Founding legend
The Dun Cow
Lost cow, new city.
Stand where it happened
- What's there
- Cobbled lane by the cathedral
- Legend from
- Durham
- Tone
- Gentle
Follow the cow.
In 995 monks carrying St Cuthbert's coffin found it would not move. Bishop Aldhun had a vision naming 'Dunholme'. A milkmaid looking for her lost dun cow was told it had gone towards Dunholme, and the monks followed to the rocky peninsula where Durham was founded. A carving of the cow is on the cathedral.