Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Durham Peninsula 1 - Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Grid Reference NZ273423 Date June 2018 Author Fiona Green Planning Status Not previously identified in a local plan as Historic Park and Garden Within Durham City Conservation Area Site Designations Within Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site There are 33 Listed Buildings in Durham Castle and the Palace Green. D.L.I South African War Memorial II Tomb of Dean Kitchin II Old Grammar School (University Music Dept) II* Monument Music Library II University Library II Cosins Library II* Monument Former Exchequer Building, University Library I Castle gatehouse, entrance gateway, side walls and front walls I The Castle : west range I The Castle : north range I The Keep, The Castle (University College) I University College Masters House II Bishop Cosins Hall II* Former Grammar School (University Police Offices) II Almshouses Restaurant II Former writing and plainsong school II Pemberton Buildings II Abbey House (Department of Theology) II Cathedral Church of Christ and St. Mary the Virgin I Cathedral cloister east range I Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Cathedral cloister south range I Cathedral cloister west range I Lavatorium in centre of cloister garth I Castle wall along Prebends Walk I Owengate No. 1 II No.2 II No. 3 II No. 4 II No.5 II No. 6 II No.7 (Bishop Cosins Almshouses) II No.9 II Dun Cow Cottage II History The Durham peninsula includes many designed landscapes of historic interest and these have been divided into compartments for the purpose of local list reports. 1 Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green, 2 Durham Cathedral Precincts, 3 Durham Peninsula Gardens and 4 Durham Riverbanks. Durham Castle developed over the course of eight centuries having been a border castle then palace belonging to the early Norman Bishops. The Palace Green is a large planned area of public open space which was initially used as a Market Place. Bishop Flambard (1060-1128) cleared the land of houses and subsequently administrative buildings of the Palatinate were developed around it creating an important link between the offices and uniting the Bishop's church and castle-palace (Durham City Conservation Area: Durham Peninsula). When the peninsula was no longer required as a fortress Durham City was extensively modernised under Bishop Cosin (1594-1672). There was a fashion for ornamental gardens after the Restoration and, using the redundant castle earthworks, Cosin constructed gardens in the Castle grounds between 1644 - 1672. These included the Bishop's Walk and Belvedere which was accessed through the Castle orchard later Bowling Green and now the Fellow's Garden (Roberts 1994). (see also Durham Peninsula: Prebends Walk Durham Cathedral precincts). Bishop's Walk belvedere is no longer extant. Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green The Terraced Motte of the Castle was adapted as a garden and Cosin's accounts include a payment for 'two dozen grozier trees sett in the new walkes under the great Tower' he also paid a bill for 56 rose trees (Roberts 2010/2018). The North Terrace was levelled within the City Wall, possibly by Bishop Crewe (1633-1721). The Master's Garden by Cosin was laid out in part of the moat garden and is shown with a formal layout on Forster's map of Durham City 1754. Description Forster's 1754 map shows the Bishops Walk is located on the west side of the castle below the Castle Wall with the title 'A Walk'. A central belvedere tower is shown in four paintings of the west side of the peninsula which range in date between post c.1680 and the early 18th-century (Durham Castle). Forster shows the castle driveway, framed by immense entrance piers, following the route of the former Barbican, old dry moat and drawbridge to the Gatehouse, and the inner castle courtyard. The driveway is lined by an avenue of lime trees backed by castellated walls on either side, with garden ground and a bowling green to the west, and Master's garden to the east. The motte is depicted with levelled paths. Forster does not show the inner court but Cosin's fountain was recorded there (Roberts 2018). The Palace Green is bordered in some parts by trees, the central area appears to be rough ground. The 1869 OS shows the North Terrace and a lower walk below the city wall. The inner court of the castle is divided by an oval lawn forming a carriage turning area and a triangular shaped lawn in the south west corner. The area is unchanged by 1896 although the bowling green is marked as 'site of moat'. Recommendation Add to List of Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Significance Factor Commentary Interest Local Regional National International Age Medieval (1066 - 1540) and Post Medieval (1541 - 1901) Y Aesthetic Value Of Regional Interest Y Landscape or Horticultural The riverbank gardens were similar to those on 18th-century Y Interest plans of Newcastle and Bath which were made at the same time. The Durham Riverbanks were an important area for promenading in Durham. Similar public walks are to be found in other towns and cities such as York where the New Walk was instigated in the 1730s. Designer Joseph Spence Y Group Value Durham World Heritage Site. see listings above for Durham Y Castle Precincts and Palace Green. See also Durham Peninsula: Durham Peninsula Gardens, Durham Cathedral precincts, Durham Riverbanks Rarity Of regional interest Y Historic Interest Private gentry house gardens, detached town gardens, public Y walks Historical Association Bishop Cosin Y Social and Communal Value Private gardens. Riverbank walks with public access. Y Evidential Value Considerable Y Overall significance High Y Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Background Information Location, Area, Boundaries, Landform, Setting Entrances and approaches Numerous entrances via Bailey houses and public footpaths Principal Buildings North and South Bailey Houses, Durham World Heritage Site, Durham Cathedral, Prebend's Bridge, the Count's House, Ice House north of Count's House. Gardens & Pleasure Grounds North and South Bailey gardens, riverbank walks. References Durham University Library Special Collections Bok V. (1670) The Prospect of Durham from the South East Buck S. (1745) The South West Prospect of the City of Durham Foster T. (1754) Plan of the City of Durham Dean & Chapter Library, Durham Chapter Acts Book vol. 1867-1876 3.4.1875, 17.4.1875, 26.6.1875 Muniments of the Dean & Chapter of Durham The text for this report was written with the assistance of Martin Roberts whose understanding of the castle gardens has been of great value. Published Sources Allan G (1847) Historical and Descriptive View of the City of Durham and its Environs A History of the County of Durham: Volume 3 (1928) Simeon of Durham, Op. Hist. (Rolls Ser.), i, 81 Roberts, M. (1994) Book of Durham Roberts, M. (2010 A late 17th-century Belvedere at Durham Castle Journal of Northumbria Gardens Trust. Historic Landscape Recreational and ornamental, ritual, churchyard, military, defence, castle Characterisation Durham County Council Review of Historic Parks, Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Local Interest Durham Peninsula 1 – Durham Castle Precincts and Palace Green Further Research Potential for further research as archival sources are extensive. .