Durham Castle
Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham in County Durham, England. It stands on top of a hill above the River Wear on Durham's peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral.
It was originally built in the 11th century to protect the Bishop of Durham from attack, as the population of England in the north remained "wild and fickle" following the disruption of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is an excellent example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans.
The castle has a vast Great Hall, created by Bishop Antony Bek in the early 14th century. It was the largest Great Hall in Britain until Bishop Richard Fox shortened it at the end of the 15th century. However, it is still 14 m high and over 30 m long.