History of the Friends of Durham Cathedral
Founded in 1933, the Friends of Durham Cathedral is among the very first such organisations devoted to the care and support of cathedrals. Now an international association of some 3,000 members, the Friends exist to support the Cathedral Chapter in maintaining and enhancing the Cathedral and its beautiful surroundings. Annual grants are made to support the work of the Cathedral's historic Library, the maintenance of the Riverbanks, the Learning and Engagement Service (formerly known as Education), the Music in the Cathedral, and the team of volunteer Broderers.
Most of our funds, which derive from members' subscriptions, donations and legacies, are committed to major projects. For example, one major project a few years ago was the creation of Open Treasure, now named the Durham Cathedral Museum, which occupies the Monks' Dormitory and also The Great Kitchen, where the Treasures of Saint Cuthbert are displayed. To this effort the Friends contributed approximately £800,000.
The irreplaceable Sanctuary Ring, dating from 1100, is today in the Museum, but this indistinguishable replica adorns the North Door and was funded by the Friends.
The focus continues to be on the repair, restoration and conservation of the fabric of the Cathedral and its precincts. Work has been carried out on the Tower, the North Porch, including its remarkable survival, the ancient North Door, and the Cloister roof.
Founded in 1933 by Dean Alington and now an international association of some 3,000 members, the Friends exists to support the Cathedral Chapter in maintaining and enhancing the Cathedral and its beautiful surroundings. Annual grants are made to support the work of the Cathedral's historic library, the maintenance of the riverbanks, the learning and engagement service (formerly known as Education) and the team of volunteer Broderers.
Most of our funds which derive from members' subscriptions, donations and legacies are committed to major projects. The last major project was the creation of Open Treasure in the Monks' Dormitory and The Great Kitchen for which Friends contributed approximately £800,000. The focus is now on the repair, restoration and conservation of the fabric of the Cathedral and its precincts. Work has been carried out on the Tower, the North Porch and the Cloister roof. The Friends made grants of £150,000 towards these projects at the 2017 AGM.
Foundation
The Friends of Durham Cathedral was founded by Dean Alington in 1933. At a time of increasing financial demands on the Dean and Chapter, the association came into being to help with expenditure which "though not strictly necessary", in Alington's words, "was in every way desirable": put another way, they were to provide the "luxuries" which Chapter could not otherwise afford.
Funding would come primarily from membership subscriptions and donations (and, as time has gone on, from legacies). Among the first fruits of the Friends' generosity in the 1930s were the restoration of the wooden screen around the Feretory, the renewal of woodwork in the Quire, the repainting of the Hatfield tomb, and the reappearance of Prior Castell's Clock.
The Bishop Hatfield tomb, repainted by the Friends in the 1930s
(photo: Michael Sadgrove)
Post War Years
After the Second World War, the Friends' remit was widened to include "any object for the benefit of the Cathedral." Amid ongoing needs for the repair of roofs, glass and stonework, there was always a special place for the care of the Riverbanks, and for financial assistance to the Cathedral Library, including help with occasional purchases of books and manuscripts which had at one time been in the Cathedral's possession. Among much else, the Friends funded new stained-glass windows: the RAF and Cuthbert windows at the west end of the Nave, and Bede's thirteenth centenary window in the Galilee Chapel.
Recent Projects
Photo: the Transfiguration Window (photo: Peter Lowis)
More recently, the Friends have been supporting the care, repackaging and transferring of monastic archives to Palace Green, the renewal of several Cathedral areas, including the Music Library and the Archaeological stores, and the redevelopment of the Deanery Undercroft, a very large and previously under-used space that will provide good storage and excellent facilities for Music rehearsals and a much-expanded Learning Area.
Friends enjoy a full programme of shared activities. This includes lectures (online and in person), excursions and social events throughout the year. The Friends' annual Festival Day is an excellent opportunity for Friends to get together and to visit parts of the Cathedral and its precincts not otherwise open to the public. The Friends' Christmas Concert in December gathers the community and is always the culmination of our year.
Friends receive an annual membership card or a life membership card as appropriate. This is used to claim various benefits within Durham Cathedral listed in the "Application to Join" section of the website.
We warmly welcome new members. If you would like to help Durham Cathedral preserve its past and help support its future, we invite you to become a Friend.​​