Durham Castle Fridge Magnet

Durham Castle Fridge Magnet. Plastic fridge magnet with a daytime photograph of the entrance way to Durham Castle. Durham Castle is jointly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral. The Castle is now part of Durham University, although you can visit the Castle and its museum. Construction of the Castle, began in 1072. 6 years after the Norman conquest of England and soon after the Normans reached the North of England.

Walcher “purchased the earldom [of Northumbria] and thus became the first of the Prince-Bishops of Durham, a title that was to remain until the 19th century, and was to give Durham a unique status in England. It was under Walcher that many of the Castle’s first buildings were constructed. As was typical of Norman castles, it consisted of a motte (mound) and an inner and outer bailey (fenced or walled area). Whether the motte and inner bailey were built first is unknown. There is also debate about whether or not Durham Castle was originally a stone or a wooden structure. Historic sources mention that its keep (fortified tower) was built of wood, but there is enough archaeological evidence to indicate that even in the late 11th century when it was first built, it had numerous stone buildings. From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier. In the 12th Century, Bishop Pudsey (Hugh de Puiset) built the Norman archway and the Galilee of the Cathedral. Other major alterations were made by Bishop Thomas Hatfield in the 1300s, including a rebuilding of the keep and enlargement of the keep mount.

The size of the Durham Castle Fridge Magnet, is 76x50mm. The magnet has a stand in the back which pushes into a slot in the back so that the magnet can standup.  Text on the magnet reads ‘Durham’

A fridge magnet with a nighttime photograph of this view can be found here.