92-654: His Majesty's Land Registry is a non-ministerial department of His Majesty's Government , created in 1862 to register the ownership of land and property in England and Wales . It reports to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government . The registry contains 87% of land in England and Wales as of 2019. HM Land Registry is internally independent and receives no government funding; it charges fees for applications lodged by customers. The current Chief Land Registrar (and CEO )
184-465: A regulatory or inspection function , and their status is therefore intended to protect them from political interference. Some are headed by a permanent office holder, such as a Permanent Secretary or Second Permanent Secretary . The status of an NMGD varies considerably from one to another. For example: A list of NMGDs is maintained by the Cabinet Office , which as of January 2023 states that
276-539: A depiction of the city's founding etched in masonry on the south side of the cathedral. The city has been known by a number of names throughout history. The original Nordic Dun Holm was changed to Duresme by the Normans and was known in Latin as Dunelm . The modern form Durham came into use later in the city's history. The north-eastern historian Robert Surtees chronicled the name changes in his History and Antiquities of
368-544: A history of settlement in the area since roughly 2000 BC. The present city can clearly be traced back to AD 995, when a group of monks from Lindisfarne chose the strategic high peninsula as a place to settle with the body of Saint Cuthbert , that had previously lain in Chester-le-Street , founding a church there. Local legend states that the city was founded in A.D. 995 by divine intervention. The 12th-century chronicler Symeon of Durham recounts that after wandering in
460-556: A local land registrar (also sometimes shared between offices) who is the senior lawyer, an operations manager, and an integrity manager. Each office also has staff responsible for processing applications lodged by members of the legal profession and the public. Traditionally customers send applications to the office that deals with applications for the geographical area where the property is located, but since 2009 many customers now deal with dedicated customer teams, who deal with all their applications from certain customers regardless of where
552-579: A mile west of the city on 17 October 1346 between the English and Scots and was a disastrous loss for the Scots. The city suffered from plague outbreaks in 1544, 1589 and 1598. Owing to the divine providence evidenced in the city's legendary founding, the Bishop of Durham has always enjoyed the formal title "Bishop by Divine Providence" as opposed to other bishops, who are "Bishop by Divine Permission". However, as
644-597: A national averages of 12.79 and 5.53 °C (55.0 and 42.0 °F) respectively. Durham has the second longest weather record in England, with continuous daily records since August 1843. The coldest temperature recorded was in February 1895, falling to −18.0 °C (−0.4 °F), and the hottest was in July 2022, reaching 36.9 °C (98.4 °F), beating the previous record from July 2019 by 4.0 °C (39.2 °F). The wettest day since homogeneous rainfall records began in 1876
736-467: A parcel of land is registered, a title plan is created to show the general extent of the land that is contained in the title on the Ordnance Survey map. The boundaries shown on a title plan are general and not definitive unless they are expressly noted to be in the register. It is important that the original title deeds are retained as they will provide a starting point if ever it is necessary to identify
828-513: A population of 50,510 at the 2021 Census. The city was built on a meander of the River Wear , which surrounds the centre on three sides and creates a narrow neck on the fourth. The surrounding land is hilly, except along the Wear's floodplain to the north and southeast. Durham was founded in 995 by Anglo-Saxon monks seeking a place safe from Viking raids to house the relics of St Cuthbert . The church
920-497: A population of 7,100. The Industrial Revolution mostly passed the city by. However, the city was well known for carpet making and weaving. Although most of the mediaeval weavers who thrived in the city had left by the 19th century, the city was the home of Hugh MacKay Carpets’ factory, which produced the famous brands of axminster and tufted carpets until the factory went into administration in April 2005. Other important industries were
1012-560: A service delivery company, it felt that further consideration was necessary and therefore would not be proceeding with any changes. In November 2015, it was reported that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was reconsidering privatising the agency and an article in PoliticsHome noted that all potential bidders were linked to tax havens . The privatization plans have faced fierce opposition from
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#17328688328111104-418: A staff of just six people and was paid £2,500 a year, at a time when the average labourer's wage was £40. At first, registration was not compulsory, and once property was registered there was no compulsion to register any subsequent transactions. Thus it was possible for the person registered as the owner of a property to cease to be the owner while remaining on the register. Serious flaws in the 1862 Act led to
1196-764: A sub-office of Croydon. The Head Office moved out of its famous Lincoln's Inn Fields building in March 2011 and is now based in Croydon. The building has been purchased by the London School of Economics for a sum of £37.5 million. During the early part of 2011, staff based in the Plymouth office were relocated to the Information Systems office in Seaton Court. Each local office has an area manager (sometimes shared between offices),
1288-463: A system new to English university life of advance fees to cover accommodation and communal dining. The first Durham Miners' Gala was attended by 5,000 miners in 1871 in Wharton Park, and remains the largest socialist trade union event in the world. Early in the 20th century, coal became depleted, with a particularly important seam worked out in 1927, and in the following Great Depression Durham
1380-578: A tributary of the River Tyne near Gateshead , was proposed by John Smeaton . Nothing came of the plan, but the statue of Neptune in the Market Place was a constant reminder of Durham's maritime possibilities. The thought of ships docking at the Sands or Millburngate remained fresh in the minds of Durham merchants . In 1758, a new proposal hoped to make the Wear navigable from Durham to Sunderland by altering
1472-688: Is Simon Hayes. The equivalent office in Scotland is the Registers of Scotland . Land and Property Services maintain records for Northern Ireland. HM Land Registry registers the ownership of property. It is one of the largest property databases in Europe. At the peak of the property boom in 2007, £1 million worth of property was processed every minute in England and Wales. Like land registration organisations in other countries, HM Land Registry guarantees title to registered estates and interests in land. It records
1564-737: Is based in Croydon. The in-house IT department (Information Systems) and Land Charges Departments are based in Plymouth. In 2006, as a result of a review of office accommodation, HM Land Registry announced the closure of several offices. This involved merging offices in Birkenhead , Durham , Lytham/Warton, Nottingham and Swansea , and closing of offices in Harrow and York . A further review of staffing levels and overall office space began in 2009. The economic recession and lower volumes of property sales and mortgages meant that HM Land Registry's basic work in connection with remortgages and house sales reduced to
1656-405: Is kept on HM Land Registry's database, reducing the need to store old and often unclear deeds. The register can be viewed quickly and securely online. There is no better way to safeguard ownership of land and property than by registering your title with us. State-backed registration gives you greater security of title, providing you with better protection against claims of adverse possession When
1748-542: Is lower than the national average of 1,162.70 millimetres (46 in). Equally there are only an average of 124.14 days where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 159.08 days. The city sees an average of 1479.95 hours of sunshine per year, compared with a national average of 1402.61 hours. There is frost on 46.81 days compared with a national average of 53.36 days. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 13.20 and 5.71 °C (55.8 and 42.3 °F) compared with
1840-571: The Battle of Neville's Cross was fought half a mile west of the city, resulting in an English victory. In 1650, the cathedral was used to house Scottish prisoners after their defeat at the Battle of Dunbar . During the Industrial Revolution , the Durham coalfield was heavily exploited, with dozens of collieries operating around the city and in nearby villages. Although these coal pits have now closed,
1932-556: The Land Transfer Act 1875 , which forms the basis of the system used today. However, the LTA did not make registration compulsory. A report by Sir Charles Brickdale on the system of land registration used in Germany proved influential. In 1897 the then Lord Chancellor, Hardinge Giffard, 1st Earl of Halsbury introduced the Land Transfer Act 1897 , which brought an element of compulsion into
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#17328688328112024-456: The palatine and Durham Castle . This was a strategic defensive decision by the city's founders and gives the cathedral a striking position. So much so that Symeon of Durham stated: To see Durham is to see the English Sion and by doing so one may save oneself a trip to Jerusalem . Sir Walter Scott was so inspired by the view of the cathedral from South Street that he wrote "Harold
2116-534: The 193rd air raid on Central London, HM Land Registry was evacuated to the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth so that it could carry on its normal business. In 1950, 88 years after its creation, HM Land Registry registered its one millionth title. The growth in property ownership after the war years meant that the potential number of properties to be registered increased dramatically. This, in turn, slowed down
2208-513: The 1960s during a redevelopment spearheaded by Durham City Council ; however, much of the original mediaeval street plan remains intact in the area close to the cathedral and market place. Most of the mediaeval buildings in the commercial area of the city have disappeared apart from the House of Correction and the Chapel of Saint Andrew, both under Elvet Bridge . Georgian buildings can still be found on
2300-513: The Bailey and through Old Elvet. Another local legend has it that Cromwell stayed in a room in the present Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet during the civil war. The room is reputed to be haunted by his ghost. Durham suffered greatly during the civil war (1642–1651) and Commonwealth (1649–1660). This was not due to direct assault by Cromwell or his allies, but to the abolition of the Church of England and
2392-406: The Bailey leads south past Palace Green ; The Bailey is almost entirely owned and occupied by the university and the cathedral. Durham is a hilly city, claiming to be built upon the symbolic seven hills. Upon the most central and prominent position high above the Wear, the cathedral dominates the skyline. The steep riverbanks are densely wooded, adding to the picturesque beauty of the city. West of
2484-470: The Bailey . The medieval city was made up of the cathedral, castle and administrative buildings on the peninsula. The outlying areas were known as the townships and owned by the bishop, the most famous of these being Gilesgate (which still contains the mediaeval St Giles Church ), Claypath and Elvet . The outlying commercial section of the city, especially around the North Road area, saw much change in
2576-483: The Bailey and Old Elvet most of which make up the colleges of Durham University. The table below gives the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine figures taken between 1981 and 2010, and extreme temperatures back to 1850 for the weather station at Durham University Observatory : Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Durham has a temperate climate. At 675.65 millimetres (27 in), the average annual rainfall
2668-553: The Bailey, were created. The final 20th century collegiate addition came from the merger of the independent nineteenth-century colleges of the Venerable Bede and St Hild, which joined the university in 1979 as the College of St Hild and St Bede . The 1960s and 1970s also saw building on New Elvet. Dunelm House for the use of the students' union was built first, followed by Elvet Riverside, containing lecture theatres and staff offices. To
2760-636: The Bishop's temporal powers were abolished by the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and returned to the Crown. The Representation of the People Act 2000 and is regarded as the second most senior bishop and fourth most senior clergyman in the Church of England . The Court of Claims of 1953 granted the traditional right of the bishop to accompany the sovereign at the coronation, reflecting his seniority. The first census, conducted in 1801, states that Durham City had
2852-884: The Chief Land Registrar. From July 2013, the functions of the Adjudicator have been transferred to the Land Registration division of the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal . In 1857 the Royal Commission on Registration of Title proposed a system of registration administered by a central registry in London with district offices. The Land Registry Act 1862 was introduced by the then Lord Chancellor , Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury . The Act provided for
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2944-530: The County Palatine of Durham but states that it is an "impossibility" to tell when the city's modern name came into being. Durham is likely to be Gaer Weir in Armes Prydein , derived from Brittonic cajr meaning "an enclosed, defensible site, fort" from Latin castrum , “fort, military settlement” ( cf. Carlisle ; Welsh caer ) and the river-name Wear . Archeological evidence suggests
3036-593: The Dauntless", a poem about Saxons and Vikings set in County Durham and published on 30 January 1817. The following lines from the poem are carved into a stone tablet on Prebends Bridge: Grey towers of Durham Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot And long to roam those venerable aisles With records stored of deeds long since forgot. The old commercial section of
3128-485: The Information Systems department, a state-of-the-art office with 500 staff, was opened in 2005 in Plymouth's International Business Park. On 23 January 2014, the Government issued a public consultation on its proposal to create a service delivery company to carry out the day-to-day process of land registration. This might be either a wholly Government-owned company or privately owned, and was to be subject to regulation from
3220-517: The LRA 1925. New offices were opened in Gloucester and Stevenage (1964), Durham and Harrow (1965), Plymouth (1966), Croydon and Swansea (1967), Birkenhead and Weymouth (1977), Peterborough (1978), Telford (1986), Coventry and Hull (1987), Leicester (1988), Portsmouth (1989), York (1991) and Lancashire (2000). Land registers at this time were not public records, and processing them required laborious typing and
3312-513: The Land Registry in a consultation which ran from 24 March to 26 May 2016. Non-ministerial government department Non-ministerial government departments ( NMGDs ) are a type of department of the United Kingdom government that deal with matters for which direct political oversight has been judged unnecessary or inappropriate. They are headed by senior civil servants . Some fulfil
3404-510: The Land Registry makes some datasets available for purchase by private companies and other organisations, such as Search Providers . Private search companies and ordering platforms have been integrating Land Registry's data to improve search ordering for conveyancers. Data from Land Registry's National Spatial Dataset, for example, has been used to display boundary maps on-screen using a live data link to help conveyancers validate property locations. The government made further proposals to privatise
3496-538: The Land Registry receives is offset by the fees charged under the Land Registration Fee Order 2021. It provides online access to its database of titles (ownership and charges or interests by other parties) and most plans (maps). People need to pay a fee to access some information. Property owners whose property is not registered can make voluntary applications for registration. As of March 2016, there are 24.5 million registered titles representing 88% of
3588-481: The Market Place towards Framwellgate Bridge and North Road, the other main shopping area of the city. From here, the city spreads out into the Framwelgate , Crossgate , Neville's Cross and viaduct districts, which are largely residential areas. Beyond the viaduct lie the outlying districts of Framwellgate Moor and Neville's Cross . Heading north from the Market Place leads to Claypath. The road curves back round to
3680-505: The Office of the Chief Land Registrar, which would remain part of Government. This proposal generated considerable controversy in the media and was opposed by Land Registry staff. There was also opposition to the plans from legal professionals and other users of Land Registry services. In July 2014, the Government announced that, having considered the results of the consultation, whilst it continued to consider that there were considerable benefits to
3772-522: The Plymouth Office became the first HM Land Registry office to produce registers electronically. Although the certificates still bore the same importance, computerisation dramatically increased the efficiency of the Land Register at a time when HM Land Registry was keen to bring the whole of England and Wales under compulsory registration. In 1990 the provision of compulsory registration was brought to
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3864-437: The annual Durham Miners' Gala continues and is a major event for the city and region. Historically, Durham was also known for the manufacture of hosiery, carpets, and mustard. The city is the home of Durham University , which was founded in 1832 and therefore has a claim to be the third-oldest university in England . The university is a significant employer in the region, alongside the local council and national government at
3956-577: The bishop's powers that the steward of Bishop Antony Bek commented in 1299 AD: "There are two kings in England, namely the Lord King of England, wearing a crown in sign of his regality and the Lord Bishop of Durham wearing a mitre in place of a crown, in sign of his regality in the diocese of Durham". All this activity was administered from the castle and buildings surrounding the Palace Green. Many of
4048-477: The bishop. A similar fate befell the cathedral, it being closed in 1650 and used to incarcerate 3,000 Scottish prisoners, who were marched south after the Battle of Dunbar . Graffiti left by them can still be seen today etched into the interior stone. At the Restoration in 1660, John Cosin (a former canon ) was appointed bishop (in office: 1660–1672) and set about a major restoration project. This included
4140-584: The cathedral, and these also drew medieval pilgrims to the city. Durham's geographical position has always given it an important place in the defence of England against the Scots . The city played an important part in the defence of the north, and Durham Castle is the only Norman castle keep never to have suffered a breach. In 1314, the Bishopric of Durham paid the Scots a 'large sum of money' not to burn Durham. The Battle of Neville's Cross took place around half
4232-627: The city centre, another river, the River Browney , drains south to join the Wear to the south of the city. There are three old roads out of the Market Place: Saddler Street heads south-east, towards Elvet Bridge , the Bailey and Prebends Bridge . Elvet Bridge leads to the Elvet area of the city, Durham Prison and the south; Prebends Bridge is smaller and provides access from the Bailey to south Durham. Heading west, Silver Street leads out of
4324-508: The city encompasses the peninsula on three sides, following the River Wear. The peninsula was historically surrounded by the castle wall extending from the castle keep and broken by two gatehouses to the north and west of the enclosure. After extensive remodelling and "much beautification" by the Victorians the walls were removed with the exception of the gatehouse which is still standing on
4416-518: The city's name in his official signature, which is signed " N. Dunelm". Some attribute the city's name to the legend of the Dun Cow and the milkmaid who in legend guided the monks of Lindisfarne carrying the body of Saint Cuthbert to the site of the present city in 995 AD. Dun Cow Lane is said to be one of the first streets in Durham, being directly to the east of Durham Cathedral and taking its name from
4508-415: The city, making an incised meander which encloses the centre on three sides to form Durham's peninsula . At the base of the peninsula is the Market Place, which still hosts regular markets; a permanent indoor market, Durham Indoor Market , is also situated just off the Market Place. The Market Place and surrounding streets are one of the main commercial and shopping areas of the city. From the Market Place,
4600-558: The closure of religious institutions pertaining to it. The city has always relied upon the Dean and Chapter and cathedral as an economic force. The castle suffered considerable damage and dilapidation during the Commonwealth due to the abolition of the office of bishop (whose residence it was). Cromwell confiscated the castle and sold it to the Lord Mayor of London shortly after taking it from
4692-511: The commissioning of the famous elaborate woodwork in the cathedral choir , the font cover and the Black Staircase in the castle. Bishop Cosin's successor Bishop Lord Nathaniel Crewe (in office: 1674–1721) carried out other renovations both to the city and to the cathedral. In the 18th century a plan to turn Durham into a seaport through the digging of a canal north to join the River Team ,
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#17328688328114784-428: The completion of plans by hand using paintbrushes and ink on linen. Copies of everything produced had to be made by hand. HM Land Registry retained the originals, and the copies were sewn, using needle and thread, into large certificates. The certificates were produced as indisputable evidence of the ownership of the land. Such was the importance of the certificates that tampering with them was a criminal offence. In 1986
4876-410: The department. The executive board delivers the annual business plan and is responsible for day-to-day management. Since December 1990, the Land Register has been open to the public. For a fee, anyone can inspect the register, find out the name and address of the current owner of any registered property or obtain a copy of any registered title. This can also be done online. HM Land Registry was awarded
4968-512: The east and beyond it lie Gilesgate , Gilesgate Moor and Dragonville. As part of the wider Tyne and Wear Green Belt area, Durham's portion extends beyond its urban area extents of Framwellgate Moor/ Pity Me , Elvet and Belmont, it being completely surrounded by green belt . This primarily helps to maintain separation from Chester-le-Street, and restrain expansion of the city and coalescence with nearby villages such as Bearpark , Great Lumley and Sherburn . Landscape features and facilities within
5060-555: The final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable . The shrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind the High Altar of Durham Cathedral, was the most important religious site in England until the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170. Saint Cuthbert became famous for two reasons. Firstly, the miraculous healing powers he had displayed in life continued after his death, with many stories of those visiting
5152-430: The following 20 are in existence: Durham, England Durham ( / ˈ d ʌr əm / DURR -əm , locally / ˈ d ɜːr əm / listen ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in the county of Durham , England. It is the county town and contains the headquarters of Durham County Council , the unitary authority which governs the district of County Durham . The built-up area had
5244-472: The former Charter Mark five times, and 97% of its customers rate their service as good, very good or excellent. HM Land Registry has an independent complaints reviewer. Disputed applications to Land Registry were determined by the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry, an independent office created by the Land Registration Act 2002 . Under previous legislation this function had been the responsibility of
5336-520: The founding of Durham University thanks to the benevolence of Bishop William Van Mildert and the Chapter in 1832. Durham Castle became the first college ( University College, Durham ) and the bishop moved to Auckland Castle as his only residence in the county. Bishop Hatfield's Hall (later Hatfield College, Durham ) was added in 1846 specifically for the sons of poorer families, the Principal inaugurating
5428-403: The green belt area include Raintonpark Wood, Belmont Viaduct, Ramside Hall, Durham City Golf Course, the River Wear, Browney and Deerness basins, and Durham University Botanic Gardens. It was first drawn up in the 1990s. The historic city centre of Durham has changed little over 200 years. It is made up of the peninsula containing the cathedral, palace green, former administrative buildings for
5520-426: The ground, as well as airspace above property where this is in separate ownership. Until April 2020, HM Land Registry received no government funding, being required to ensure that its income covers expenditure, and finances itself from registration and search fees. As of April 2020, HM Land Registry receives a budget from HM Treasury and was the result of HM Land Registry's trading fund being revoked. The funding that
5612-523: The industry in 2016. The Conveyancing Association has argued that a ‘reversal of the recent halving of fees’ could in fact double Land Registry's income ‘yet is a relatively small burden for the homebuyer in amongst the other costs and charges involved in the process’ of privatisation’. The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has claimed that the privatisation would give a private organisation monopoly to commercially valuable data and provide little inclination to improve anyone's access to it. Currently
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#17328688328115704-576: The king in 1649. Charles I came to Durham three times during his reign of 1625–1649. Firstly, he came in 1633 to the cathedral for a majestic service in which he was entertained by the Chapter and Bishop at great expense. He returned during preparations for the First Bishops' War (1639). His final visit to the city came towards the end of the civil war; he escaped from the city as Oliver Cromwell 's forces got closer. Local legend stated that he escaped down
5796-438: The king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England's northern frontier. The bishops had their own court system , including most notably the Court of Chancery of the County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge . The county also had its own attorney general , whose authority to bring an indictment for criminal matters
5888-541: The land mass of England and Wales. Registration of land under the Land Registration Act 2002 affords property owners some protection against squatters as well as avoiding the need to produce old documents each time a property changes hands. According to HM Land Registry: Registration establishes proof of ownership and produces an easy-to-read document reflecting the contents of all the paper title deeds. This simplifies conveyancing, making transactions easier and potentially less costly for all involved. All title information
5980-420: The land registry and passport office. The University Hospital of North Durham and HM Prison Durham are also located close to the city centre. The city also has significant tourism and hospitality sectors. The name "Durham" comes from the Brythonic element dun , signifying a hill fort , and the Old Norse holme , which translates as island. The Lord Bishop of Durham uses a Latin variation of
6072-454: The local legend of 'St Cuthbert's Mist'. This states that the Luftwaffe attempted to target Durham, but was thwarted when Cuthbert created a mist that covered both the castle and cathedral, sparing them from bombing. The exact events of the night are disputed by contemporary eyewitnesses. The event continues to be referenced within the city, including inspiring the artwork 'Fogscape #03238' at Durham Lumiere 2015. 'Durham Castle and Cathedral'
6164-421: The manufacture of mustard and coal extraction. The Industrial Revolution also placed the city at the heart of the coalfields, the county's main industry until the 1970s. Practically every village around the city had a coal mine and, although these have since disappeared as part of the regional decline in heavy industry, the traditions, heritage and community spirit are still evident. The 19th century also saw
6256-438: The monks built lasted only a century, as it was replaced by the present Durham Cathedral after the Norman Conquest ; together with Durham Castle it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . From the 1070s until 1836 the city was part of the County Palatine of Durham , a semi-independent jurisdiction ruled by the prince bishops of Durham which acted as a geopolitical buffer between the kingdoms of England and Scotland . In 1346,
6348-477: The north, Saint Cuthbert's bier miraculously came to a halt at the hill of Warden Law and, despite the effort of the congregation, would not move. Aldhun , Bishop of Chester-le-Street and leader of the order, decreed a holy fast of three days, accompanied by prayers to the saint. During the fast, Saint Cuthbert appeared to a certain monk named Eadmer, with instructions that the coffin should be taken to Dun Holm. After Eadmer's revelation, Aldhun found that he
6440-450: The north-east of England lay so far from Westminster , the bishops of Durham enjoyed extraordinary powers such as the ability to hold their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices , administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issue charters , salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins. So far-reaching were
6532-432: The original buildings associated with these functions of the county palatine survive on the peninsula that constitutes the ancient city. From 1071 to 1836 the bishops of Durham ruled the county palatine of Durham . Although the term "prince bishop" has been used as a helpful tool in the understanding the functions of the bishops of Durham in this era, it is not a title they would have recognised. The last bishop to rule
6624-406: The ownership rights of freehold properties, and leasehold properties where the lease has been granted for a term exceeding seven years. The definition of land can include the buildings situated upon the land, particularly where parts of buildings at different levels (such as flats) are in different ownership. It is also possible to register the ownership of the mines and minerals which lie within
6716-493: The palatinate, Bishop William Van Mildert , is credited with the foundation of Durham University in 1832. Henry VIII curtailed some of the bishop's powers and, in 1538, ordered the destruction of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert. A UNESCO site describes the role of the bishops in the "buffer state between England and Scotland": From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to
6808-429: The point where it made a financial loss for the first time in many years. HM Land Registry announced proposals to close five offices at Portsmouth , Tunbridge Wells , Croydon , Stevenage and Peterborough . As a result of consultation, the plans to close the Croydon and Peterborough offices were not carried out, but the closure of the other three went ahead, although until 2013 a small office remained at Portsmouth as
6900-671: The precise position of the boundaries. In addition to being the government body that registers the ownership of land and property in England and Wales, HM Land Registry is also a useful tool for property investors who use the online price calculator to query the latest monthly residential property prices. The government is also using the land registry data to assess property values for tax purposes. HM Land Registry has 14 offices at: Birkenhead , Coventry , Croydon , Durham , Fylde ( Warton ), Gloucester , Kingston upon Hull , Leicester , Nottingham , Peterborough , Plymouth , Swansea , Telford and Weymouth . HM Land Registry's Head Office
6992-531: The property is located. From 6 January 2014, all paper applications lodged by members of the public have been processed at the Citizen Centre at Land Registry Wales Office. The organisation is led by the Chief Land Registrar and Chief Executive (both one role). The Chief Land Registrar is assisted by the HM Land Registry Board and executive board. The HM Land Registry Board sets the overall strategy for
7084-463: The rate of land registration. To deal with the increasing workload, an office was opened in Tunbridge Wells in 1955 and a further office at Lytham St. Annes in 1957. In 1963, 101 years after the registry started, it registered its two millionth title. Theodore Ruoff, who was appointed Chief Land Registrar in 1963, confirmed the three fundamental principles of Land Registration that were laid down in
7176-451: The rate of registration of land. These triggers included gifts of land, assent of land on death and raising monies by mortgages on the land. The Land Registration Act 2002 leaves the system substantially in place, but enables the future compulsory introduction of electronic conveyancing, using electronic signatures to transfer and register property. As a result of that act, Land and Charge Certificates are no longer issued. The new home of
7268-489: The registration of freehold and long leasehold estates in land. The system of registration adopted had some differences to that piloted in South Australia by that colony's then Premier Sir Robert Torrens , although both were founded on the 1857 report. Brent Spencer Follett , the first Chief Land Registrar, opened the Land Registry's first offices, at 34 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, on 15 October 1862. Mr Follett had
7360-480: The registration system. To satisfy the demands of the legal profession, the option of a county veto was offered. London County Council was attracted to the idea of compulsory registration and voted in favour of it. It was introduced in stages between 1899 and 1902 and this led to the expansion of HM Land Registry. Also at this time, the first female staff were employed and typewriters were introduced. A proposal to extend compulsory registration to Northamptonshire in 1902
7452-404: The river's course, but the increasing size of ships made this impractical. Moreover, Sunderland had grown as the north east's main port and centre for shipping. In 1787, the Durham infirmary was founded. The 18th century also saw the rise of the trade-union movement in the city. The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 gave governing power of the town to an elected body. All other aspects of
7544-475: The saint's shrine being cured of all manner of diseases. This led to him being known as the "wonder worker of England". Secondly, after the first translation of his relics in 698 AD, his body was found to be incorruptible . Apart from a brief translation back to Holy Island during the Norman Invasion the saint's relics have remained enshrined to the present day. Saint Bede's bones are also entombed in
7636-559: The southeast of the city centre sports facilities were built at Maiden Castle, adjacent to the Iron Age fort of the same name , and the Mountjoy site was developed, starting in 1924, eventually containing the university library, administrative buildings, and facilities for the Faculty of Science. Durham was not bombed during World War II , though one raid on the night of 30 May 1942 did give rise to
7728-515: The ten years were up, compulsory registration was extended to Middlesex (1937) and the County Borough of Croydon (1939). Plans to extend it to Surrey in 1940 were abandoned due to the Second World War . In 1925 the government forecast that the whole of England and Wales would be subject to compulsory registration by 1955, but the process took much longer. In 1940, after damage sustained in
7820-438: The whole of England and Wales, the ten millionth title was registered, and for the first time, the Land Register was opened to public inspection. Although compulsory registration had now spread to the whole of its jurisdiction, compulsion only occurred when a property was sold. This was a barrier to the registration of the whole of England and Wales, and in 1998 new triggers for registration were introduced, dramatically increasing
7912-425: Was a sign from the saint, followed her. They settled at a wooded "hill-island" – a high wooded rock surrounded on three sides by the River Wear. There they erected a shelter for the relics, on the spot where Durham Cathedral would later stand. Symeon states that a modest wooden building erected there shortly thereafter was the first building in the city. Bishop Aldhun subsequently had a stone church built, which
8004-594: Was able to move the bier, but did not know where Dun Holm was. The legend of the Dun Cow, which is first documented in The Rites of Durham , an anonymous account about Durham Cathedral, published in 1593, builds on Symeon's account. According to this legend, by chance later that day, the monks came across a milkmaid at Mount Joy (southeast of present-day Durham). She stated that she was seeking her lost dun cow , which she had last seen at Dun Holm. The monks, realising that this
8096-560: Was among those towns that suffered exceptionally severe hardship. However, the university expanded greatly. St John's College and St Cuthbert's Society were founded on the Bailey , completing the series of colleges in that area of the city. From the early 1950s to early 1970s, the university expanded to the south of the city centre. Trevelyan , Van Mildert , Collingwood , and Grey colleges were established, and new buildings for St Aidan's and St Mary's colleges for women, formerly housed on
8188-515: Was dedicated in September 998. This no longer remains, having been supplanted by the Norman structure. The legend is interpreted by a Victorian relief stone carving on the north face of the cathedral and, more recently, by the bronze sculpture 'Durham Cow' (1997, Andrew Burton ), which reclines by the River Wear in view of the cathedral. During the medieval period the city gained spiritual prominence as
8280-527: Was lost in committee. From 1905 to 1913 new HM Land Registry headquarters were built in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Two significant pieces of land legislation were enacted in 1925: the Law of Property Act and the Land Registration Act . Government-initiated extensions to compulsory registration were suspended for ten years, but Eastbourne (1926) and Hastings (1929) voluntarily became areas of compulsory registration. After
8372-463: Was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Among the reasons given for the decision were 'Durham Cathedral [being] the largest and most perfect monument of "Norman" style architecture in England', and the cathedral's vaulting being an early and experimental model of the gothic style . Other important UNESCO sites near Durham include Auckland Castle , North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum . The River Wear flows north through
8464-579: Was tested by central government in the case of R v Mary Ann Cotton (1873). Certain courts and judicial posts for the county were abolished by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 . Section 2 of the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and section 41 of the Courts Act 1971 abolished others. The city remained loyal to King Charles I in the English Civil War – from 1642 to the execution of
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