St. Nicholas Church, Durham
Back in the early 1100s, Prince-Bishop Ranulf Flambard decided the green patch between his castle and cathedral could use a little divine commerce. So, he cleared it out and turned it into a market square, plopping down a church dedicated to none other than Saint Nicholas. Not just the guy with the sleigh-this Saint Nic was the all-purpose patron saint: merchants, sailors, archers, brewers, pawnbrokers, even students and reformed thieves got a nod.
The original church had all the medieval trimmings: buttressed nave, squared-off tower, and a side wall that pulled double duty as part of the city wall. Cemeteries flanked both sides, just to round out the ambiance. After centuries of patch-ups and wear, the whole thing was demolished in 1857-except for five bells and an 18th-century font, which were politely shown the door and saved for the next act.
What rose in its place in 1858 was a near replica, drawn up by architect J. B. Pritchett of Darlington. The Illustrated London News even dubbed it 鈥渢he most beautiful specimen of church architecture in the north of England.鈥� Mic drop.
The current church is all Victorian charm, dressed in neat layers of sandstone and topped with a crisp slate roof. It鈥檚 got aisles, a proper south porch with attitude, and an octagonal spire that points skyward like it鈥檚 trying to get better Wi-Fi. Look closely and you鈥檒l spot tiny fairy-tale windows peeking out-those are called lucarnes, for the architecture fans keeping score. Over the double doors, Saint Nicholas still watches the scene, holding a ship like he's ready to bless your voyage-or your shopping trip.
The original church had all the medieval trimmings: buttressed nave, squared-off tower, and a side wall that pulled double duty as part of the city wall. Cemeteries flanked both sides, just to round out the ambiance. After centuries of patch-ups and wear, the whole thing was demolished in 1857-except for five bells and an 18th-century font, which were politely shown the door and saved for the next act.
What rose in its place in 1858 was a near replica, drawn up by architect J. B. Pritchett of Darlington. The Illustrated London News even dubbed it 鈥渢he most beautiful specimen of church architecture in the north of England.鈥� Mic drop.
The current church is all Victorian charm, dressed in neat layers of sandstone and topped with a crisp slate roof. It鈥檚 got aisles, a proper south porch with attitude, and an octagonal spire that points skyward like it鈥檚 trying to get better Wi-Fi. Look closely and you鈥檒l spot tiny fairy-tale windows peeking out-those are called lucarnes, for the architecture fans keeping score. Over the double doors, Saint Nicholas still watches the scene, holding a ship like he's ready to bless your voyage-or your shopping trip.
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St. Nicholas Church on Map
Sight Name: St. Nicholas Church
Sight Location: Durham, England (See walking tours in Durham)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Durham, England (See walking tours in Durham)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Durham, England
Create Your Own Walk in Durham
Creating your own self-guided walk in Durham is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Durham Introduction Walking Tour
According to the legend, it all started with a missing cow. Back in 995, a group of monks fleeing Viking raiders were hauling around the remains of Saint Cuthbert when their saintly cargo decided to stop moving. No matter how hard they tried, the bier wouldn鈥檛 budge-until a milkmaid chasing her lost dun cow wandered past. ("Dun" is a dull shade of brownish grey. ) The monks took the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles