The story of Durham Castle

Imagine living in a Norman castle – over 100 students do, because since 1837 Durham Castle has been home to University College, Durham. Construction began in 1072 on the orders of William the Conqueror, just six years after the Norman Conquest, as a motte-and-bailey castle on the hill above the River Wear.

The work was supervised by Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, until he rebelled against William and was executed in 1076. Stone for the buildings was cut from the cliffs below the walls and hauled up with winches. For centuries the castle was the seat of the Bishops of Durham, who ruled the region on the king's behalf.

Together with the cathedral facing it across the green, the castle has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Because it is a working building, you can only visit on a guided tour – join one and see where students eat, study and sleep in rooms nearly a thousand years old.