Durham (or County Durham) is an area in the North East of England with a population of 493,000 which has always been important due to the nearby border with Scotland.

The most famous landmark in Durham is the Cathedral (which dates from 1093) and is regarded by some as the finest in the world and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

A secondary attraction is Durham Castle built by the Normans in 1071 for William the Conqueror's return from defeating the Scots. Durham Castle was built by the Normans on top of a hill overlooking on the River Wear opposite Durham Cathedral. The original castle was constructed in the 11^th century in the ‘motte and bailey’ style which refers to the raised platform the keep in built on and a ‘bailey’ which is an enclosed courtyard.

Durham University has over 17,000 students and was given Royal Charter in 1837, it stands in Durham City and is partly housed in Durham Castle. This building is the oldest inhabited educational building in the UK, and has housed students since 1840. Durham University is noted for its excellence in mathematics, science, English, history and law.

Main industries in the area were coal and iron mining and are now service industries, energy production, construction and forestry.