North and South Bailies, between the precincts of the cathedral and the river, is occupied chiefly by houses of a superior class. The principal shops are in the old town, which also contains the market-place, with a fountain in the centre. The suburbs extend on both sides of the river. On the west side is Framwellgate, with a detached suburb called Crossgate; while on the east side is the suburb Elvet, which contains the magnificent new county gaol and courthouse, erected in 1809, and some of the best houses in the place. These suburbs are connected with the town by several bridges. The town-hall is a spacious and handsome edifice in the Tudor baronial style. The manufactures, consisting chiefly of hats, woollens, paper, leather, and brass and iron wares, are not important. There are extensive coal mines in the neighbourhood, as well as some saline, chalybeate, and sulphurous springs. About three-quarters of a mile from the city is the site of the Maiden Castle—a fortress ascribed to the Romans—as well as some remains of the Iknield Street. One mile to the west of Durham is Neville's Cross—erected by Ralph Lord Neville to commemorate the defeat and capture of David II. of Scotland. Market-day Saturday. The Great North of England railway connects this city with Newcastle-on-Tyne, 14 miles distant.