London

Introducing Guest Writer, Chris Davy, owner and chef at The Rose & Crown, Romaldkirk, County Durham

We had just travelled back from the Innkeeper of the Year Awards in London; life was its normal hectic routine on our return, Easter was days away and our secretary of nine years service had just resigned at the weekend. Wednesday was my last day off before Easter and Alison was giving me that look that said I was not fun to be with at the moment.

Although they were forecasting sunny weather, the day had started off with drizzle and mist that made it more reminiscent of November days. We had already been to Durham a couple of times but I wanted to revisit – Alison was staying at home with the children, who were on half term, so I had the day to myself. Just as I was leaving, two hotel inspectors announced themselves at the desk on checkout – I told Ali that she must go and see them and I made a swift exit!

Once you get past the grim environs of Bishop Auckland, you are soon in Durham. At the large roundabout on the city outskirts ,by a big new Apartment development, you must take the right hand route – you can either chose to drive into the City or shortly on the right you will see the very efficient Park and Ride scheme, which we recommend.

You will descend along a road full of signs to Collingwood College, Yoho College, St Bede’s College, the Oriental museum and more – you are immediately reminded that you are entering a University City. At the big roundabout in the city centre, park your car in the Prince Bishops’ multi-storey car park.

Walk up to the 7th floor and exit by British Home Stores. Turn left up a short shopping precinct and turn left at the top by the Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop. Bear right up the hill and just beyond the second Waterstones’ bookshop (two Waterstones in one town - more reminders of university life) you turn right up the hill into the Cathedral Green. The cathedral lies straight ahead.

Before you even enter, consider the history attached to the Sanctuary Knocker on the main door. Around 1590 the cathedral was sanctuary to any mortal who had committed a great offence – theft, murder and that kind of thing. If they used the knocker at night, this would alert the two night watchmen who would open the door so that the criminal could claim sanctuary in the cathedral and the cathedral bell was tolled so as to tell the local townsfolk that sanctuary had been claimed.

They were permitted to eat, sleep and ‘organise their affairs’. They could decide to stand trial or they could elect to leave the country within 40 days from any main port, normally Hartlepool, and promise never to return. They were made to wear a black gown with a yellow cross and on their way into exile had to carry a wooden cross. Unbelievably this only happened on average six times per year and of course this all came to a halt when Henry VIII decided to intervene.

Once inside, the magnificent Rose Window takes your eye. Ahead you can buy an excellent guide for 50 pence, which takes you on a tour of the cathedral. First the Miners’ Memorial – this reminded me of the Durham Miners’ Gala and oh yes - what was his name? – Arthur somebody… !

Beyond and you will find the Memorial Chapel for the Durham Light Infantry. This is a sad but proud corner of the cathedral. There is an obvious pride for this regiment in the Northeast – there are two Books of Remembrance, back to back, representing each war. As I arrived. they were turning the pages and I thought it a poignant act of history that on the same day in each of the wars there were over seventy fallen in the Great War and only one in the Second World War.

Further on and I found the Millennium Window. Now, so many of these types of modern memorial always seem to clash with their traditional setting but I thought that this window said so much about the North East. There are cameos featuring the Tyne Bridge, Stephenson’s Rocket, glass blowing, shipbuilding, coal mining and chemicals – all to celebrate 1000 years of history. Perhaps it was created too early to include a smiling Japanese face or a computer though, perhaps on hindsight, the less said about Japanese investment the better.

Now for me the real reason to visit was to see St Cuthbert’s shrine. He was the greatest saint of the North Country and he inspired the building of this church. St Cuthbert died in 687 on Little Farne, which is a tiny island that Alison and I managed to visit a few years ago. His body was brought first to Chester-Le-Street and then to Ripon and then to Durham and he was buried behind the High Altar.

There you will find his shrine with wonderful canopy and simple stone. It is a very special place to reflect on this piece of history, though on my visit three of the cathedral cleaning ladies were enjoying a short rest-break in the corner. They were busy lamenting the new bus timetable in the city – well at least it is still used; though not quite as intended!

Off the cloisters, you will find the Monks’ Dormitory with its impressive 21 straight, horizontal wooden beams and which now houses over 30,000 ecclesiastical books. Further on and for £2.00 you can visit the Treasury, where you will see the original Sanctuary Knocker and other relics. But the greatest item of interest is the original coffin that brought St Cuthbert to Durham.

As I emerged from the cathedral the sun had appeared and a beautiful magnolia tree was coming into bloom outside the Deanery that, in true clerical tradition, is ‘just one very imposing building’!

Leaving the main door from whence you entered, you can now choose to visit the Castle. This is now part of the University and you have to follow an accompanied tour at set times. I didn’t bother but I did fulfil one other ambition – to walk along the river back into town. Less than 100 yards from the cathedral there is a ‘snicket’ on the left between two buildings by a name plate that points to the Museum of Archaeology.

Walk down here and turn left at the bottom and then sharp right down some rather steep and irregular steps and you will soon be by the river. Turn left and walk past the famous and much photographed weir and keep with the river on your right all the way back into town – say 20 minutes. You emerge by the Prince Bishop Car Park.

Oh and I nearly forgot – if you feel like a light lunch then back on the Cathedral Green you will find the Almshouses Coffee Shop which is an old building with mullioned windows, modern furniture and respectable food. Or you could continue into town along the river and visit Bimbi’s, which is the Harry Ramsdens of the Northeast – and very good fish and chips too.

When you consider that it costs a staggering £4,850 per day to manage the cathedral then I think the £2.50 voluntary donation plus the Sanctuary admission charge and brochure make it wonderful value for money and a tremendous day out.

LEFT OUT OF HOTEL, LEFT BY CHURCH THEN BEAR RIGHT TO T-JUNCTION; TURN RIGHT, DOWN OVER BRIDGE TO MAIN ROAD; TURN RIGHT AND CLIMB UP HILL PAST PETROL STATION; TURN 2ND LEFT ONTO B 6279 AND CONTINUE TO STAINDROP. TURN LEFT AT MAIN ROAD JUNCTION THROUGH VILLAGE BEARING SHARP LEFT BY CHURCH. FOLLOW A688 TO WEST AUCKLAND; A NEW BYPASS HAS RECENTLY BEEN OPENED – TURN RIGHT BY THE JET GARAGE AT THE ROUNDABOUT AND FOLLOW SIGNS FOR BISHOP AUCKLAND. CONTINUE ON A688 SIGNPOSTED TO SPENNYMOOR AND DURHAM TURNING LEFT ONTO A167 BY BLACK AND DECKER FACTORY TO DURHAM CITY.

JOURNEY TIME: 1 HOUR
OPEN: ALL YEAR

For other travel information about Durham and a review on Chris Davy’s hotel, The Rose & Crown, click here: travlark.com