Durham, England

Durham
City and civil parish
Left to right; Top: Durham Cathedral Middle: Framwellgate Bridge and Durham Castle (left); the marketplace with St Nicholas Church (right) Bottom: Elvet Bridge
Coat of arms
Durham Location within County Durham
Area	14.8 km2 (5.7 sq mi) [1]
Population	50,510 (2021 census)[2]
• Density	3,413/km2 (8,840/sq mi)
Founded	AD 995
Civil parish established	1 April 2018
Civil parish	City of Durham
Unitary authority	County Durham
Ceremonial county	County Durham
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Areas of the city (2011 census BUASD)	List The Bailey Belmont (parish) Brasside Crossgate Elvet Framwelgate Framwellgate Moor (parish) Gilesgate (no parish) Kepier Neville's Cross Newton Hall (no parish) Pity Me
Post town	DURHAM
Postcode district	DH1
Dialling code	0191
Police	Durham
Fire	County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance	North East
Website	cityofdurham-pc.gov.uk
List of places UK England County Durham 54°46′34″N 1°34′24″W / 54.7761°N 1.5733°W / 54.7761; -1.5733

Durham (/ˈdʌrəm/ ^ⓘ DURR-əm, locally /ˈdɜːrəm/ listen^ⓘ)^[a] is a cathedral city and civil parish in the county of Durham, England. It is the county town and contains the headquarters of Durham County Council, the unitary authority which governs the district of County Durham.^[3][4] The built-up area had a population of 50,510 at the 2021 Census.^[2]

The city was built on a meander of the River Wear, which surrounds the centre on three sides and creates a narrow neck on the fourth. The surrounding land is hilly, except along the Wear's floodplain to the north and southeast.

Durham was founded in 995 by Anglo-Saxon monks seeking a place safe from Viking raids to house the relics of St Cuthbert. The church the monks built lasted only a century, as it was replaced by the present Durham Cathedral after the Norman Conquest; together with Durham Castle it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 1070s until 1836 the city was part of the County Palatine of Durham, a semi-independent jurisdiction ruled by the prince bishops of Durham which acted as a geopolitical buffer between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. In 1346, the Battle of Neville's Cross was fought half a mile west of the city, resulting in an English victory. In 1650, the cathedral was used to house Scottish prisoners after their defeat at the Battle of Dunbar.^[5] During the Industrial Revolution, the Durham coalfield was heavily exploited, with dozens of collieries operating around the city and in nearby villages. Although these coal pits have now closed, the annual Durham Miners' Gala continues and is a major event for the city and region. Historically, Durham was also known for the manufacture of hosiery, carpets, and mustard.^[6]

The city is the home of Durham University, which was founded in 1832 and therefore has a claim to be the third-oldest university in England. The university is a significant employer in the region, alongside the local council and national government at the land registry and passport office. The University Hospital of North Durham and HM Prison Durham are also located close to the city centre. The city also has significant tourism and hospitality sectors.^[7]

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).