Cold, overcast and windy today. It’s a 30-minute walk as the crow flies from Shincliffe, where we’re staying, to Durham Cathedral and an hour and a half along the river. We take the river option to get the full windblown, hyperthermic joy from what we now understand to be a typical English spring day.
Happily, the approach to the Cathedral via the river is well worthwhile; students out on skulls, weekend walkers enjoying the icy wind and spectacular views as her stone towers rise above the trees. The photos are a little bleak, but it was really quite lovely.
We’re in a single room at the pub, and I’m conscious of ticky-tacking too much as Di tries to sleep, so I’ll keep it short (something I struggle with as you’re well aware), and let the photos do the talking. Some highlights:
- A number of Harry Potter scenes were filmed here
- We’re really enjoying the connection between the places we’re visiting. Cuthbert, who was a Prior at Lindisfarne Priory, is buried here. They carried his bones from Lindisfarne until one of the monks had a vision that Cuthbert should be buried at Dunholme. They’d not heard of Dunholme. A milkmaid appeared, looking for her cow – she was from Dunholme and led them there. There, the Cathedral was built.
- One of the Durham Bishops (Hatfield 1315), before his ordination, sent an envoy to the pope to measure his throne and made his own throne at Durham two inches taller. The Pope was so enraged that he got a two-inch-thicker cushion made for his throne. Both men filled with the spirit, obviously.
- Prince Bishops could make their own laws, collect their own taxes, and have their own army. As ‘holy’ men, they weren’t allowed to carry a blade – so Hatfield carried a mace (you’ve got to admire the skill in biblical interpretation). He fought alongside Edward the 3rd at the battle of Cressy and, because he protected the king’s son, he’s the only Bishop to have a king’s face carved into his tomb.
- Hatfield’s Bishop throne is above his tomb. He’s reported to have quipped, ‘The next Prince Bishop will be ordained over my dead body!’ He was.
By the time we emerged from the cathedral, the sun had come out. We found a nice sunny spot in a coffee shop by one of the bridges for a breather, then headed home. It’s an English spring so of course, in fifteen minutes, dark rain clouds loomed up from behind the Cathedral hill and poured down upon us. We were forced to take refuge in the Rose Tree pub (with a bunch of others) and then forced to eat a plate of hot loaded fries with a couple of pints (did I mention I threw my fat tongs away?). Eventually, the rain clouds passed on, and we wandered up the hill and home.
