Monday, July 14

Evening Reception in Hatfield College

All the participants and their guests are invited to Welcome Evening Reception followed with Servery Dinner on Monday, July 14, at 18:00-21:30. Both events will be held in the historic Hatfield College — one of Durham University’s oldest and most iconic colleges. Named after Thomas Hatfield, a 14th-century Bishop of Durham, the college is steeped in history. The dining room, dating to the 17th century, is the oldest part of the college. In the 18th century, it served as The Red Lion, a coaching inn on the London–Edinburgh route. A 17th-century fireplace originally from this building now stands in the Mayor’s Chamber at Durham Town Hall, decorated with portraits of Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, believed to have been gifts from the king to Bishop Thomas Morton, who hosted him at Durham Castle. Join us for an evening of fine dining and conversation in a venue rich with centuries of history and local significance!

Tuesday, July 15

Banquet Dinner in Durham Castle

The Conference dinner will take place in the magnificent Great Hall of the historical Durham Castle on July 15th, 2025, at 18:00-23:00. The present Castle began in 1072 as a simple defensive mound commissioned by William the Conqueror to defend the peninsula formed by the meander in the River Wear. Over the centuries, the Castle has been a residence of the Bishops of Durham who added to the buildings and altered them to suit the needs of the time. The University of Durham was founded in 1832 by Bishop Van Mildert and the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral. After Van Mildert's death in 1836 the Castle was handed over to the University and became University College in 1837, the oldest of the Durham Colleges. Early generations of students lived either in University House, now Cosin's Hall, or in the Castle Keep which was reconstructed in 1840.