IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Gilesgate, DURHAM, DH1 1SY

They back onto the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

14th century east window of the 15th century hospital chapel founded in the 13th century. Grade I Listed and Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The A690 view towards the Durham Cathedral and Castle.

Gilesgate Station was built in the 1840s and was then the main Durham station for trains to London. See www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/the_north_east/history/echomemories/durham/203/090503.html where David Simpson (author of "North-East England: places, history, people and legends") tells us: "It was the railway entrepreneur George Hudson who built the main line northwards from York from around 1841. Near Durham, his line was what we know today as the Leamside line, and lies to the east of the city. In his time, Hudson's line was called the Newcastle and Durham Junction Railway and became part of the North Eastern Railway in the early 1850s." and "Shincliffe Bank Top and Gilesgate stations were both built in stone by the architect JT Andrews, from York, and both are rather attractive buildings that look more Georgian than Victorian." The building is now a Travelodge hotel, where the photographer stayed when he took the photo.

The A690 View.

The chapel, now in ruins, was built in 1451. History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894, quoted by Genuki http://www.joinermarriageindex.com/pjoiner/genuki/DUR/DurhamCity/index.html , tells us: "The ruined chapel of St. Mary Magdalen stands on the north side of Gilesgate, near to the old railway station. This was the chapel of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, which stood near it, and included in-brethren and out-brethren and also sisters. It has not been used for services since the Restoration, though there have been interments in the cemetery, which has now been closed for many years."

Opened in 1844 as the terminus of a short branch line from Belmont, which was on the then main line from Darlington to Newcastle via Leamside, this station closed to passengers in 1857 (when it was replaced by the current Durham station) and completely in 1966. View north east towards the forecourt from the road. The main buildings were on the left hand side, and the single platform to the right of them. The buildings were still extant when this image was taken, converted into a hotel.