What historic churches are there in Durham besides the cathedral?

Beyond Durham Cathedral, the city has several historic churches, including the twelfth-century St Oswald's by the river, the Grade I listed St Margaret's at Crossgate, the Victorian-Gothic St Nicholas' on the Market Place, and St Mary-le-Bow in the North Bailey, rebuilt in 1685.

What is the oldest church in Durham?

After the cathedral, St Oswald's Church and St Margaret's Church both have substantial parts dating from the twelfth century, making them among the oldest churches in the city. St Oswald's sits in a riverside setting on the south of the peninsula, while St Margaret's serves the old borough of Crossgate.

Can you visit Durham's churches?

Most of Durham's historic churches welcome visitors outside service times, though opening hours vary and are often more limited than the cathedral. They remain living places of worship, so it is best to check ahead and be respectful of any services in progress.

Heritage

The Historic Churches of Durham

Beyond the great cathedral, Durham is rich in historic churches, from a medieval chapel at Crossgate to a 12th-century parish church on the Wear.

durhamcity.live·9 September 2026

Durham is defined by its cathedral, but the great Norman church on the peninsula is far from the only place of worship worth seeking out. The city and its old parishes are dotted with historic churches, several dating back to medieval times, each with its own story. Here is a guide to the historic churches of Durham, from the world-famous to the quietly beautiful.

Durham Cathedral

No tour can begin anywhere else. Durham Cathedral is one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the Shrine of St Cuthbert and the tomb of the Venerable Bede. Free to enter, it remains a working place of worship with daily services beneath its soaring rib-vaulted ceiling, and it is the reason the city exists at all.

Best for: Best for world-class Norman architecture and eight centuries of history.

St Oswald's Church

Down by the river on the south side of the peninsula, St Oswald's is a Grade II* listed parish church with parts dating from the late twelfth century, making it one of the oldest churches in the city after the cathedral. Rebuilt in 1834 by the noted architect Ignatius Bonomi and later altered by Hodgson Fowler, it sits in a lovely riverside setting on Church Street and is well worth the short walk from the centre.

Best for: Best for a medieval parish church in a peaceful riverside spot.

St Margaret's Church

In the old Borough of Crossgate, west of the river, St Margaret's is a Grade I listed church with substantial parts dating from the twelfth century. It began life as a chapel of ease within the parish of St Oswald, serving the townsfolk of Crossgate, and only gained full rights, including for marriages and burials, in the fifteenth century. It is one of the city's most historically layered churches.

Best for: Best for Grade I medieval fabric off the tourist trail.

St Nicholas' Church

Right on the Market Place, St Nicholas' is the church most visitors see first. The present building was entirely rebuilt in 1857–8 in a fourteenth-century Gothic style, its tall stone spire a landmark on the city skyline. As the civic church at the heart of Durham, it is a busy, welcoming presence in the middle of the shopping streets.

Best for: Best for a striking Victorian-Gothic church in the heart of the city.

St Mary-le-Bow and the Bailey churches

On the peninsula itself, St Mary-le-Bow in the North Bailey was rebuilt in 1685 on the site of a much older church and now houses part of the city's heritage collections, while St Mary the Less in the South Bailey serves St John's College. Together with the Catholic church of St Cuthbert on Old Elvet, they add to a remarkable concentration of historic churches within a few minutes' walk.

Visiting Durham's churches

Most of these churches welcome visitors outside service times, though opening hours vary and some open more limitedly than the cathedral. It is always worth checking ahead, being respectful of any services in progress, and remembering that these are living places of worship as well as historic buildings. Together they tell the story of Durham's faith from the medieval city to the present day.

Know a Durham church we should feature? Get in touch.