Under the Library

On the 25^th of April 2025, Durham’s World Heritage Site Youth Ambassadors (YAMS) unveiled an exhibition showcasing artefacts found in an archaeological dig by Durham University Archaeological Services underneath the library building at St John’s College, Durham in 2017. The exhibition, located at the site of the dig, opened for international World Heritage Day to help shine a light on the historical significance of the Durham peninsula and to encourage curiosity about the area. It has been a collaborative effort by the YAMS, a diverse group of like-minded young people who are interested in archaeology and local and global heritage.

The exhibition, titled Under the Library – Rediscovering Durham, explores the artefacts uncovered in the 2017 dig, touching on themes of continuity, consumerism and daily life. The exhibition displays a variety of objects ranging from the prehistoric to the early modern period. The prehistoric artefacts found on site push back the time of human occupation of the Durham peninsula 7000 years.   We now know that there were people here in the Mesolithic period, a farmstead in the Iron Age and occupation of the peninsula before the arrival of the Cuthbert community.

The Youth Ambassadors are a group of 30 young people (aged 12-24) who live locally together with university students from different countries including China, Indonesia and Russia.   From diverse backgrounds, they share a common interest in heritage.  The group co-created the exhibition over five Saturday mornings.

The Youth Ambassadors said: “In a short space of time and in a relatively small exhibition space we’ve identified the important messages we wanted to convey.  We discovered how people in the past lived, and how similar they were to us.  We learned about archaeology and about the process of creating an impactful exhibition.  Next year we would love to dig if we were allowed to – maybe the walls around the city”.

Anne Allen, World Heritage Site Manager said “The theme of World Heritage Day this year was about how we protect our cultural heritage.  Working together to a common purpose is key to that.  The young people modelled this brilliantly and revealed through the exhibition that globalisation isn’t a recent phenomenon.  People have been coming to Durham for millennia, trading goods – and leaving behind their rubbish”.

Jolyon Mitchell, Principal of St John’s College said “It was wonderful to welcome young archaeological ambassadors and their supporters to St John’s as they presented how they helped to create the fine WHS Youth exhibition. Their enthusiasm for bringing the past back to life was infectious. It is so good to learn from both their digital and the physical exhibits, uncovering some of the layers below the library, revealing traces of everyday life over many centuries.”

The exhibition will be on display in the Learning Resource Centre at St John’s College for about a year.  It is also available online https://stories.durham.ac.uk/under-the-library/  It will be open to visitors on 4 June as part of the College’s event Secret Gardens of St John’s, and for Heritage Open Days in September. 

Funding acknowledgement

The Youth Ambassadors’ project was supported by Durham University's Widening Participation Fund, which is co-ordinated by the University's Schools Outreach and Widening Participation Team. The Fund seeks to enhance initiatives from within the University's community of staff and students that further our commitment to improving equality of opportunity in higher education and making Durham more inclusive.