Hurricane Katia in County Durham

13th of September 2011

In County Durham strong winds blew off a bakery firm's roof, which collapsed on to 15 cars. A row of five almost-finished industrial units in Langley Moor, Durham, came down "as if it had been subject to a controlled explosion"

DURHAM CATHEDRAL

"Durham Cathedral is the greatest Norman building in England, perhaps even in Europe. It is cherished not only for its architecture but also for its incomparable setting… As an enduring monument to human skill and inventiveness, the Cathedral speaks powerfully of heritage and history"

The cathedral was begun in 1094 and largely completed within 40 years, although it was added to periodically over the centuries after

Positioned high on a peninsular on a loop of the river Wear, the cathedral was built in a defensible place by the founding monks. Although this makes access today slightly difficult, it does give the cathedral superb views across Durham and the nearby countryside- as well as making the cathedral rise magnificently out of the town. It is therefore one of the North of England’s most famous landmarks.

For more information go to:
www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

THE MEDIEVAL CITY - NORWICH

Norwich is one of Britain's most complete medieval cities.  The "capital" of the East Anglia region and is set out beyond the Fens in the county of Norfolk. Norwich became fully established as a town due to the fact that it had its own mint. At the time of the Norman Conquest the city was one of the largest in England

The cathedral was started in 1096 and constructed out of flint and mortar and faced with a cream coloured Caen limestone. A Saxon settlement and two churches were demolished to make room for the buildings. The building was finished in 1145 and had the fine Norman tower, that we see today, topped with a wooden spire covered with lead. Several periods of damage caused rebuilding to the nave and spire but after many years the building was much as we see it now, from the final erection of the stone spire in 1480.

 

The large cloister  has over 1,000 bosses  including several hundred carved and ornately painted ones.



Built by the Normans about 1160. This castle isperhaps the most splendid of all surviving examples of Norman military architecture apart from the Tower of London. It was refaced using Bath stone

in the 1830s and despite the accuracy of the work it looks sadly false. The original structure of the keep is, however, well preserved inside. It also houses perhaps one of the best museums outside of London with a variety of exhibits relating to archaeology, history, art and natural history.

The river Wensum, was a 15th century watergate giving access to a small canal which ran up to the cathedral. The canal has long since been filled in and now forms a pathway into the cathedral close.

The original canal, which was built by the monks, was used to transport the stone used for building the cathedral the spire of which is visible in the background.

St. Peter Mancroft church is the largest church in Norwich and stands at the edge of the market place. Building started in 1430 on the foundations of a previous Norman church. The tower, which was not added until the 19th Century, is 146 feet high.

                                                               Photos@V.Morgan

This ancient city was a thriving prosperous place in the 11th century. Norwich has more medieval churches than most anywhere else in Western Europe, with most of them existing in the city center. In its medieval days, Norwich was bounded by a huge medieval wall, of which large sections still exist today. The wall was so vast that it encompassed an area larger than the city of London. The 12th century castle is a dominant figure in the city, and has been functioning as a museum since 1895. Really nice place to visit - beautiful old city just like I like

Cow Tower was a part of the city wall



So, basically, just another beautiful summer day in England.

The Tower of London

                                                                                                 photo @ V.Morgan

The Tower of London in The Middle Ages
(Lambert)



The Tower of London is one of London's most famous monuments.  It has stood guard over the city since Norman times.

The first part of the Tower of London to be built was the White Tower. It was probably begun in 1078 and finished by 1100. The new tower was designed by a Norman bishop called Gundulf, who was a famous builder.

When it was completed the White Tower stood 90 feet high. Its walls were 15 feet thick at the bottom and tapered to 11 feet thick at the top. The entrance was on the first floor.

About 1097 William Rufus built a stone wall around the White Tower to enclose it.

For centuries the Tower of London was used to hold important prisoners. The first was Rannulf Flambard the Bishop of Durham. When an arrow in the New Forest killed William Rufus in 1100 his brother became Henry I. The new king promptly arrested the bishop for simony.

However the bishop escaped. He was allowed certain privileges such as buying able to buy his own food and wine. On 2 February 1101 the bishop generously invited his guards to a feast. When the guards became drunk he managed to squeeze through a window and climb down a rope. However the rope was not long enough and he had to drop the final distance. The bishop was met by friends who rowed him across the river and he then rode a horse to the coast where he escaped on a ship.

Bell Tower was built in 1190-1210. The bell at the top was rung in an emergency. Wardrobe Tower was built in 1190-1199. As its name suggests it was used to hold clothes and jewels.
The Tower of London was greatly extended by Henry III (1216-1272). About 1220 Henry began building the Wakefield Tower and the Lanthorn Tower.

                                                                                                    photo @ V. Morgan