Durham, England

We loved Durham so much that we rerouted our trip to revisit it on the way back to London. 

There was a beautiful Cathedral and University here. Surrounding it was a sweet little town. It honestly felt like a hidden gem: old cobblestone roads, brick buildings, not a lot of people, and lots of tea and scones. We enjoyed sitting at Café Valerie and watching the locals walk by.

This is where the remains of Saint Cuthbert are stored. While fleeing the vikings, the monks could no longer carry Saint Cuthbert’s remains unless they walked towards the city of Durham. Once in Durham, his body was unmovable. So they took heed and built the Cathedral there to venerate him. I wish I could show you the interior of that Cathedral. It’s even more magnificent than the Westminster Abby. Except this one was empty of tourists, so it was even more moving to walk through. (They did not allow photography at many of the places we visited, the cathedral being one of them).

This was also where the Magna Carta was displayed! The seals used for these treaties were enormous, very much unlike the modern seals I’m so used to today. 

A cute take-away: there was a Durham Cathedral built entirely out of legos in the gift shop. Donators were able to contribute to the building one lego brick at a time.