Durham Castle
Durham, County Durham
About Durham Castle
It's culture o'clock! Head to Durham Castle and marvel at its impressive collections, exhibitions, and enjoy fun family activities for all ages! Durham Castle is situated on Palace Green, opposite Durham Cathedral, in the heart of Durham City. This stunning building is over 1000 years old - that's A LOT of incredible history to uncover, right?
This educational attraction is open for guided tours throughout the year in the afternoons during academic term and mornings and afternoons during university holidays. If you've got teenagers at home you'll be happy to know kids up to 16 years old go for for free! Students who attend Durham University can also go for free!
Durham Castle History
Dating back to the era of William The Conqueror, this Norman castle is a must visit in County Durham! Built in the 11th century, this stunning building was under construction just 6 years after the Norman invasion. The Earl of Northumberland was in charge of the construction but was shortly executed after rebelling against William... YIKES!
The castle then passed into the hands of the Bishop of Durham who then became the Prince-Bishop of Durham. Durham Castle is a central part of medieval history and Durham History! Did you know it was designed as a defensive structure against Scottish rebels? The castle's design 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. It is also unknown whether the castle started out as a wooden structure or a stone structure.
The castle was used to protect the bishop and his household from attacks not just from the Scotts but from the Danes too...
It's a great place to visit if you have kids learning about medieval history at school or if you are a family of history buffs!
Durham Castle Tour
Itching to explore these historic buildings? Uncover Durham history while taking in amazing views of the city of Durham. Durham Castle's tours last approx. 45-50 minutes.
The general tours are how you actually access the ancient palace. These tours consist of exploring the castle, learning 1000 years worth of history and exploring how the remarkable building is used today.
There are multiple tours to choose from, some of the latest ones being Women of Castle which centres around the contribution of women to Durham university throughout history.
Family Events
Durham Castle hosts a number of exciting public events, private events, and historical events throughout the year! Check out the Celebrate Summer event - kids can enjoy Enjoy treasure hunts in the castle gardens, children’s craft activities in the Great Hall, and self-guided visits around the Castle.
Always check their website for other exciting seasonal events throughout the year!
Food & Drink
No food or drink is sold onsite at the castle.
Parking for Visitors
The nearest public car park is the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre. The postcode is: DH1 3UJ.
Opening Times
Pricing & Tickets
Book in advance for cheapest tickets
Find other attractions similar to Durham Castle by visiting our attraction tickets section.
FAQs
Contact Details
Durham University, Durham, DH1 3RW
Durham
County Durham
DH1 3RW
England
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Last Updated: 07:23 13/07/2024
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