The medieval knocker on Durham Cathedral’s northern door, known as the Sanctuary Knocker, features a man being swallowed by the Hellmouth, presumably he too has fallen from God's path. Anyone wishing to claim sanctuary would hold the ring, symbolically pulling the man from the clutches of hell, mirroring the events the claimant was experiencing. Those who ‘had committed a great offence,’ such as murder in self-defence or breaking out of prison, could rap the knocker, and would be given 37 days of sanctuary within which they could try to reconcile with their enemies or plan their escape. In medieval times, it was an important symbol of the Cathedral's political role. (Note: The current knocker is a replica - the original is displayed in the Cathedral Treasures Exhibit inside the building).