Durham Castle and Cathedral

Durham castle and cathedral are perched high above a bend in the Wear river that turns this bluff into a peninsula. The castle and cathedral are both well fortified due to the Scots and Northumberland tribes who opposed the Norman conquest. 

The doorknocker had a great history in addition to being an awesome lion's head. 

The basement held an exhibit entitled The Treasures of St. Cuthbert. The cathedral was built to enshrine St. Cuthbert, and his coffin, cross and tomb are inside. A series of invasions by Danes lead monks to flee across Northern England with St. Cuthbert's body several times, and eventually it ended up in this highly defensible location. The collection had numerous other artifacts of interest, from illuminated books to signet rings. 

Durham castle was once part of the church as well, serving as the Bishop's residence. It was later converted into Durham's college. The castle keep is actually a dormitory. I can't tell you how jealous I am, though I am glad to have gone without tourists gawking down the hallways. On the tour of the castle I learned of its many alterations by the bishops who ruled here. Highlights of the tour were the original Norman chapel in the basement and a somewhat tilted massive wooden Black Staircase that was originally only supported along the wall, though it is now reinforced by pillars.