Bow Lane, Durham [Map] joins Durham Cathedral [Map] to Kingsgate Bridge, Durham [Map].

View of Bow Lane, Durham [Map] looking towards the Cathedral.

Flowers of History. 1071. In the same year, king William (age 43) invaded Scotland with a great army, and Malcolm, king of Scotland (age 39), came peaceably to Berwick [Map] to meet him, and became his subject. At this time, count Ranulph of Micenis governed the earldom of Carlisle, who had given efficacious assistance to king William in his conquest of England. He began to build the city of Carlisle [Map], and to strengthen the citizens with many privileges. But when king William was returning from Scotland through Cumberland, seeing so royal a city, he took it from count Ranulph, and gave him instead of it the earldom of Chester, which was endowed with many honours and privileges. And king William commanded Carlisle to be fortified with very strong towers and ramparts. Moreover, king William the Conqueror, on his return from Scotland, built a new castle at Durham [Map], to serve as a protection against the irruptions of the Scots.

1072. Construction of Durham Castle [Map] began in 1072 on the orders of King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 44). The construction took place under the supervision of Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, until he rebelled against William and was executed in 1076. Bishop William Walcher was appointed by the king to exercise royal authority on his behalf, with the castle being his seat, and thus became the first of the Prince-Bishops of Durham, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England's northern frontier.

Bishop William Walcher: Flowers of History. 1080. This year also, king William led a powerful army into Wales, and subjugated it; and received homage and hostages for their fidelity from the petty kings of the viscounty. The same year, Antioch was taken by the pagans, together with the adjacent province, which had been a Christian land ever since the time of Saint Peter, without any disturbances. The same year, Malcolm, king of Scotland, became furious a second time after the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary, and ravaged the whole of Northumberland, as far as the river Tyne. But when he heard of this, the king of England sent his son Robert with an army into Scotland, who returned without having succeeded in his objects, and built a new castle in the river Tyne, and then returned to his father. The same year also, the king sent his brother Odo, bishop of Bayeux, with a large army, to lay waste Northumberland, the people of which district had risen in insurrection against the king, and had murdered Walcher, bishop of Durham, a man of exemplary character, at Gateshead. In May 1080 Bishop William Walcher was killed when Durham Castle was besieged by rebels from Northumbria.

In 1177 King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 43) seized Durham Castle [Map] after a disagreement with the then-bishop, Bishop Hugh de Puiset (age 52).

In 1832 Bishop William van Mildert (age 66) gave Durham Castle [Map] and a large number of buildings on Palace Green, between the Castle and the Cathedral, as part of the foundation of Durham University. At the same time he arranged for the residence of the Bishop of Durham to be moved to Bishop Auckland, County Durham [Map].

The River Wear rises near Killhope, County Durham [Map] as the Killhope Burn from where it flows past Cowshill, County Durham [Map] and Wearhead, County Durham [Map] after which it is known as the River Wear.

Thereafter it flows past St John's Chapel, County Durham [Map], Westgate, County Durham [Map], Eastgate, County Durham [Map], Stanhope, County Durham [Map], Forsterley, County Durham [Map], Wolsingham, County Durham [Map], Witton-le-Wear, County Durham [Map], Bishop Auckland, County Durham [Map], Willington, County Durham [Map], Sunderland Bridge, County Durham through Durham forming a great loop overrlooked by the Castle [Map] and Cathedral [Map], past Chester-le-Street, County Durham [Map] and through Sunderland, County Durham [Map] where it joins the North Sea.

02 Dec 1861. Statue to Charles William Vane 3rd Marquess Londonderry in Durham Marketplace unveiled on 02 Dec 1861 in a ceremony involving the rifle volunteers of Seaham, Sunderland and Durham City. Among those in attendance was the future prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli (age 56). When the Marquis of Londonderry died in 1854, his widow set up a subscription committee to raise money for a statue of him. The artist commissioned was Rafaelle Monti (age 43).

Rafaelle Monti: In 1818 he was born in Milan. In 1881 he died.

View of Framwellgate Bridge, Durham [Map] from Prebends Bridge, Durham.

. Built around 1820 by the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral as a folly, the The Counts House, Durham is named after Polish 'Count' Joseph Boruwlaski which lived nearby in Callamanco Hall aka Banks Cottage.