Durham doors form colourful collages

YOU’VE probably walked past hundreds of thousands of them without noticing them.

But one visitor to Durham certainly paid attention – and created a series of stunning colourful collages with the results.

We’re talking about doors – and today’s Object of the Week features an abundance of the seemingly mundane feature.

However, there is nothing mundane about the collages created by North-East historian David Simpson.

Seemingly mundane, the huge variety of styles and colours of doors in Durham make the perfect subject for David’s collages

Mr Simpson was at a loose end last Sunday afternoon after taking his daughter back home after her birthday meal out with the family – so he walked into Durham to take a few photographs.

He said:.”It was only after photographing a couple of the usual cathedral type shots on Palace Green that I snapped the doors of the nearby almshouses and Bishop Cosin’s Hall.

“I thought ‘hmm doors are interesting and so many in Durham have character and history’. So I decided to photograph some of the interesting ones in the Bailey too.

“Next thing you know I’d photographed about a hundred doors and kept on going as I headed up Claypath and Gilesgate, crossing the road to do both sides.

“There was just about enough evening light left to take the last one when I reached the top of Gilesgate bank.”

Mr Simpson was so enthused that he returned the following day to complete his project.

“I walked back into Durham on Monday to photograph some of the Elvet ones – an area I hadn’t covered on Sunday – with a view to making a collage,” he said.

Another of David's door collages

Mr Simpson said his favourite doors in Durham are those in the Bailey and the College (the Cathedral close) area of the city.

He added: “I quite like the use of lamps outside some of the pubs – and the Georgian House B&B in Crossgate is quite nice.

“ I noticed quite a few quirky features here and there across Durham, sometimes integral parts of the door but others such as door knockers, vibrant red or purple paint, no doubt reflect the tastes and character of the residents.

“There’s some nice stained glass here and and there too and I spotted more than a share of less than level lintels, which just add to the character.”

The doors were snapped throughout the city

Mr Simson said he was able to go about his task mostly unnoticed – except for one occasion.

“Only one door opened as I was photographing it – the Britannia – a former pub in Gilesgate now student accommodation. I think the startled students thought I was a lone, lurking paparazzi,” he said.

l David Simpson runs the England's North East website, at https://englandsnortheast.co.uk/