Founding and Early History
Durham Cathedral’s history is closely linked to the founding of the city of Durham itself. In the 9th century, Durham became a significant religious center when the monks of Lindisfarne, after fleeing from Viking raids on their original home on Holy Island, sought refuge in Durham. The body of St. Cuthbert, one of the most revered saints in Anglo-Saxon England, was brought to Durham in 875, and this event marked the beginning of the city’s importance as a center of Christian pilgrimage.
The original church built to house St. Cuthbert’s relics was a modest structure, but as Durham’s prominence grew, it was clear that a much grander church was needed. In 1093, the decision was made to build a new cathedral, one that would reflect the growing power and wealth of the Church, and serve as a fitting shrine to the saint.
Construction of Durham Cathedral
The construction of Durham Cathedral began in 1093 under the direction of the Norman bishop, William of St. Carilef. The site chosen for the cathedral was a dramatic one, on a hill overlooking the River Wear, providing both a strategic and visually impressive location.
Durham Cathedral was built in the Romanesque style, which was the architectural form dominant in Europe at the time. The building’s design was innovative for its time. The most notable feature of the cathedral is its vast, vaulted nave. Unlike most other Romanesque cathedrals, which employed wooden roofs, Durham’s builders used stone ribbed vaulting. This was a groundbreaking engineering achievement, and it gave the cathedral its distinctive and awe-inspiring interior.
The cathedral was also one of the first buildings in England to feature the use of the "Durham" style of ribbed vaulting, which would go on to influence later Gothic architecture. The church's construction was completed in 1133, though work on various decorative elements continued for many years after. shutdown123