Geography and Founding:

Durham, England is an excellent example of a city created as well as shaped by its geography. The heart of the current city is located on a peninsula formed by a deep loop of the River Wear, at a location about  twenty miles inland from the North Sea coast. In 995 the valuable remains of the venerated St. Cuthbert  were brought to this point to benefit from the strong natural fortifications offered by the cliffs that bordered the river and defended the peninsula.
 

Durham Cathedral and religious influence:

In 1066 William the Conqueror captured the throne of England; to extend his power to the north of England he blended the powers of the church with those of the earls of Northumberland, and thus was created the unique position of the "Prince-Bishop of Durham". To strengthen the spiritual authority, the early church that housed the religious relics was replaced by a magnificent Norman Cathedral that stands to this day. Begun in 1093 CE, the cathedral recently celebrated its 900th Anniversary, and is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
 

Durham University and educational influence:

A newly-founded University of Durham (1830) was located in the surviving buildings on that spot. Since that time, the university (the third oldest in all of England, after Cambridge and Oxford) has grown to occupy most of the historic heart of the old city, and much of the area nearby along the riverside. The student life, and the intellectual heartbeat, of this major educational institution has brought new energy to the historic city.

Durham Coal Mines  and economic influence:

More troublesome has been the economic decline suffered in the outlying area of County Durham, which Durham serves as its County seat. Since the end of the Second World War, and especially during the period of the Thatcher governments, the coal mines have almost all been closed down, with a dramatic impact on the economic structure and outlook for County Durham. In the past decades the work force of County Durham has been adjusting to life without the income from the local mines and the businesses that existed in cooperation with the mining companies.

Life in the small villages of the Northeast, and the medium cities such as Durham, is slowly being transformed again, as has happened so often throughout the history of this important area of England.