St Margaret’s is one of the oldest churches in the City of Durham, dating from the mid-12th century.

The first church, of c.1150, may have comprised a nave with clerestory above, south aisle, chancel and possibly a low western tower. The south aisle arcade of this church still survives.
The north aisle was added c.1195 in a much lighter and more graceful Norman architecture, anticipating the coming Gothic style, but still with many traditional 12th-century details.

The south aisle was rebuilt in 1343 and in the 15th century the church was greatly improved with a new tower, clerestory and chancel chapels.

Population increases during later centuries were accommodated in galleries, all swept away in Victorian restorations (1865 and 1877-80). Many of the early church furnishings may have disappeared at this time, although the font survives, of 12th-century date and made of Frosterley marble.

Furnishings and other items

In the centre of the Nave floor is an interesting slab memorial to Sir John Duck (aka “Durham’s Dick Whittington”) and his wife. Duck had arrived in the city penniless, and became a butcher’s apprentice. Over the years he rose to be a successful butcher and coal-owner; in time he married his master’s daughter, became mayor of the city and was eventually knighted by Charles II.

The Madonna and Child on the pillar by the Lady Chapel dates from the 1990s. It was sculpted by a local man, Brian Scraton, and is designed to reflect universal motherhood. The poet Gordon Jackson wrote a poem inspired by the Madonna and Child statue in St Margaret’s, which has now been set to music. It can be listened to here.

Most of the woodwork in the Church is Victorian though the wood of the pews is older, having been recycled from the ‘box pews’ that formerly filled the Church. The furniture in the Lady Chapel was given in memory of parishioners who fell in the Second World War.

The organ is a fine instrument by the famous Durham firm of Harrison & Harrison, built in 1917 (Arthur Harrison was Churchwarden at the time). Arthur Yockney, the then headmaster of St Margaret’s School, carved the woodwork for the case. There are 1,276 pipes in the organ. Find out more about our organ by following this link.

St Margaret of Antioch Church is very fortunate in having an extensive Churchyard of over six acres of green space, which has a rich history dating back many centuries. It is also a valuable haven for wildlife and a place of peace and tranquillity for local residents and visitors. The earliest indication for an area either earmarked for a churchyard, or as an actual churchyard, occurs in a Medieval deed dated 13th November 1341. The original Churchyard surrounding the Church was consecrated in 1431 and is now known as the Church Garth. (This is currently used only for the burial of cremated remains.)

When this area grew too small, an additional burial ground (a large orchard) was purchased behind South Street in 1820. Another two acres attached to the church were added to the Churchyard in 1845.
These areas were closed by Order in Council in February 1899, and are known as the ‘Old Churchyard’. This is the wild, hilly area, as indicated on the map (2. & 3.), between South Street and Grape Lane, and contains many mature trees and an unusual grave monument. However, many of the gravestones in this area were moved to the edge to create an open space for public benefit (under the terms of the Open Spaces Act, 1906).

The ‘New Churchyard’ was conveyed in 1875 and consecrated soon after (1888). Finally, a narrow strip of land immediately behind the Crossgate houses was consecrated in 1933. These areas (4. & 5. on the map) were in use for burials for most of the twentieth century and comprise a large area of sloping ground behind Crossgate, between Grape Lane and stretching up to Margery Lane and running alongside St Margaret’s allotments. There are eight registered war graves in the ‘New Churchyard’. These graves are marked by Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones and are all of the same pattern. All burials are recorded in the Church registers. St Margaret’s Church holds a Register of Burials since the 1940s; the earlier registers are kept in Durham County Record Office (please see their website for details of these holdings).

Although there is no public right of way through the Churchyard, except along Grape Lane, members of the public are welcome to visit and use the space, respecting it as a place of burial and remembrance. It should be noted that the grounds and paths are uneven in places. The maintenance of the Churchyard, including all paths and boundary walls, is the responsibility of Durham County Council under the terms of the Local Government Act (1972), although the land remains in the ownership of the church.

St Margaret’s is clearly visible on John Speed’s 17th-century map of Durham, on which familiar landmarks such as the Cathedral, Castle, Market Place and the other ancient City Churches are clearly identifiable. The street pattern, too, remains relatively unchanged to this day.