The Bailey, or The Peninsula, is a historic area in the centre of
Durham,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
. It is a
peninsula within a sharp meander in the
River Wear
The River Wear (, ) in North East England rises in the Pennines and flows eastwards, mostly through County Durham to the North Sea in the City of Sunderland. At long, it is one of the region's longest rivers, wends in a steep valley through ...
, formed by
isostatic adjustment of the land. The name 'The Bailey' derives from it being the '
outer bailey' of the
Norman motte and bailey-style
Durham Castle.
Access to the area is restricted by the
Durham City congestion charge, which started in 2002 and is the UK's oldest such scheme.
Terminology
The peninsula is usually taken to mean the entire area within the bend of the river, that is, the historic
Durham Cathedral and Castle,
Palace Green, North Bailey, South Bailey and Durham Market Square. Bailey is often used to refer to this whole area, and the five
Durham University colleges in this area, (
University College,
Hatfield College,
St Chad's College,
St John's College and
St Cuthbert's Society) are often labelled Bailey Colleges.
However, Bailey often refers more precisely to two streets, North Bailey and South Bailey, that run along the peninsula.
South Bailey begins close to
St Cuthbert's, near to
Prebends Bridge
Prebends Bridge, along with Framwellgate and Elvet bridges, is one of three stone-arch bridges in the centre of Durham, England, that cross the River Wear.
History
Prebends Bridge was designed by George Nicholson and built from 1772 to 17 ...
, at the southern tip of the peninsula. It is cobbled and flanked by numerous old buildings, many of which are owned by the
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
and
University
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
. Running northwards, South Bailey becomes North Bailey at the gate into "the College", an enclosed square containing the houses of
the Cathedral's
Dean and
Canons as well as the
Chorister School. North Bailey continues, and is flanked by three
colleges, as well as numerous university subject departments. Some of these buildings are more modern in origin. The North Bailey ends at its junction with Owengate, which leads up onto
Palace Green.
The remainder of the peninsula is centred around Durham Market Place. Saddler Street is borne out of Owengate and North Bailey, continuing downhill to the Market Place.
Elvet Bridge leads over to
Elvet, the eastern part of Durham city centre, and is now pedestrianised. The Market Place itself is centred on a statue of
Lord Londonderry. Saddler Street enters at its south-east corner, whilst Silver Street falls away to the south-west towards
Framwellgate Bridge.
St Nicholas' Church, Durham lies to the north of the Market Place, alongside the exit from
Durham's Congestion Charge Zone onto Claypath. The dual carriageway
A690
The A690 is a road in County Durham running from Sunderland in the east through Durham to Crook.
Route Sunderland section
Throughout the Sunderland section it is known as either ''Durham Road'' or ''New Durham Road'', and is one of the major ...
forms a northern border to the peninsula area.
History
With steep cliffs and the
River Wear
The River Wear (, ) in North East England rises in the Pennines and flows eastwards, mostly through County Durham to the North Sea in the City of Sunderland. At long, it is one of the region's longest rivers, wends in a steep valley through ...
on three sides,
Durham's
peninsula has long been recognised as a prime defensive site. A
fortress
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
was first established there in 1072, with the present
keep
A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
being built in the 14th century.
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
the whole peninsula was known as "the castle" and was enclosed by a wall. Parts of the wall can still be seen in the grounds of the Bailey colleges of
Durham University and to the west of the Cathedral; these walls are Grade I
listed. Along the inside of the wall on the east side ran a street. This road still exists and forms the present North and South Bailey. At its southern end, the street is still cobbled and is widely regarded as among the most attractive streets in the city.
The central and southern parts of The Bailey, including
the Castle,
the Cathedral, the College, and
Prebends Bridge
Prebends Bridge, along with Framwellgate and Elvet bridges, is one of three stone-arch bridges in the centre of Durham, England, that cross the River Wear.
History
Prebends Bridge was designed by George Nicholson and built from 1772 to 17 ...
, are now designated a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
.
References
*Margot Johnson. "The Peninsula" in ''Durham: Historic and University City and surrounding area''. Sixth Edition. Turnstone Ventures. 1992. . Pages 1 to 8. See particularly "South Bailey" (including article on "North Bailey") at page 8. Also "The Borough of Durham" at pages 9 to 11.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey
Areas of Durham, England
Durham University