The oldest original cathedral now in Britain is Durham
Cathedral. Work started on this building in 1093, less than 30 years after the
Norman Conquest of 1066, and it is considered the finest example of Norman
architecture in Britain. Because, like many cathedrals, it took hundreds of years
to build completely, it shows the influence of architecture from different
periods, from early to late Norman and medieval gothic.

The cathedral was first built in honour of St Cuthbert, and was also the site
of a Benedictine monastery. Like other monastic buildings, it was severely
affected by the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the 15th
century, but although it lost many furnishings and books etc, it wasn't
destroyed as many other such Catholic buildings were.
In the Puritan era of the 17th century, the cathedral was closed and partly destroyed. Restoration began later and continued for many years. Today the cathedral is a major attraction for visitors as well as an important part of life in Durham.