Wearside

Winter Gardens, Sunderland, North East England.

Winter Gardens, Sunderland, North East England.

Winter Gardens, Sunderland, North East England.

X marks the spot!

On the River Wear, Sunderland, North East England.

A plaque marking the position of a former lime kiln. Sunderland, North East England.

Durham Cathedral is renowned as a masterpiece of Romanesque (or Norman) architecture. It was begun in 1093 and largely completed within 40 years. It is the only cathedral in England to retain almost all of its Norman craftsmanship, and one of few to preserve the unity and integrity of its original design. The Cathedral was built as a place of worship, specifically to house the shrine of the North's best-loved saint, Cuthbert, in whose honour pilgrims came to Durham from all over England. It was also the home of a Benedictine monastic community. The Cathedral also served a political and military function by reinforcing the authority of the prince-bishops over England's northern border. The Cathedral is built on a peninsula of land created by a loop in the River Wear and the west end towers over a precipitous gorge. The northern front of the Cathedral faces onto Palace green and here the full 143 metres length from west to east can be seen. The nave, quire and transepts are all Norman, at the west end is the twelfth-century late Norman style Galilee Chapel and at the east end the thirteenth-century Chapel of the Nine Altars is in the Gothic style. The western towers date from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and the great central tower is the most recent addition, it dates from the fifteenth century and displays perpendicular Gothic detailing. Durham, North East England.

The castle was originally built in the 11th century as a projection of the Norman king's power in the north of England, as the population of England in the north remained "wild and fickle" following the disruption of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is an example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans. The holder of the office of the Bishop of Durham was appointed by the King to exercise royal authority on his behalf, the castle was his seat. It remained the bishop's palace for the bishops of Durham until the bishops made Auckland Castle their primary residence and the castle was converted into a college. The castle has a large Great Hall, created by Bishop Antony Bek in the early 14th century. It was the largest Great Hall in Britain until Bishop Richard Foxe shortened it at the end of the 15th century. However, it is still 14 metres high and over 30 metres long. Durham, North East England.

Buildings against a blue sky. Durham, North East England.

Durham, North East England.

Market Place, Durham, North East England.

Farmer collecting silage (winter feed for cattle) on Cleadon Hills, North East England. The remains of an abandoned windmill are to the right.

Female Mallard and her brood. Washington Wetlands Trust, Washington, Tyne & Wear, North East England.

The large geese are the so-called Toulouse Geese. Washington Wetlands Trust, Washington, Tyne & Wear, North East England.

Durham, North East England.

Durham, North East England.

River Wear in Durham, North East England.

River Wear in Durham, North East England.