Architectural Style

• Romanesque style - Durham had decorated patterned columns with simple carved mouldings. These design features gave an imposing impression and sense of grandeur to visitors. Their simplicity also meant that they were easier to produce and this sped up construction.
• The nave was a vast space with the altar placed at the eastern end of the cathedral. A massive tower was built above a central crossing place between transepts on either side, which could be used as special chapels. The cathedral also had a stone vaulted ceiling which gave heigh and light to the building. It created a sense of awe and wonder.
• St Peter's Basilica in Rome also had an influence as the original length of Durham cathedral and its nave is almost the same whilst the spiral columns at Durham closely match those around the canopy of St Peter's Shrine. In this way William of St Calais was providing a fitting place for the body of St Cuthbert.
• The master craftspeople who crossed the channel from France to work on Durham Cathedral also brought their own style from Normandy which Anglo-Saxon crafts people learnt from. The arches in the cathedral at Durham are characteristics of Norman Architecture, being round and resting on capitals at the top of the load bearing columns.
• The Normans liked to display their power and wealth. They did this through the architectural designs of large buildings like cathedrals and Castles.

  Architectural designs mirrored what you would see in Europe and reflected the styles of designs which were fashionable at the time such as the Romanesque style.