Durham...

[fajrdrako]

I took a tour of Durham Castle. The tour ends in the amazing 10th century chapel. The tour guide, Sarah, said, 'Feel free to look around all you like. Take your time.'

What? I thought. Can I have an hour? a week? a century? It was amazing: with perfect Normal arches and columns, their colours all marbled with iron ore in beautiful patterns, and on top of that, carvings of Biblical scenes - a snake, an adorable Angle-Saxon leopard, stars, plants, faces, a tree (from the Garden of Eden, perhaps?) and, I'd be willing to swear, a gorgeous sheilagh-na-gog, either worn by weather or deliberately defaced - well, not defaced so much as made fit for polite company below the waist.

And the stone floor looked like the original stone tiles.

And in the Bishop's Gallery there is a wonderful large arch from about the same time, in good condition because it was covered over at some point, and only rediscovered in the 19th century, when renovations were being done. Part of those renovations was the painting of the angels on the altar, which thrilled me.

I had thought, from the outside, that the Castle would be all 19th century renovations - all the more so because the Castle is a central part of the University of Durham. Not true. Its medieval origins shine through time and again. There's a charming portrait of Bishop Cuthbert Turnstall, who was Bishop from 1530 to 1559. He looks lihe a typical, rather austere, Tudor gentleman, but his hands are in a funny position. This is because when it was originally painted (before the Reformation), he was holding a rosary. When Henry VIII broke with Rome, the rosary was painted out. When Queen Mary got the throne, it was put back in. When Elizabeth I became queen, it was deleted again. Such is the influence of religious politics in art.

The Castle is a university building during term, and a bed and breakfast during holidays. My cousin stayed there on her first visit to Durham, and the experience was part of what made her fall in love with the city and decide to come here. I can understand the lure: even without the Castle experience, it's one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

I was suffering envy of <user name=gillo site=livejournal.com>, who went to university here. Walking around the place, I thought: look at the lovely place I got to stay in my postgraduate days, Crosby Hall - the palace of Richard of Gloucester before he became Richard III. Tapestries, arches, and boars in the fireplace. Is this really so much better?

Sigh. Yes. Yes, it is.

After seeing the Castle and the Cathedral (for the second time in two days), I went to Marks & Spencer's for a snack. They had what at first glance looked like gummy bears, but they weren't - on looking closer, I saw they were jelly bablies. Jelly babies. Sounded sort of familiar. Then I realized: Doctor Who! That's where I've heard of them! I bought them, of course. They're a little too sweet for my tastes. But... the're a fannish reference so I love them conceptually.

I'm now at the Durham Clayport library, on computer number 26. I was all set to log in on my cousin's computer last night, but it wouldn't work. And her house isn't actually in Durham, but is in a rather wonderful village called Waterhouses, which is in a zone that can't deal with wireless devices. So I may not be able to post again till I get to Cardiff.




 

Comments

[toraks]

You're really in Durham today? You do realize I'm 20 minutes away? oh well, you probably won't get this till you're in cardiff. have fun!