Durhain Castle is in danger of sliding into the Wear.
How great a loss that would be, readers of the third volume of the Victoria History of the County 'of Durham may discover for themselves if they do not know the famous pile. Mr. William Page, the editor of this new volume in a magnificent series (St. Catherine's Press, £3 3s.), is to be congratulated on the excellence of the text and its many pictures and plans. The city itself with its twin marvels, the cathedral and the castle, and its many other features of interest, is described by experts in minute detail. The second half of the volume deals with the topography of Stockton Ward, one of the old divisions of the Bishop's extensive liberty of Durham. This includes Stockton itself and Hartlepool and lesser places like Greatham with its ancient "hospital" or almshouse and Billingham, now famous for its new ammonia works which the county history disdains, apparently, to mention. From the historical account of the city we learn of the savage feud between the foreign bishop and the monks in the thirteenth century, which went so far that Bishop Philip cut toff all supplies and even water from the monastery. The first regular stage coach from London to Edinburgh, by way of Durham, began to run in 1712, performing " the whole journey in thirteen days without any stoppage." As late as 1772 the journey from London to Durham by post-chaise took a week.
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