Families explore Durham Castle during special open day event

Durham Castle forms part of the twin UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites along with the cathedral.

As part of World Heritage Day on Saturday (April 18), both medieval “jewels” in Durham’s crown were open to the public.

The event was intended to bring the history of Durham and its twin World Heritage Sites to life, combining entertainment with discovery to appeal to visitors of all ages.

Family group pictured on the steps of the Great Hall, taking advantage of free tours of Durham Castle as part of World Heritage Day, on Saturday (April 18) (Image: Durham University)

Organised by Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site Partnership and County Durham Forum for History and Heritage (CDFHH), it tied in with this year’s World Heritage Day theme of, ‘Living Heritage’.

By day, the castle is a working building, forming part of University College, the founding college of Durham University, and provides novel halls of residence to some of its students.

It can only usually be visited on occasional pre-booked, paid for tours, so Saturday’s free event was a rare opportunity for members of the public to cast a glance at some of its historic nooks and crannies.

The castle hosted ‘The People’s Story’ with a Heritage Fair and family activities in the Great Hall, showcasing local history societies, including the World Heritage Site Youth Ambassadors.

Following a formal welcome to visitors by The Mayor of Durham, councillor Gary Hutchinson, the castle opened for four-and-a-quarters with free entry and self-guided tours of the Tunstall Chapel, Tunstall Gallery, the Norman Chapel and Senate Room, where medieval wall painting was recently discovered.

The Norman Knights of Vanguard re-enactment group was also in action in the castle courtyard, with displays of their swordsmanship.

Vanguard re-enactment group gave displays of their swordsmanship as part of World Heritage Day open day event at Durham Castle (Image: Durham University)

Nearby sites such as Palace Green Library, the Museum of Archaeology and World Heritage Site Visitor Centre were also open for visitors to explore.

The day’s events begin at 10am with a tour of St Margaret’s Allotments, off South Street, Durham, the quarry site from which the stone to build the castle and cathedral was taken.

A series of talks and presentations took place during the day in the Bishop’s Dining Room of the castle, including a reflection on the 40th anniversary of Durham being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Durham Cathedral and the Cathedral Museum was also to the public, with 30-minute talks on its conservation.

Anne Allen, World Heritage Site Manager, said: “The day’s activities were planned in response to feedback from recent public consultation.

“We focused on opening the castle free of charge and co-creating an intergenerational people’s heritage programme, so everyone could experience the best of the World Heritage Site.”

World Heritage Day is a worldwide annual event, officially known as the International Day of Monuments and Sites, celebrated at UNESCO Sites across the world on 18 April each year.