Today it was World Heritage Weekend at Durham. A day to celebrate the area which surrounds Palace Green being labelled a World Heritage Site. From 10am there were free walks, tours and children's activities. And whilst I didn't participate so much in the latter I went on two free walks based on the Lost Buildings of the city and the architectural gems down the medieval bailey before heading on a Cathedral tour.
Whilst my feet may well be dropping off at this point and my body exhausted from dreaming yet again that I had inadequate defense mechanisms in my city (damn you games!) I can say I did thoroughly enjoy myself today. And I learnt something.
It's is very little that we contemplate our surroundings and think of the history of the place. We may occasionally peruse for clues about old buildings, noticed the marks on the edge of walls of a building that's long gone, but our investigation would probably end there. It is with these kind of walks that this insight provides an overwhelming sense of belonging to the area as you get to know more about it, like an estranged relative that you've recently become reacquainted with.
So today as the guide pointed out the structures that have gone missing from gigantic gatehouses designed to protect the wealthy and the houses that no longer exist, as well as what the current buildings tell us about an area today - some you've walked past many years and never really noticed - you really did feel the site come back to life. You could almost see the medieval people worming their way down the street and the army in the background getting ready for attack. Even the tour of the Cathedral is one that I found illuminating despite not being religious. Noticing subtle things in the architecture and understanding where things came from brings a whole new light to the place.
I can honestly say that today has been worth it, and should the opportunity arise to do this in the future please do take it.
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