Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/857

Rh DURHAM. 847 DURHAM. longs to the New Red sandstone formation. Separated bom this by a line drawn from Hartlepool to Darlington, is the magnesian limestone, which occupies the eastern and southern parts of the county : tho western side is occupied by millstone grit and carboniferous limestone. The greater portion of the population of Durham is occupied in mining, manufactures, and shipping. The principal manufactures are carpets, glass, anchors, rope, sail-cloth, paper, flax, ;md linen. Ship-building, brewing, tanning, and timber-sawing, are largely carried on. Durham is a county palatine, and was formerly under the jurisdiction of the bishop, who possessed, however, very little real power. By an Act or Parliament passed 6 and 7 William IV., the palatine jurisdiction was transferred to tho crown. The county is divided into four wards Chester, Darlington, Easington, and Stock- ton, and is governed by a lord-lieutenant, high sheriff, 19 deputy-lieutenants, and about 200 magistrates. It is in the northern military district, and is included within the northern circuit, the assizes being held at Durham. The county gives name to the diocese of Durham, and constitutes an archdeaconry, which is subdivided into the four deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington, and Stockton. Previous to the Reform Act, Durham returned four members to parliament two for the county, and two for the city of Durham. It now returns ten two for the northern division, tho election town of which is Durham, and the principal polling towns, Sunderland, Lanchester, Gateshead, South Shields, and Chester-le-Street ; two for the southern division, the election town of which is Darlington, and the prin- cipal polling towns, Stockton, Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle, and Stanhope. The city of Durham returns two members, Sunderland two, and Gateshead and South Shields each one. Durham is divided into fourteen Poor- law Unions Durham, Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Stockton, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Shields, Chester- le-Street, Easington, Sedgefield, Houghton-le-Spring, Teesdale, Weardale, and Lanchester. All of these, except the two last named, are superintendent registries ; the first seven, with Hartlepool, Barnard Castle, Wol- singham, and Shotley Bridge, new County Court districts. The principal antiquities are the ruins of Jarrow and Finchale priories, the former founded in 681 ; Barnard Castle ; Ncsham Nunnery ; and the Roman stations at Lanchester (anciently Epiatiim), Maiden Castle, Eb- chester (anciently Viniomara), Pierce Bridge (anciently ad Tisam), Binchester (anciently Vinovium), and Bran- don Camp. Roman coins have been found at Chester- k-Street, Old Durham, Pierce Bridge, Thornton, Whit- born, Lizard, and Monk Wearmouth. Tho chief seats of the nobility and gentry are Kaby Castle, belonging to the Duke of Cleveland ; Sumley Castle, to Earl Scar- borough ; Lambton Castle, to Earl Durham ; Bishop Auckland, to the bishop ; Wynyard, to tho Marquis of Londonderry ; Ravensworth Castle, to Lord Ravens- worth ; Gibside, to Lord Strathuiore ; Oxwell Park, to Clavering, Bart. ; Whitburn, to Sir H. Williamson ; Wilton Castle, to the Chayters ; Hilton Castle, to the Bowes ; Salvin, of Croxdale ; and Surtees, of Redworth. DURHAM, a city, municipal and parliamentary 1 borough and market town in the ward of Easington, in the ' co. palatine of Durham, of which it is the county town, 258 miles N. W. of London, and 132 S.W. of Edinburgh, being situated in 54 47' N. lat., and 1 34' W. long. It can be approached by the North-Eastcrn, Great Nor- thern, and Midland railways, but has only two stations, >ioth mi the North-Eastern line, one for the Durham and Consett branch, the other for the Durham and Bishop Auckland branch ; contiguous to the latter is a fine viaduct of eleven arches. Its name is evidently derived from the Saxon words dim, a " hill," and holme, a " river island," indicative of its situation on a steep penin- sular hill almost surrounded by the river Wear, the banks of which are now occupied by sloping gardens .ind public walks, overlooked by the cathedral and mstle, which crown the summit of the hill. In the Saxon times the city occupied a site three-quarters of mile E. of the present town, opposite a Roman en- r campment called Maiden Castle, where altars and other antiquities have been found. This spot is still known as Old Durham, and was probably the site of the city till tho devastation of tho northern counties by William the Conqueror, who built the castle in 1072, and in 1093 the cathedral was commenced by Malcolm, King of Scotland, and Bishop Carileph. From that time Durham became a place of importance, and waa frequently occupied by the English kings and com- manders in the subsequent wars with Scotland. In tho rebellion of tho Earl of Northumberland in 1569 it was taken by the insurgents, and in 1650 was occupied by Cromwell after the defeat of the Scots, 3,000 of whom were imprisoned in the cathedral. The city, which is about 1 mile in length and the same in breadth, contains, according to theccusus of 1861, 14,088 inhabitants, against 13,188 in 1851, showing an increase of 900 in the decen- nial period. The greater part of the town is enclosed within the remains of tho old city walls, which are environed by the river Wear, in the form of a horse- shoe, the approaches to the town being by several bridges, some of which are very ancient. Framwell- gatc bridge, at the northern extremity of tho city, was erected by Bishop Flambard in 1120 ; it consists of one pier and two elliptic arches of 90 feet span. Elvct bridge was built by Bishop Pudsey in 1170, and re- paired by Bishop Fox, who granted an indulgence to all contributors ; it is a singular structure of eight arches, and was widened to twice its original breadth in 1806. Besides these there is a modern bridge of three semi- circular arches, which crosses the river nearly opposite tho only remaining city gate, at the extremity of the street called South Bailey. From this point is a fine view of the cathedral, which is one of the most ancient and magnificent in the kingdom. It is situated on tho N. side of the Palace, or Palace-green, and is built in the form of a Latin cross. The larger portion is Norman, of a very bold style, with insertions in all the English styles, three elaborately ornamented towers springing up from the body of the building, which is 502 feet in length, with nave 205 feet by 81 feet. The height of the central tower, built in tho 13th century, is 212 feet ; the W. door was a fine Norman arch, which is now concealed by the Galilee chapel, built by Bishop Pudsey. This chapel is 50 feet long by 80 feet, and contains the tomb of Bede. The chapel of the Nino Altars, at the eastern end, containing the remains of St. Cuthbert, which were discovered the 7th May, 1847, is a beautiful specimen of early English architec- ture. In the window at the eastern end is an im- mense circular light of stained glass ; at the western end are two richly stained windows ; the N. and S. transepts have each a fine window. The pillars in tho interior and the screen- work contain some remarkably fine specimens of carving. Tho cathedral underwent considerable repairs and alterations at the end of the last century, which by no means improved its general eflect. Within the precincts are the cloisters, forming a square of 147 feet, principally built in the latter part of the 14th century ; they comprise the dormitory, trea- sury, muniment-room, and frater-house, or library, where the old sacerdotal vestments, antique coins, and MSS. are kept ; amongst the last are the psalter of Bede, his Ecclesiastical History, and the original charters of Henry I., with their seals, including tho fii>l iui-1 second Charta de Foresta, and the famous " Bolden Buke," or county survey, which last is kept in the priory, now called the deanery, a curious old buildin<;, with octagonal kitchen like Glastonbury Abbey, a refec- tory, the floor of which was discovered in 1844, and a capacious reservoir supplied from Elvet Moor. The castle, which occupies the S. side of Palace-green, was erected by William the Conqueror, but many additions have been made to the original structure in later limes. It is in the Norman style, and has a keep, a fine Norman archway, a Norman chapel, and Bishop Hatfield's hall, originally 132 feet by 36 feet. In this hall the bishops of Durham were accustomed to enter- tain their guests, amongst whom were at different
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