Did You Know?

Durham is a city in the North-East of England and is well known for its Norman cathedral and 11th-century castle. The Cathedral is famous for being the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable, and the castle has been the home of the University since 1832.

The name "Durham" comes from the Old English "dun", meaning hill, and the Old Norse "holme", which translates to island.

On the main door of Durham Cathedral is the Sanctuary Knocker (a replica now, the original is in the Durham Cathedral Treasures of St Cuthbert). Any fugitives who grasped the knocker were granted sanctuary for 37 days. They could then either face their accusers or be given safe conduct to the coast.

The Causey Arch was built back in 1725 and is officially the world’s oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge. Upon completion, its main purpose was to transport coal and empty wagons to the River Tyne. At its peak, the bridge saw more than 900 horses a day dragging carts back and forth to serve this vital British industry

Durham castle was originally built in the11th-century and is an excellent example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans. It has been in continuous use for over 900 years and is the only castle in the United Kingdom never to have suffered a breach.

Native Americans had a hand in molding the area and the Great Indian Trading Path passed through the city.

Durham City RFC, the second oldest club in the County, was founded in 1872 with navy and gold playing colours and Durham Cathedral's Sanctuary Knocker as the club’s crest.

The City saw the birth of modern English mustard when one Mrs Clements hit upon the idea of grinding mustard seeds like flour at a mill in Sadler Street. This new style of mustard quickly received Royal approval from King George I ensuring Mrs Clements’ success.

Neil Fingleton was crowned Britain’s tallest man back in 2007. At 7 ft. 7 inches he beat out the reigning Guinness World Record holder at the age of 26. Since that time he played a number of rather exciting roles in Hollywood movies including 47 Ronin, Jupiter Ascending and Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

The first Durham Miners' Gala was held in 1871 and remains the largest socialist trade union event in the world. Known locally as 'The Big Meeting', this year a whopping 150,000 people lined the streets of the city to mark its 131st year.