Durham Cathedral - the Galilee or Lady Chapel

Photograph of the arcades of the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral showing pillars supporting Norman arches. In between the pillars are benches and in the background, windows.

The Galilee or Lady Chapel was constructed during the late 12th century. The chapel can boast fine arching and smaller pillars due to the fact that the roof does not support any large weight. The chapel also holds the remains of the Venerable Bede. Wilson's photographs of Durham Cathedral would no doubt have appealed to the tourist market and would have been available to purchase as visual souvenirs of the visit by the vast numbers of mid 19th century visitors to these sites. This photograph is a carbon copy of the original albumen photograph. Carbon was a process that was less susceptible to fading, unlike an albumen print that is prone to discolouration over time.