Durham Castle

Durham Castle Review

Facing the cathedral across Palace Green, Durham's stately, manor-like castle commands a strategic position above the River Wear. It has required many renovations and repairs through the ages because of less-than-stable foundations, but it remains an impressive pile. For almost 800 years the castle was the home of successive prince-bishops; from here they ruled large tracts of northern England and kept the Scots at bay. Henry VIII first curtailed the bishops' independence, although it wasn't until the 19th century that the prince-bishops finally had their powers annulled. They abandoned the castle, turning it over to University College, one of several colleges of the University of Durham (founded 1832), the oldest in England after Oxford and Cambridge. You can visit the castle only on a 45-minute guided tour—usually three times daily. Times vary, so call ahead.