{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_20191/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_20191","id":"gutenberg_20191","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20191","summary":null,"tags":["Architecture","Category: Architecture","Category: Art","Category: History - British","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Church of England. Diocese of Durham","Durham Cathedral","United Kingdom"],"text":"Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David Cortesi and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: Durham Cathedral, from the South-West.]\n\n\n\n\n THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF\n DURHAM\n\n A DESCRIPTION OF ITS FABRIC\n AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE\n EPISCOPAL SEE\n\n BY\n J.E. BYGATE, A.R.C.A.\n\n [Illustration: Arms of the See.]\n\n WITH FORTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n LONDON GEORGE BELL & SONS 1905\n\n\n _First Published ... March 1899_\n _Second Edition, Revised ... September 1900_\n _Reprinted ... 1905_\n\n _The Riverside Press Limited, Edinburgh_\n\n * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nGENERAL PREFACE\n\n\nThis series of monographs has been planned to supply visitors to the\ngreat English Cathedrals with accurate and well illustrated guide-books\nat a popular price. The aim of each writer has been to produce a work\ncompiled with sufficient knowledge and scholarship to be of value to the\nstudent of Archaeology and History, and yet not too technical in\nlanguage for the use of an ordinary visitor or tourist.\n\nTo specify all the authorities which have been made use of in each case\nwould be difficult and tedious in this place. But amongst the general\nsources of information which have been almost invariably found useful\nare:--(1) the great county histories, the value of which, especially in\nquestions of genealogy and local records, is generally recognised; (2)\nthe numerous papers by experts which appear from time to time in the\nTransactions of the Antiquarian and Archaeological Societies; (3) the\nimportant documents made accessible in the series issued by the Master\nof the Rolls; (4) the well-known works of Britton and Willis on the\nEnglish Cathedrals; and (5) the very excellent series of Handbooks to\nthe Cathedrals originated by the late Mr John Murray; to which the\nreader may in most cases be referred for fuller detail, especially in\nreference to the histories of the respective sees.\n\n * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nAUTHOR'S PREFACE\n\n\nAs much as possible of this brief description of Durham is from the\npersonal acquaintance of the writer with the building. Yet many\nauthorities have, of necessity, been consulted in its preparation,\nnotably a pamphlet by the Rev. Canon W. Greenwell, and the \"County of\nDurham,\" by J.R. Boyle, F.S.A. Thanks are also due to the authorities of\nthe Cathedral for having freely given permission to make drawings and\nmeasurements, and to the late Mr Weatherall, chief verger, for his\nkindly assistance and information.\n\nThe illustrations are chiefly from sketches and drawings by the writer,\nand from photographs reproduced by the kindness of the Photochrom\nCompany, Ltd., and Messrs S.B. Bolas & Co.\n\n J.E.B.\n\n * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\nCHAPTER I.--The Building of the Church 3\n\nCHAPTER II.--Description of the Exterior 21\n The Towers 21\n The East Front 22\n The West Front 25\n The North Door 25\n The South Door 26\n The West Door 28\n The Cloister 29\n The Chapter-House 32\n The Dun Cow 35\n\nCHAPTER III.--Description of the Interior 39\n The Nave 39\n The Choir 40\n The Neville Screen 43\n The Transepts 50\n The Tower 53\n The East End 54\n The Chapel of the Nine Altars 61\n The Tomb of S. Cuthbert 69\n The Galilee or Lady Chapel 72\n Monuments in the Nave and Transepts 79\n The Font 81\n\nCHAPTER IV.--History of the See 82\n\nCHAPTER V.--The Castle and University 102\n\nCHAPTER VI.--The City 111\n\n\n\n\nILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\nDurham Cathedral, from the South-West _Frontispiece_\nArms of the See _Title Page_\nThe Exterior, from the College 2\nThe Dun Cow 9\nThe West End (from an Old Print) 17\nThe Exterior, from Palace Green 20\nThe Central Tower 23\nDetail of Ironwork 26\nThe Sanctuary Knocker 26\nIronwork on Doors of Cloisters 27\nOrnament on South Doorway 28\nThe Cloister 29\nS. Cuthbert's Chest. 32\nThe Chapter-House 33\nThe Exterior, from the South-East 35\nThe Nave, looking West 38\nOne Bay of the Nave (Measured Drawing) 41\nTriforium and Clerestory 45\nThe Choir, looking West 47\nThe Transepts, looking North 51\nCorbels in Choir 54, 58\nThe Choir, looking East 55\nTriforium of Nave and Choir 59\nPlan of Norman East End 61\nSections of Hood and Arch Mouldings 61\nCapitals in the Nine Altars Chapel 62\nThe Nine Altars Chapel 63\nCapital in Galilee Chapel 66\nThe Galilee Chapel 67, 72\nPaintings in the Galilee Chapel 73\nDetail of the Galilee Chapel 75\nThe Font and Cover 80\nThe Crypt 85\nStone Coffin Lid 88\nThe Chapter Library 99\nThe Chapel or Crypt, Durham Castle 103\nStaircase in the Castle 107\nThe Cathedral and Castle, from the North 113\n\nPLAN AND DIMENSIONS 118\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Illustration: The Exterior, from the College.]\n\n\n\n\nDURHAM CATHEDRAL\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nTHE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH\n\n\nThe traveller northward by the East Coast Route cannot fail to be struck\nby the beauty of the city of Durham, with its red-roofed houses nestling\nbeneath the majestic site of the cathedral and castle. For splendid\nposition the Cathedral of Durham stands unequalled in this country; on\nthe Continent, perhaps that of Albi can alone be compared with it in\nthis respect. The cathedral and Norman Castle are upon the summit of a\nlofty tongue of land which is almost surrounded by the River Wear. In\nparts the banks are rocky and steep, in others thickly wooded. The river\nitself is spanned here and there by fine and historic bridges.\n\nThe early history of Durham is obscure. There are many vague legends in\nexistence, a natural consequence, perhaps, when we remember the various\nand often speedy changes of ownership to which that part of the country\nwas for centuries subjected.\n\nTo lead up clearly to the founding of the Cathedral of Durham, it will\nbe necessary to describe briefly the earliest introduction of\nChristianity into the north of England. That Christianity was known in\nthis country during the time of the Romans there is sufficient evidence\nto prove. There is, however, little to show that it existed in the north\nto any appreciable extent. All or nearly all the carved stones, altars,\netc., disinterred in that part of the country have been of undoubted\nPagan origin.\n\nThe ancient kingdom of Northumbria comprised the present counties of\nDurham, Northumberland, and Yorkshire, and a part of the south-east of\nScotland as far north as the Firth of Forth. This kingdom was\nsub-divided into two portions. The Southern, or Deira, extended from the\nTees to the Humber, and the Northern, or Bernicia, reached from the Tees\nto the Firth of Forth. The province of Bernicia was settled about A.D.\n547 by Ida, a chief of the Angles, who made his headquarters on a steep\nrock on the sea-coast about sixteen miles south of Berwick. He was\nsucceeded by his son Ethelric, who built himself a stronghold, which he\nnamed after his wife Bebbanburgh, a name still retained in a shortened\nform--Bamburgh. Ethelric was followed by Ella, whose son Edwin was\ndriven into exile by his fierce brother-in-law, Ethelfrith, and took\npossession of Deira, the southern province of Northumbria. After\nattaining his majority, Edwin, assisted by Redwald, regained his\nkingdom, and eventually ruled over the whole of Northumbria; it is\nduring his reign that we find the first authentic history of\nChristianity in the north. Edwin married Ethelburga, a daughter of\nEthelbert, king of Kent, who had been converted to Christianity by the\npreaching of S. Augustine. He himself received baptism at the hands of\nPaulinus (625-633), the great Roman missionary, who was sent north with\nthe Princess Ethelburga. Paulinus fixed his headquarters at York, where\nhe built his church, the forerunner of the present cathedral. This\nattempt of the Romans to christianise Northumbria was, however, of short\nduration. Cadwalla and Penda rose against them, and Edwin fell in battle\nat Hatfield Moor in Yorkshire. Paulinus, despairing of the cause,\nreturned to Kent with the queen-widow Ethelburga and her children; and\nunder Cadwalla and Penda, the kingdom soon relapsed into Paganism.\n\nWe must now direct our attention to a small, barren island on the west\ncoast of Scotland, Iona. Here came a voluntary exile (A.D. 563),\nColumba, a monk, said to have been a descendant of the Irish kings. Here\nhe lived and founded a great missionary monastery, which afterwards\nbecame the centre of Christian influence in Scotland and the north of\nEngland. He and his followers were active workers; they wrote Gospels\nand devotional books, preached, and built churches of wood. Columba died\n(A.D. 597), but his work was continued.\n\nIn 634, Oswald, a son of Ethelfrith, became king of Northumbria. In his\nyouth he, with his brothers, had been obliged to flee to Scotland,\nwhere, during his exile, Oswald was converted to Christianity by the\nteachers of Iona. On his return he defeated and killed Cadwalla at\nHevenfeld, or Heavenfield, near Hexham, in 634, and became the means of\nfinally introducing Christianity into his kingdom. Soon after he became\nking, Oswald sent to Iona for help, and in reply came a monk, who, for\nsome reason, said by old writers to be his harshness, failed in his\nmission. He was replaced by another monk named Aidan (635-651), who was\neminently successful. Beda speaks of him as \"a man of great piety and\nzeal, combined with tender charity and gentleness.\" Aidan became\nintimately associated with King Oswald, the two working together, and he\nchose for his headquarters the small sandy island of Lindisfarne, off\nthe Northumbrian coast, which we now know as \"Holy Island.\"\n\nLindisfarne thus resembled Iona, and it is probable that the similarity\nof position and surroundings influenced Aidan in his choice. However\nthat may be, Aidan there founded his monastery and directed the work of\nhis monks.\n\nPassing over a short period, we find at Lindisfarne a monk who is so\nintimately connected with this cathedral that he demands special\nattention--the great S. Cuthbert, sixth bishop of Lindisfarne, and the\npatron saint of Durham. Little is known of his birth and parentage. Some\nwriters give him a Scotch origin, others Irish,[1] and others again say\nhe was born of humble parents on the banks of the Tweed. The latter is\nmost probable. Certain it is that at an early age he was left an orphan,\nand was employed as an under-shepherd near to Melrose. From his earliest\nyouth he was thoughtful and pious, and watched and imitated in his mode\nof life the monks of Melrose. There are numerous legends and stories of\nS. Cuthbert's youth. He is said to have wrought many miracles, even to\nthe extent of stilling a tempest. One of these may be told here on\naccount of the share it played in his choice of monastic life:--On a\ncertain night in A.D. 651, while tending his sheep, his companions being\nasleep, Cuthbert saw in the heavens a brilliant shaft of light, and\nangels descending. These very shortly re-ascended, bearing among them \"a\nspirit of surpassing brightness.\" In the morning it was found that the\ngood S. Aidan was dead. The vision had a marked and lasting effect on\nCuthbert, and eventually resulted in his entering the monastery at\nMelrose. For ten years Cuthbert led a holy and studious life at Melrose,\nunder Prior Boisil, when he was chosen among others to proceed to the\nnewly-founded monastery at Ripon. His sojourn there was, however, short,\nas owing to doctrinal differences concerning the celebration of Easter,\nhe and the other Scottish monks returned to Melrose. Some four years\nlater, on the death of Boisil, Cuthbert was elected his successor, as\nprior of Melrose. In A.D. 664, we find him holding the same office at\nLindisfarne, where he remained for twelve years. He then retired from\nhis position, in order to attain a higher degree of Christian perfection\nby living a solitary life, first on a small island near Lindisfarne, and\nafterwards on the island of Farne, near Bamburgh. There are many stories\ntold of his great piety at this time, so that even the wild sea-birds\nare said to have obeyed him.\n\n [1] Sanderson, in his edition of \"Rites of Durham,\" 1767, says:\n \"He is said to be descended from the Blood Royal of the Kings\n of Ireland, being son of one Muriardach and Sabina his wife,\n a King's daughter. He was educated in the Abbey of Mailrose.\"\n\nIn the year A.D. 685 Cuthbert was, though against his own wishes,\nconsecrated Bishop of Lindisfarne. His great activity and usefulness in\nthis office was soon cut short, for in less than two years, on the 20th\nof March A.D. 687, he died. Obediently to his own request, his body was\nwrapped in a linen cloth, which had been given him by the Abbess Yerca;\nand, placed in a stone coffin, the gift of the Abbot Cudda, was interred\nin the church at Lindisfarne. He was not to rest, however. In A.D. 698\nthe monks disinterred his remains in order to place them in a\nspecially-prepared wooden coffin. It is said they found the saint's body\nperfectly incorrupt. To quote the quaint Hegge:\n\n But whiles they opened his coffin, they start at a wonder, they\n look't for bones and found flesh, they expected a skeleton, and saw\n an entire bodie, with joynts flexible, his flesh so succulent, that\n there only wanted heate to make his bodie live without a soul, and\n his face so dissembling death, that elsewhere it is true that sleep\n is the image of death, but here death was the image of sleep. Nay,\n his very funerall weeds were so fresh, as if putrefaction had not\n dared to take him by the coat.[2]\n\n [2] \"County of Durham,\" by J.K. Boyle, F.S.A.\n\nWhatever may be the truth of this, his body was placed in a wooden\ncoffin, portions of which are still preserved in the chapter library at\nDurham.\n\nOver a century and a half after these events the coast of Northumbria\nwas disturbed and troubled by the piratical invasions of the Danes. The\nnumber and violence of these incursions so increased that the whole\ncountry lay practically at their mercy. Becoming alarmed for their own\nsafety and that of their holy relics, the monks of Lindisfarne fled,\ntaking with them the body of their saint, and all their sacred vessels\nand books. This occurred in A.D. 875.\n\nHere commenced that long wandering which eventually ended in the\nfounding of the Cathedral Church of Durham, where the bones of S.\nCuthbert found their final resting-place.\n\nBishop Eardulph and his monks, with their sacred charge, travelled for\nseven years, over a great portion of the north of England and part of\nthe south of Scotland. Many churches dedicated to S. Cuthbert in the\nnorth are thought to mark their resting-places. From a list of these\ngiven by Prior Wessington the probable route of the wanderers can be\napproximately, made out as follows:--First to Elsdon and down the Rede\nto Haydon Bridge. Up the South Tyne to Beltinghame, and then following\nthe route of the Roman Wall to Bewcastle. Turning south to Salkeld, and\nthence by Eden Hall and Plumbland into Lancashire, towards the river\nDerwent. Here they came to a determination to cross to Ireland, and took\nship from the mouth of the Derwent. Very soon a violent storm arose, the\nvessel became unmanageable and was nearly filled with water, which,\naccording to Symeon, immediately turned into blood. A return was\ninevitable. It was during this attempt that the famous copy of the\nGospels, known as the Durham Book, was washed overboard into the sea.\nThis book is, perhaps, the most beautiful example of Anglo-Saxon writing\nand illumination extant, and is surpassed only by the celebrated Irish\nMS., the Book of Kells. It was shortly afterwards found on the coast in\na comparatively uninjured condition; and is now preserved in the British\nMuseum. The wandering monks next turned northwards as far as Witherne,\non the Galloway coast, and then returned to England, through\nWestmoreland and across Stainmoor into Teesdale, staying for a time at\na village, which no doubt owes it present name Cotherstone to this\ncircumstance. Leaving here and crossing the hills, through Marske,\nForcett and Barton, they arrived at the abbey of Craike, near\nEasingwold, where they were kindly treated by the abbot, and remained\nabout four months. On resuming their journey the monks removed the body\nof S. Cuthbert to Cuncachester, or, as we now know it, Chester-le-Street,\na former Roman camp. Here the fraternity remained for a hundred and\nthirteen years; and here was the seat of the Bishopric of Bernicia until\nA.D. 995. Many are the legends clustering round these journeyings. How,\nwhen leaving Lindisfarne, the sea opened a passage for them, and how in\nmore than one difficulty the dead saint himself gave them assistance.\nNotably, on one occasion when the bearers were worn out and weary he\nappeared and showed them where they would find a horse and car in which\nto carry their burden. This horse and car were afterwards used on their\njourneys.\n\nIn the year 995, again for safety, they removed once more under Bishop\nAldhun, first for a short time to Ripon, and then finally to Durham. It\nis of this last journey the following story is told:--\n\n \"Coming with him\" (_v._ Sanderson), \"on the _East_ Side of _Durham_,\n to a Place call'd _Wardenlawe,_ they could not with all their Force\n remove his body further, for it seemed fastened to the Ground; which\n strange and unforeseen Accident produced great Astonishment in the\n Hearts of the Bishop, the Monks, and their Associates; whereupon\n they fasted and prayed three Days with great Devotion, to know by\n Revelation from God, what to do with the holy Body, which was soon\n granted to them, it being revealed to _Eadmer_, a virtuous Man, that\n he should be carried to _Dunholme_, where he was to be received to a\n Place of Rest. They were again in great Distress, in not knowing\n where _Dunholme_ lay; but as they proceeded, a Woman wanting her\n Cow, called aloud to her Companion, to know if she had seen her? Who\n answered, She was in _Dunholme_. This was an happy and heavenly\n Sound to the distressed Monks, who thereby had Intelligence that\n their Journey's End was at Hand, and the Saint's Body near its\n Resting-place; thereupon with great Joy they arrived with his\n Body at _Dunholme_, in the Year 997.\"\n\n[Illustration: The Dun Cow.]\n\nArrived at Dunholm they raised a \"little Church of Wands and Branches\"\nto protect the sacred relics until a building more worthy of such a\ncharge could be erected. This was the beginning of the Cathedral and\nCity of Durham.\n\nThe condition of the place at this time must have been very wild, and it\ncertainly was a natural stronghold. The only open spot seems to have\nbeen the plateau where the cathedral now stands. The site is curiously\ndescribed in a Saxon poem, from which the following is a translation:--\n\n The City is celebrated\n In the whole Empire of the Britons\n The road to it is steep\n It is surrounded with rocks\n And with curious plants\n The Wear flows round it\n A river of rapid waves\n And there live in it\n Fishes of various kinds\n Mingling with the floods.\n And there grow\n Great Forests,\n There live in the recesses\n Wild Animals of many sorts\n In the deep valleys\n Deer innumerable.\n\nAs soon as possible a stone chapel was built, in which the body of S.\nCuthbert was placed. Bishop Aldhun, not satisfied with this, determined\nto establish a great church. Work was immediately commenced and\nprogressed so rapidly that the building, known as \"the White Church,\"\nwas consecrated in A.D. 999. Of this there would seem to be no authentic\nremains existing; although some authorities think portions of it are\nincluded in the present cathedral. Bishop Aldhun died in 1018. The next\ndate of importance is the year 1081, when William of Saint Carileph was\nappointed Bishop by the Conqueror. He was a monk of the Benedictine\norder, and at once drove out and dispossessed the secular clergy at\nDurham, replacing them from the Benedictine Monasteries which were\nestablished at Jarrow and Monkwearmouth. Bishop Carileph is the man to\nwhom we owe the present Cathedral of Durham. In 1088 he was obliged to\nflee into exile in Normandy, where he remained three years, through his\nhaving taken part in the rebellion against William II. It was probably\nduring this time of banishment that he conceived the idea that if he\nreturned to Durham he would build a more worthy church, such as were\nalready erected and in course of construction in Normandy.\n\nSoon after his return in 1091 he commenced to carry out his scheme; and\nwe learn that on the 11th of August 1093, the foundation stone of the\nnew church was laid, with great pomp.\n\nThe work proceeded rapidly, commencing at the east end. By the time of\nBishop Carileph's death, which occurred in 1096, the walls of the choir,\nthe eastern walls of the transepts, the tower arches, and a portion of\nthe first bay of the nave, were completed. It is also very probable that\nthe lower portion of the walls of the whole church are of Carileph's\ntime.\n\nAfter the death of Bishop Carileph the see of Durham remained vacant for\nthree years. The monks, however, were not idle during this period, and\nthey continued the work vigorously, completing the west walls of the\ntransepts and the vaulting of the north transept. In 1099 Ralph Flambard\nwas appointed bishop, and he held the office until 1128. He carried on\nthe building as the funds at his disposal would allow, sometimes rapidly\nand at others more slowly. Before his death it would appear that he\ncompleted the nave as high as the wall plates and altogether finished\nand roofed the aisles. The western towers as far as the height of the\nroof of the nave are also the work of Flambard. In 1104 the work was so\nfar advanced as to permit the removal of the body of S. Cuthbert, from\nthe temporary shrine which Bishop Carileph had erected over it, into the\nnew church. This ceremony was performed on August 29th, 1104, and the\ncoffin was placed in a shrine behind the high altar.\n\nOn Flambard's death in 1128 the see was again left vacant for five\nyears, but we are told that the monks continued the work and completed\nthe nave. The portion built by them at this time must of necessity have\nbeen the vaulting and roof, the architectural features of which are\nquite in accordance with the date, being late Norman.\n\nFlambard's successor was Galfrid Rufus, who was Bishop from 1133 to\n1140.\n\nDuring his episcopate the chapter-house, which had been commenced by\nthe monks, was completed. Rufus also replaced the then existing north\nand south doorways of the nave, by those standing to-day.\n\nThe next bishop, William de St Barbara (1143 to 1152), does not appear\nto have added anything to the cathedral. During his time of office the\nsee was usurped by William Cummin, and building operations were no doubt\nneglected through the troubles arising from the usurpation. His\nsuccessor, Hugh Pudsey (1153 to 1195) was, however, a great builder;\nappointed to the see at a comparatively early age, and, living as he\ndid, at a time when very great changes were taking place in\narchitectural style, he was able to carry out a great deal of beautiful\nwork.\n\nHe began to build a Lady Chapel at the east end of the choir, but\nalthough he had made careful preparations, and engaged skilled\narchitects and workmen, great cracks appeared in the walls before the\nwork had proceeded far, and the building was stopped. Bishop Pudsey,\ntaking this as a divine revelation that the work was not pleasing to\nGod, and the patron S. Cuthbert, abandoned it and commenced another\nchapel at the west end of the church, using in its erection the Purbeck\nmarble bases and columns which he had had prepared for his eastern\nchapel. This second attempt was successful and remains to us in that\nbeautiful and unique specimen of Transitional work, the Galilee Chapel.\nIts date may be taken, says Canon Greenwell, \"as about the year 1175.\"\nBesides this work Pudsey built the hall and solar now called (at the\ntop) the \"Norman Gallery\" of Durham Castle.\n\nLittle or nothing further seems to have been done until the translation\nof Bishop Poore from the see of Sarum to Durham in 1229. The name of\nBishop Poore is inseparably connected with the building of the present\nSalisbury Cathedral, and after his removal to Durham he conceived the\nidea of, and made preparations for, commencing the eastern transept of\nthe Cathedral, which is a special feature of Durham, now known as the\nChapel of the Nine Altars. He was not, however, destined to live to see\nhis idea carried out.\n\nThe eastern termination of Carileph's choir had been apsidal; it was\nfound to be in a very unsafe condition, cracks and fissures appearing in\nthe walls. Various bishops and priors sent aid towards \"the new work,\"\nbut actual building did not commence until after the death of Bishop\nPoore in 1237. The erection was commenced by Prior Melsanby and, of\ncourse, necessitated the taking down of Carileph's apses. The revaulting\nof the choir was undertaken at this time, doubtless, for artistic\nreasons, to bring the new work into harmony with the old. The Chapel of\nthe Nine Altars is a rare and valuable specimen of Early English Gothic\narchitecture of remarkable and graceful design. Below each of its nine\nlancet windows was originally an altar, dedicated to different saints.\nIts great height was obtained by lowering the floor, so that the unity\nof the whole exterior should not be destroyed. Prior Melsanby is also\nsaid to have put a new roof on the church.\n\nPrior Hugh de Derlington, who was at the head of affairs from 1258 to\n1272, and later from 1285 to 1289, added a belfry to the central tower.\n\nJohn Fossor, made prior of Durham in 1342, inserted the large window in\nthe north transept and the west windows of the nave.\n\nBishop Thomas de Hatfield (1346 to 1381) seems to have done no\narchitectural work beyond the erection of his own throne and tomb (in\nwhich he was afterwards buried) on the south side of the choir. This is\nan elaborate and sumptuous piece of work, and shows remains of rich\ncolouring and gilding. About this time, also, the beautiful altar screen\nknown as the Neville screen was erected. Its cost was principally borne\nby Lord John Neville, though the Priors Fossor and Berrington and the\nsubordinate cells of Jarrow and Monkwearmouth were also contributors.\nThe screen is of stone--very light and graceful, and originally\ncontained in the niches 107 figures, which have unfortunately been\ndestroyed.\n\nBishop Walter de Skirlaw, who occupied the episcopal throne from 1388 to\n1405, was a great builder. To him mainly we owe the present cloisters,\nthough they were completed by his successor, Cardinal Langley, in 1418.\n\nThe monks' dormitory on the western side of the cloister is also of this\ntime. On the southern side was the refectory. This portion was rebuilt\nby Dean Sudbury between 1661 and 1684 and converted into a library, and\nsuch it remains to-day.\n\nNear the refectory is the kitchen, built by Prior Fossor. It is\noctagonal in plan, and possesses a fine groined roof. It is now attached\nto the deanery, and known as the dean's kitchen.\n\nWe must now turn our attention to the erection of the present central\ntower. The belfry added by Hugh de Derlington was in 1429 struck by\nlightning and set on fire. It must after this have been repaired in some\nway, but in 1456 it was in a very unsafe and dangerous condition, as the\nfollowing letter written by the prior, William Ebchester, to Bishop\nNeville testifies:--\n\n \"The Belfry of your church, both in its masonry and timber, in\n consequence of winds and storms is so enfeebled and shaken, that\n doubts are entertained of its standing for any length of time. We\n have called in workmen in both capacities, and they have reported to\n us that three of its sides are out of perpendicular, that many of\n the Key and cornerstones of its windows have fallen out, that in\n other respects it is defective, and that besides, its woodwork is in\n a state of great decay so that it cannot be expected to stand for\n any length of time. Some are of opinion that the belfry should be\n totally removed as it cannot stand longer; others on the contrary,\n wish it to be perfectly restored; a thing which exceeds our means,\n unless we have the advantage of charitable aid. In this state of\n doubt and hesitation, we have recourse to you, as members to their\n head, presuming not to engage in any such great and stupendous\n alteration with reference to your church, without your advice.\n\n \"If, which God forbid, the tower should fall, the solemn fabric of\n our choir, and the shrine of our most holy patron, would without\n doubt, be broken down and irrevocably laid flat on the ground, for\n that is the direction in which it leans. We confess that whenever\n winds and storms are high, and we are standing at our duty in that\n part of the church we tremble for our fate, having positive danger\n before our eyes.\"\n\nShortly afterwards, the rebuilding of all the upper part of the central\ntower was commenced and continued for some years. It was not complete in\n1474 when Richard Bell was prior, as in a letter written at the time he\nmentions the \"reedificacion of our steeple, begun but nogt fynyshed, in\ndefaulte of goods, as God knoweth.\" It is therefore most probable that\nthe upper portion was not completed until towards the close of the\nfifteenth century.\n\nWe have now reached a period when the glories of Gothic architecture\nwere fading, during which many of our finest churches suffered\nconsiderably. Durham is no exception to the rule, and we find during the\nnext two centuries a long record of destruction and so-called\nimprovement. This, perhaps, reached its worst stage during the time of\nWyatt, who in 1796 pulled down the magnificent Norman chapter-house.\nDuring the last decade, however, this has been completely rebuilt from\nas nearly as possible the original design. Wyatt also rebuilt the\nturrets on the eastern transept or Nine Altar Chapel from his own\ndesign, and removed the great Early English rose window in the east end\nand replaced it by the present one. The original stained glass was taken\nout of all the windows of the east end, and Raine, in his history, tells\nus that it \"lay for a long time afterwards in baskets upon the floor,\nand when the greater part of it had been purloined, the remainder was\nlocked up in the Galilee.... At a still later period, about fifteen\nyears ago, portions of it were placed in the great round window, and the\nrest still remains unappropriated.\" This was written in 1833. It is also\non record that Wyatt formed a scheme to re-open the great western\ndoorway of the cathedral by the pulling down of the Galilee Chapel, from\nwhich he intended constructing a carriage-drive to the castle. This\nabomination was actually commenced when Dean Cornwallis arrived, and he,\nwith the assistance of John Carter, and the Society of Antiquaries, was\nfortunately able to put a stop to it. Thus was this beautiful and unique\nspecimen of Transitional Norman architecture preserved to us.\n\nWyatt contemplated several other \"improvements\" of a similar character,\none of which was the surmounting of the central tower by a spire, but\nfortunately he was not allowed to carry them out.\n\nDuring the present century many restorations have been made, of which we\nwill mention only the most notable:--The central tower was restored by\nSir Gilbert Scott in 1859.\n\nDuring 1870 to 1876 extensive internal alterations were made. A new\nchoir screen and pulpit were erected, the floor of the choir laid in\nmarble mosaic, the choir stalls returned to their original positions,\nand the walls of the church scraped in order to clear them from the many\ncoats of lime and distemper which lay on them.\n\n[Illustration: The West End (from an Old Print).]\n\nThe Norman chapter-house has lately been restored and in great part\nrebuilt as a memorial to the late Bishop Lightfoot.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: The Exterior, From Palace Green.]\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nDESCRIPTION OF THE EXTERIOR\n\n\nApproaching the Cathedral Church of Durham from the north by the large\nopen space between it and the Castle, known as the Palace Green, we\nobtain a complete elevation of the whole structure. There is little room\nto doubt, though the details naturally vary with the date of erection,\nthat the original plan of Carileph's church has been carried out in its\nentirety, with two exceptions. These are the addition of the eastern\ntransept or nine altar chapel at the east, and the Galilee or Lady\nChapel at the west end. The entire length of the building, not including\nthe Galilee chapel, is 431 feet, which is made up as follows:--Nine\naltar chapel 51 feet, the choir 120 feet, the transept 57 feet, and the\nnave 203 feet.\n\nThe #Western Towers# are square and solid, and were evidently\nincluded in Carileph's own scheme, as the wall arcades on both the\ninterior and exterior are carried round them. The Norman work is\ncontinued as far as the nave roof, and it is extremely probable that\nthey were originally terminated at this height, in accordance with the\nNorman custom, with low pyramidal spires, probably of wood. Exactly at\nwhat date they were raised is not on record, but the style of\narchitecture of the upper portion suggests the early part of the\nthirteenth century. The added portion, namely that above the\nclerestory, consists of four stages, and is beautifully varied by\nmoulded arcading, with blind and open arches. The first and third stages\nhave pointed arches, while those of the second and fourth are round.\nAbove this again were tall wooden spires covered with lead. These were\nremoved about the year 1657, and towards the close of the eighteenth\ncentury the present pinnacles and open parapets were added. At this\ntime, also, much of the surface of the towers was renewed.\n\nThe #Central Tower.#--The present central tower is noble in\nproportion, and forms a fitting and harmonious summit to the whole\ngroup. It must needs be of a very different character from the old\nNorman tower, of which no trace now remains; and was most probably of\nthe usual type, low and square, and surmounted by a short pyramidal\nspire. The existing structure may be attributed to Bishop Booth and\nPrior Richard Bell, about 1474, when the letter previously quoted was\nwritten. Externally the tower is divided into two storeys. The lower\nportion contains, on each side, a pair of two-light windows, glazed,\neach divided by a transom, and their heads having an ogee label\ncrocketed and finished with a tall finial also crocketed. Between and on\neither side of these windows are panelled pilasters and brackets\ncarrying figures. The lower and upper stages are divided by a narrow\nexternal gallery running round the tower, and protected by a pierced,\nembattled parapet. This is known as the Bell Ringers' Gallery, and\ncertainly adds greatly to the effect of the tower as a whole. The upper\nstage, which is much less lofty, has also two two-light windows on each\nface, surmounted by crocketed ogee label mouldings and finials. These\nlights are louvred. The whole is surmounted by a deep open-work parapet.\nOn each angle of the tower are two buttresses, which are decorated with\npanelling and canopied and crocketed niches containing figures. The\ninterior of the tower or lantern is remarkable for the gallery which\nruns round it, which is reached from the roofs of the nave and choir\ntransepts by doors. It rests on corbels, each alternate one being carved\nwith grotesque heads, and is protected by a parapet pierced in\nquatrefoils. The four doorways are ogee-headed, with crockets and\nfinials. There is strong evidence in the construction of the present\ntower that it was the original intention to surmount it by some other\nerection, probably a spire. Each interior angle contains strong and\nmassive squinches which are of no constructive use at present, and must\nhave been originally inserted to carry some superstructure. The\nbuttresses at the angles are also carried up to the parapet, which would\nseem to point to the same conclusion. Why this project was never carried\nout cannot be said, but probably it would not have added to the artistic\neffect of the tower. The belfry contains a peal of eight bells.\n\n[Illustration: The Central Tower.]\n\nThe #East Front.#--The circumstances which led to the removal of\nCarileph's apses and the erection of the eastern transept have\nalready been referred to. The present east end is divided into three\nbays by massive buttresses, each of which contains three lofty lancet\nwindows separated by smaller buttresses. Over all, and in the gable, is\nthe famous large rose window. The north and south ends of the transept\nare finished with the tall pyramidal pinnacles erected by Wyatt.\n\nThe #West Front# of Durham has, curiously enough, also lost its\noriginal character. The western doorway of the cathedral is hidden on\nthe exterior by the Galilee or Lady Chapel, which was added by Pudsey in\n1175. Above the Galilee roof is the large window inserted about the year\n1346, while John Fossor was prior. The pointed arch of this window has\nover it, on the exterior, the original great semi-circular arch. Above\nthis again, and between the two flanking western towers, is a small\ngable. The west end of the cathedral, when seen from the opposite side\nof the river, is extremely picturesque. The projecting mass of the\nGalilee, the western towers, the foreshortened nave roof, and the\nmajestic central tower behind and above, form a group of high and rare\nexcellence.\n\nThe #North Door# is now the principal entrance to the cathedral.\nExternally the present porch is the work of Wyatt. The first porch was\nNorman, of four orders depth, with detached shafts in the recesses.\nAbove this was a high-pitched gable and roof, the front being ornamented\nwith a semi-circular-headed wall arcading. The inner side of the doorway\nis of two orders only, and is probably the only remaining portion of the\noriginal. The outer shaft is left plain, while the inner one, in each\ncase, is most elaborately carved. The capitals are all carved, and the\narch moulds richly ornamented with chevrons, foliage, and lozenges, as\nwell as many curious figure subjects. While examining this doorway,\nnotice should be taken of the ironwork of the door itself, and\nparticularly of the sanctuary knocker. In mediaeval times all churches\nafforded sanctuary to wrong-doers, but at places where the shrines of\nsaints existed the sanctuary privileges were much greater. Durham being\none of these, there are many curious cases on record of persons claiming\nthe privilege, and protection from the secular law. The earliest\ninstance, of which any record has been kept, of sanctuary being claimed\nat the shrine of S. Cuthbert is during the episcopate of Cynewulf, who\nwas bishop from 740 to 748, and the last recorded was in 1524. Criminals\nclaiming sanctuary were admitted by two janitors, who occupied two\nsmall chambers over the doorway, traces of which may still be observed.\nThe knocker itself, as may be seen from the illustration, is a great\ngrotesque head, made of bronze, and hanging from its grinning mouth is a\nring. Originally, there is no doubt, the eyes were filled with crystals\nor enamel, as small claw-like pieces of bronze remain by which the\nfilling was attached. The age of this piece of work is probably the same\nas that of the doorway itself.\n\n[Illustration: Detail Of Ironwork.]\n\n[Illustration: The Sanctuary Knocker.]\n\n[Illustration: Ironwork On Doors of Cloisters.]\n\nThe #South Doorways.#--There are two doorways into the south aisle,\none, known as the Monks' Door, opening from the western portion of the\ncloisters and immediately opposite the north porch just described. On\nthe cloister side this shows a Norman arch resting on double shafts,\nwhich are enriched with a lozenge pattern. On the inner or aisle side\nthere are two orders, with shafts in the recesses, which are also\ndecorated with the lozenge. The inner arch is carved with chevrons, and\nthe outer with conventional foliage and medallions. The capitals are\nrichly carved with foliage and grotesques. On the abacus and arch of\nthis doorway occurs a leaf pattern strongly suggesting the Byzantine\ninfluence which at one time was found in Norman decoration. Here again,\non the door itself, we have a fine specimen of very elaborate and\ncharacteristic Norman iron-work. The second, known as the Priors' Door,\nopens into the south aisle from the eastern alley of the cloister, is\nalso Norman. The outer or cloister side is of the time of Bishop Pudsey,\nand has an arch of four orders, with three shafts in the recesses on\neither side. Its once elaborate sculpture is now much decayed, not\nenough remaining to suggest that in its original state this doorway must\nhave been a noble specimen of the architectural design of its period. On\nthe inner side it exhibits work of Carileph's time, with an early arch,\ncushion capitals, and shafts.\n\n[Illustration: Ornament On South Doorway.]\n\nThe #Western Doorway.#--The exterior of this great doorway is now within\nthe Galilee chapel. It was built by Flambard (1099-1128), and is\ncomparatively plain. On the Galilee side it consists of an arch of four\norders ornamented with chevrons. The inner face is very similar to the\nouter, but is shallower, having only two orders. The shafts and capitals\nare without decoration, and the arch ornamented with chevron and a leaf\npattern with medallions carved with grotesque animals. In order to\nreopen this doorway and make a carriage road up to it, Wyatt proposed\npulling down the Galilee chapel.\n\n[Illustration: The Cloister.]\n\nThe #Cloister# occupies a large open space, bounded on the south,\neast, and west by the various monastic buildings, and on the north by\nthe cathedral itself. The existing cloister was commenced during the\ntime of Bishop Skirlaw (1388 to 1406), and was completed by Cardinal\nLangley (who held the see from 1406 till 1438), probably in the earlier\npart of his episcopate. The contracts (the first dated 1398) for\nbuilding the cloister are still preserved in the treasury. We are\nindebted to Bishop Skirlaw for their very existence, as it is recorded\nthat he contributed sums of money for this purpose, both during his life\nand by his will. The cloister, as seen to-day, has been very much\naltered and restored, and probably the only original feature remaining\nis the fine oaken ceiling. This is panelled, and moulded, and decorated\nwith shields, upon which are painted and gilded various coats of arms.\nIn the centre of the cloister garth are the remains of what was the\nmonks' lavatory. It was erected in the years 1432 and 1433, and was of\noctagonal shape. Some of the stone for its construction was brought from\nEgglestone-on-Tees, on payment of rent to the abbot of that place to\nquarry it. It is said to have had twenty-four brass spouts, seven\nwindows, and in its upper storey a dovecote, the roof of which was\ncovered with lead.\n\nThere is no doubt that there was a cloister attached to the monastery in\nits early days, but of this no trace remains. It is also probable that\none was erected by Bishop Pudsey, though this also has entirely\nvanished, unless (as suggested by Canon Greenwell) some marks of a\nlean-to roof on the north and east walls may be traces of its presence.\nIn the western alley of the cloister is the old treasury, rich in\nrecords, and the vestries for canons, king's scholars, and choristers.\nThe alley opens at the end into what is now called the crypt (see p.\n85). This was undoubtedly the common hall of the monks. It is a spacious\nstone-vaulted chamber. The columns are low and massive, with simple\nmoulded caps, from which the chamfered vaulting ribs diverge. Over the\nhall or crypt is the dormitory, which for a long time formed part of a\nresidence attached to one of the stalls. It is now, however, used as a\nlibrary. It occupies the whole of the western side of the cloister, and\nis 194 feet long. It was originally subdivided, by wooden partitions,\ninto separate sleeping-rooms for each monk. Its massive roof of oak is\nworthy of attention, the tree trunks being merely roughly squared with\nan axe (see p. 99).\n\nIn the south alley was the refectory and the monks' common dining-hall.\nThe original building is now entirely altered, though there remains\nbeneath it a very early crypt, with plain, short square piers, and a\nsimple quadripartite vault without ribs. Another portion is covered by a\nwagon-head vault. Whether the original refectory was of similar\narchitectural character it is now impossible to say, as, whatever it may\nhave been, it was removed early in the sixteenth century and rebuilt,\nand after the dissolution of the monastery was used by the Minor Canons\nof the church as a common hall. It seems to have fallen into a bad state\nof repair, and was again entirely reconstructed by Dean Sudbury\n(1661-1684), who was elected to that office immediately after the\nRestoration. He converted it into a library, to which use it is still\nput. The account of this building, given in the \"Antiquities of Durham,\"\nis of sufficient interest to bear quotation.\n\n \"In the _South_ Alley of the Cloysters,\" says our authority, \"is a\n large Hall, called the Frater-house, finely wainscotted on the\n _North_ and _South_ sides; and in the _West_ and nether Part\n thereof, is a long Bench of Stone in Mason-work, from the Cellar\n Door to the Pantry or Cove Door: Above the Bench is Wainscot Work\n two Yards and a Half high, finely carved, and set with imboss'd Work\n in Wainscot, and gilded under the carved Work. Above the Wainscot\n was a large Picture of our Saviour Christ, the blessed Virgin\n _Mary_, and _S. John_, in fine gilt Work, and most excellent\n Colours; which Pictures having been washed over with Lime did long\n appear through it. This Wainscot had engraven on the Top of it,\n _Thomas Castell_, Prior, Anno Domini, 1518 Mensis Julij. Whence it\n is manifest that Prior _Castell_ wainscotted the Frater-house round\n about.\n\n \"Within the Frater-house Door, on the Left Hand at entering, is a\n strong Almery in the Wall, wherein a great Mazer, called the Grace\n Cup, stood, which every day served the Monks after Grace, to drink\n out of round the Table; which cup was finely edged about with\n Silver, and double Gilt. In the same place were kept many large and\n great Mazers of the same sort.... Every Monk had his Mazer severally\n by himself to drink in, and had all other Things that served the\n whole Convent, and the Frater-house in their daily Service, at their\n Diet, and at their Table.... At these Times (at meals) the Master\n observed these wholesom and godly Orders, for the continual\n instruction of their Youth in Virtue and Learning; that is, one of\n the Novices appointed by the Master, read some Part of the Old and\n New Testament in Latin, during Dinner, having a convenient place at\n the _South_ End of the High Table, within a beautiful Glass Window,\n encompass'd with Iron, and certain Stone Steps, with Iron Rails to\n go up to an Iron Desk, whereon lay the Holy Bible....\n\n \"This Fabrick retained the Name of the Petty Canons' Hall till _Dr\n Sudbury_, Dean of the Cathedral, generously erected a beautiful\n Library in its Place; but he not living to finish it compleatly, did\n by (a clause) in his Last Will, bind his Heir, _Sir John Sudbury_,\n to the due Execution thereof.\"\n\n[Illustration: S. Cuthbert's Chest.]\n\nThe contents of the library are both numerous and interesting. There are\nseveral thousands of volumes, many of them being rare and valuable.\nNumerous ancient illuminated MSS., among which is a copy of the Gospels\nof S. Mark, S. Luke, and S. John, written before the year 700; and\nseveral books given by Bishops Carileph and Pudsey. Among the latter is\na Bible, in four volumes, in its original stamped leather binding. A\ncollection of ancient copes belonging to the cathedral, and the remains\nof the robes of S. Cuthbert, and other relics taken from his coffin when\nit was exhumed, in 1827, may also be seen here. Numerous specimens of\nRoman altars, tablets, and sculptured stones, from various Roman\nstations in Durham and Northumberland, notably from Hexham, are\npreserved in this library, which is open to the public on Tuesday and\nFriday in each week from eleven to one. The room is finely proportioned,\nand has a magnificent open timber roof.\n\n[Illustration: The Chapter-House.]\n\nThe #Chapter-House# opens upon the eastern alley of the cloister. The\npresent building is a very recent restoration of the original, which is\nacknowledged to have been the finest existing Norman chapter-house\nremaining in England. It was erected, or more probably completed, during\nthe time of Bishop Galfrid Rufus (1133-1140), and was in existence until\n1796, during the episcopate of Bishop Barrington. At that time it was\nalmost totally destroyed, on the advice of Wyatt, who reported to the\nchapter that it was in a ruinous state. The truth of this report is\ndoubtful, but the partial demolition of the building was ordered in\nNovember 1795, and also the construction of a new room on the site. The\nwork of destruction was begun by knocking out the keystones of the\nvaulting and allowing the roof to fall in. The eastern half of the\nbuilding was then altogether removed, and the remaining portion enclosed\nby a wall. Its interior was faced with lath and plaster, a plaster\nceiling and a boarded floor being added. Fortunately authentic records\nof its original appearance, both exterior and interior, are in\nexistence. They are the drawings made for the Society of Antiquaries by\nJohn Carter in 1795. Its dimensions were 78 by 35 feet; the east end\nbeing apsidal and the roof a vault of one span. Round the wall of the\ninterior ran a stone bench raised on two steps, which was surmounted,\nexcept at the west end, by a wall arcade, of round-headed intersecting\narches, similar to that in the aisles of the cathedral, but with single\ninstead of double shafts. Above the arcade was a string course carved\nwith zig-zag ornament. The entrance was from the west end, and the east\nend was occupied by two seats, one for the bishop and one for the prior.\nIn the apse were five three-light windows of the Decorated period, and\nabove the western door a five-light Perpendicular window, which\ncontained coloured glass, illustrating the \"Root of Jesse.\" On either\nside of this was a window of two lights, divided by a shaft and enclosed\nunder one arch, carved with chevron ornament. There was also a\nround-headed Norman window in each of the north and south walls. A\ndoorway in the south wall led to three chambers, one larger, and two\nsmaller, which are stated in the \"Rites of Durham\" to have been used as\na prison for the monks. The chapter-house was used in early times as a\nburial-place for the bishops, and many of their graves with inscriptions\nwere in existence previous to the demolition of 1796. During excavations\nin 1874, the graves of Bishops Flambard, Galfrid Rufus, S. Barbara, de\nInsula, and Kellaw were opened, when various rings and the head of a\ncrozier were discovered and removed to the dean and chapter library.\n\nThe chapter-house has now been entirely restored as a memorial to the\nlate Bishop Lightfoot.\n\nThe #Northern Alley# of the Cloister, running along the south wall of\nthe church, contains little of interest, except the two doorways\npreviously described.\n\nThe effect of the cloister as a whole, in its original condition, with\nthe windows glazed, many containing fine stained glass, the oak roof\nwith its heraldry and colour, and the lavatory in the centre of the\ngarth, must have been exceptionally fine.\n\n[Illustration: The Exterior, from the South-east.]\n\nA sculptured panel on the north-west turret of the Nine Altar Chapel is\nnow known as the #Dun Cow#. The original sculpture was replaced in\nthe last century by the existing panel, but the legend connected with it\nis interesting. After their flight from Chester-le-Street, the monks,\nbearing the body of S. Cuthbert, remained some time at Ripon. While\ntrying to return to Chester-le-Street, at a place called Wardlaw, the\ncoffin stuck fast, and remained absolutely fixed. A fast of three days\nwas proclaimed and kept, when it was revealed to them that they were to\ncarry their saint to Dunholme. Still they were in difficulties, not\nknowing where Dunholme was, but fortune, or Providence, again favoured\nthem. A woman, who had lost a cow, passed, calling to a companion to\ninquire if she had seen the animal. The reply was that her cow was in\nDunholme; and, to the relief of the monks, they and their precious\ncharge soon safely arrived there. In grateful commemoration of the\nincident Flambard erected this monument of a milkmaid and her cow. (See\np. 9.)\n\nThe exterior of Durham Cathedral as a whole may at first sight be\ndisappointing to the visitor. Seen from a near view there is a certain\nflatness of effect and want of light and shade which is, perhaps,\nslightly unpleasant. This is, however, largely attributable to the\nscaling and scraping process to which the building was subjected during\nthe last century, when some inches of the outer surface of the stone,\nand with it much architectural detail, were removed. The result is the\nflatness previously alluded to, and a general newness of appearance\npervades the structure. Seen, however, from a distance, where only the\nfinely-grouped and proportioned masses of masonry, towers, and turrets\nstand against the sky, the result is magnificent, giving an impression\nof grandeur and dignity unsurpassed by any other English cathedral.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: The Nave, looking West.]\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nDESCRIPTION OF THE INTERIOR\n\n\nIf the exterior of Durham is in any way disappointing, the interior more\nthan compensates for its shortcomings. The general impression on\nentering the church is one of simple dignity and solemnity. The great\nmassiveness of the structure and absence of elaborate ornament no doubt\ncontribute to this feeling. The pious builders of old have certainly\ncontrived to stamp on their work their own feeling of awe in the\npresence of the All-Powerful and Eternal God. Whatever has been lost\nthrough vandalism and the restorer, this remains unaltered. The general\ndesign of the church, exclusive of detail, which, of course, changed and\ndeveloped with the progress of Gothic art, has undoubtedly been carried\nout on the plan intended by Bishop Carileph, the only important\nvariation being the addition of the transept at the east end, known as\nthe Nine Altars Chapel. The original plan consists of a nave and aisles,\ntransepts with aisles on their eastern side, a choir also with aisles,\nand the three apses of the east end, with a central tower over the\njunction of transepts, nave, and choir, and towers flanking the west\nend.\n\n[Illustration: One Bay Of The Nave (Measured Drawing).]\n\nEach bay of the #Nave# is divided into two sub-bays. The main bays\nhave massive piers with engaged shafts on the recessed faces. The bases\nof these are cruciform in plan, though the arms of the cross are very\nshort. At the height of the springing of the arch the shafts are\nsurmounted by plain cushion capitals. The division into sub-bays is\neffected by the introduction midway of a massive round column on a\nsquare base. These columns are ornamented in various ways, by channels\ncut on the face. Some take the form of a zig-zag, some a spiral, others\na spiral in two directions, forming a trellis-like pattern, and others\nagain are reeded vertically. Their capitals are octagonal cushions. The\narches of the sub-bays are recessed square, with the usual Norman roll\nmoulding, decorated with chevrons, and on the wall face a square billet.\nThe chevron ornament is absent in the earlier work in the choir and\ntransepts. The triforium is almost uniform throughout the whole church.\nIn each sub-bay it consists of two small arches under one larger one,\nwith the tympanum solid. Here also the capitals are cushions and\nperfectly plain.\n\n[Illustration: Triforium and Clerestory.]\n\nAbove the triforium is the clerestory, which contains one light to each\nsub-bay, and surmounting all is the vaulting, which springs from the\npiers and from grotesquely carved corbels between the triforium arches.\nThe vaulting ribs are ornamented with chevrons on either side of a bold\nsemi-circular moulding. So much for the general arrangement of the bays.\nSome idea of the massiveness of the structures may be gathered when it\nis known that each group of the clustered pillars separating the bays\ncovers an area of two hundred and twenty-five square feet at its base,\nwhile those of the cylindrical columns of the sub-bays are twelve feet\nsquare, and the columns themselves have a circumference of over\ntwenty-three feet. There is little room to doubt that the effect\nobtained by the old builders of Durham was intentional. The masterly way\nin which great masses of solid masonry, greater than was constructively\nnecessary, are handled, and the reticence and delicacy of the ornament\ncombine to prove this. There is in the whole scheme a delightful union\nof great power and vigour in the masses, and of tenderness and loving\ncare in the detail.\n\nThe #Choir# is the earliest part of the church. Its two western bays\nshow Carileph's work, but the eastern piers have been considerably\naltered owing to the addition at a later period of the eastern transept,\nwhen Carileph's apses were taken down. This bay contains some very rich\nand beautiful detail. The piers on either side of the choir are\ndecorated with arcades, the lower stage having six arches, and the upper\nthree, all richly carved with foliage in the caps and hood moulds, and\nwith heads and half figures. There is also a square aumbry on each pier.\nAbove the upper arcade, which breaks through the level of the triforium\nstring course, which is also carried round it, there is on each pier a\nfigure of an angel beneath a canopy. These are the only two figures\nremaining of many which formerly added to the beauty of the interior of\nthe church. The vaulting of the choir is thirteenth-century work,\nquadripartite, the ribs decorated with dog-tooth ornament and square\nleaves, and has fine bosses at the intersections of the diagonal ribs.\nThe choir of Durham is especially interesting to the student of\narchitecture, showing as it does the Early Norman work of Carileph,\ncombined with the Early English and Early Decorated work of the newer\neastern portion.\n\nOn the south side of the choir stands the monument of Bishop Hatfield,\nwho directed the see of Durham from 1345 until 1381. This monument is\nbeneath the Episcopal Throne, which was erected by Bishop Hatfield\nhimself. It consists of an altar tomb surmounted by a recumbent effigy\nof the bishop, in richly-worked robes, beneath a canopy, richly groined,\nwith foliated bosses at the intersections of the ribs. On the walls at\nthe east and west ends may still be seen the remains of fresco painting,\nrepresenting in each case two angels. Beneath the staircase leading up\nto the throne is a very fine decorated arcade, containing several\nshields bearing the bishop's and other arms. The whole structure was\noriginally richly coloured and gilded, and remains of this work can\nstill be made out. It is a noble specimen of the work of its date.\n\nImmediately opposite the tomb of Bishop Hatfield, on the north side of\nthe choir, the visitor will notice the recently-erected memorial to the\nlate Bishop Lightfoot. This is an altar tomb of black and coloured\nmarble. The sides are ornamented with panels of Perpendicular tracery\ncontaining shields. Round the upper mouldings runs a Latin inscription\nin brass. The whole is surmounted by a recumbent figure of the bishop in\nwhite marble, his hands on his breast, and his feet resting against\nthree books. Originally designed by Sir Edgar Boehm, R.A., at his death\nthe monument was completed by Alfred Gilbert, R.A.\n\nThe beautiful altar screen is usually known as the #Neville Screen,#\nand was erected about the year 1380, mainly from moneys supplied by\nJohn, Lord Neville of Raby. It spans the whole of the choir, and is\ncontinued along the sides of the sacrarium, forming sedilia of four\nseats on either side. It is pierced by two doors, which lead to the\nshrine of S. Cuthbert, immediately behind the screen. Though very light\nand graceful in appearance, the screen, as it is at present, can give\nthe beholder little idea of what its appearance must have been when\neach of its canopied niches contained a figure aglow with gold and\ncolour. There were originally 107 of these statues, the centre one\nrepresenting Our Lady, supported on either side by S. Cuthbert and S.\nOswald. Unfortunately none of the figures remain _in situ_.\n\nImmediately in front of the steps of the high altar will be seen the\nmatrix of a large brass. It covers the grave of Ludovick de Bellomonte,\nBishop of Durham from 1318 to 1333. The slab, which is in two pieces,\nmeasures fifteen feet ten inches by nine feet seven inches, and an\nexamination will show the brass to have been an elaborate and sumptuous\ncomposition. Unfortunately all the metal work has disappeared.\n\nThe #Stalls,# as they originally existed, were destroyed in 1650 by\nthe Scottish prisoners, who were kept in the cathedral after the battle\nof Dunbar. The present stalls we owe to Bishop Cosin (1660 to 1672), and\nthey are remarkable pieces of carving for that date. In general\ncharacter they imitate Perpendicular work, though the details do not\nadhere altogether to that style.\n\nBefore leaving this part of the church a note may be devoted to the\nalterations and additions made during the years 1870 to 1876. A new\nscreen between the nave and choir was then erected; the choir floor\nrelaid with marble mosaic; the stalls replaced in their old positions,\nand new portions made to replace those destroyed in 1846. A new organ,\npulpit, and lectern were also added.\n\nThe new #Choir Screen# is very much open to criticism. Though no\ndoubt beautiful in detail, and of excellent workmanship, its effect, as\na whole, is not pleasant, when seen from the west end silhouetted\nagainst the light of the choir. A screen previously existed in this\nposition erected by Bishop Cosin. This was removed in 1846, with the\nidea of improving the appearance of the church from the west end by\nobtaining a \"vista\" through to the Neville screen and rose window of the\neastern transept. The effect seems, however, to have been disappointing,\nhence the erection of the present screen, which may or may not have\nimproved matters. In the two western piers of the choir holes may be\nseen cut in the stonework. These received the rood-beam from which,\nduring Lent, the Lenten curtain was suspended.\n\n[Illustration: The Choir, looking West.]\n\nThe #North Aisle of the Choir,# again, shows the joining and\nharmonising of the \"new work\" of the eastern transept with the earlier\nNorman work. Inside the church the most easterly bay appears to be\naltogether of Early English date; but on the exterior it will be seen\nthat the Norman wall runs right up to the western wall of the eastern\ntransept. The interior of the bay, however, is enriched with a wall\narcade similar to that in the Nine Altars Chapel, and the arch and vault\nare decorated with foliage and dog-tooth ornament.\n\nAlong the side wall of this aisle runs a stone bench bearing the arms of\nBishop Walter de Skirlaw (1388 to 1405), near which he was buried, but\nhis monument and brass, erected by himself, have disappeared.\n\nSlightly westward of the bench is a doorway which at one time opened\ninto the Sacrist's Exchequer, erected by Prior Wessington, but it has\nlong ago been destroyed.\n\nThe piers of the west end of this aisle bear marks which were originally\nholes cut in the stone. These served to support a porch, having a rood\nand altar, which is thus described in the \"Rites of Durham\":\n\n \"Right over the Entrance of this North Alleye, going to the Songe\n Scoole (the Exchequer mentioned above) there was a porch adjoyninge\n to the quire on the South, and S. Benedick's altar on the North, the\n porch having in it an altar, and the roode or picture of our\n Saviour, which altar and roode was much frequented in devotion by\n Docteur Swalwell, sometime monk of Durham, the said roode havinge\n marveilous sumptuous furniture for festivall dayes belonginge to\n it.\"\n\nThe #South Aisle Of the Choir# is similar architecturally to the\nnorth aisle. Here may be seen a doorway, of late thirteenth-century\nwork, which originally led to the revestry, now destroyed.\n\nHere again the eastern piers bear marks left by holes in the stonework,\nwhich originally earned the supports of a screen, in front of which the\nBlack Rood of Scotland, which was taken from King David at the battle of\nNeville's Cross (1346), was placed. The rood is described as having been\nbrought from Holyrood by David Bruce, and was made of silver, with\neffigies of our Saviour, S. John, and Our Lady, having crowns of gold on\ntheir heads. The Black Rood was restored to its original possessors at\nthe close of the war.\n\nThe windows of both the choir aisles originally contained very fine old\nstained glass, representing various saints, and scenes in the life of S.\nCuthbert.\n\nThe #Transepts.#--Leaving the choir by its western end the visitor at\nonce enters the transepts. A large portion of these, including the great\npiers and arches which carry the central tower, are, without doubt, of\nthe time of Carileph. The eastern side of both is certainly his work,\nwhile the western is probably the building which was carried on by the\nmonks in the interval between Carileph's death, in 1096, and the\nappointment of Flambard to the see in 1099. The work on the eastern\nsides differs little from that of the choir, while that of the western\nsides, being plainer, has been thought by some to indicate a want of\nmeans on the part of the monks, while carrying on the work in the\ninterval just alluded to. Each transept consists of two bays, with an\naisle on the eastern side, access to which is gained by the ascent of\nthree steps.\n\nEach of the three sub-bays nearest the north and south extremities\noriginally contained an altar, those in the north transept being\ndedicated to S. Nicholas and S. Giles, S. Gregory and S. Benedict. Over\nthe site of the latter may still be seen remains of fresco painting. The\naltars in the south transept were dedicated--one to S. Faith and S.\nThomas the Apostle, one to our Lady of Bolton and the other to our Lady\nof Houghall. The north transept is closed by a large window, which is\nthe work of Prior Fossor, probably about the year 1362. The window is of\nsix lights, and the head contains late geometrical tracery. The\narchitectural feature of this window, especially for its date, is the\ntransom which crosses the mullions, and which is not visible from the\nexterior. Below the transom is a second inner set of mullions supporting\na small gallery, by means of which access may be had to the triforium.\nIn the year 1512 the window was repaired by Prior Castell, who filled it\nwith stained glass containing large figures, among others of S.\nAugustine, S. Ambrose, S. Gregory, and S. Jerome. From this circumstance\nthe window became known as the window of the Four Doctors of the Church.\nPrior Castell also contrived to introduce a figure of himself kneeling\nat the feet of the Virgin. The large window at the end of the south\ntransept, also named from the glass it contained, the _Te Deum_ window,\nis in the Perpendicular style, and is of six lights. It may possibly\nhave been the work of Prior Wessington, 1416 to 1446. Along the sill of\nthis window also access may be had to the triforium.\n\n[Illustration: The Transepts, looking North.]\n\nBoth the north-west and south-west corners of the transepts contain\nstairways, opening at their various levels on to the triforium,\nclerestory, and the space between the vaulting and the roof. That in the\nsouth transept also gives access to the central tower and belfry, an\nascent of which, if the day be clear, will repay the visitor for his\nfatiguing climb of three hundred and forty steps by the magnificent view\nspread at his feet. The transepts were no doubt the earliest part of the\nbuilding to be vaulted; that of the northern arm being plain is probably\nthe earlier, while that of the south arm, though of similar character,\nhas zig-zag ornaments. Several of the priors of Durham were buried in\nthe transepts, the first, Prior Fossor, 1364, and the last, Robert\nEbchester, who died in 1484.\n\nOn the piers of the transepts projecting brackets may be noticed. These\nare of Perpendicular date, and originally carried statues.\n\nThe crossing, or space between the four piers supporting the central\ntower, gives us a fine view of the interior of the lantern.\n\nThe #Tower# is carried on four large clustered Norman piers with\nsemi-circular arches. Over the arches, and seventy-seven feet above the\nfloor of the church, is the lower stage of the lantern, round which is a\ngallery with an open pierced parapet. It rests on corbels, each\nalternate one being carved with a grotesque head. The walls are panelled\nup to the base of the great windows,--each panel having two cinquefoiled\narches under a crocketed canopy and final; while between them are small\nbuttresses, also panelled, and ending in a finial which reaches the same\nheight as the canopy. Over the panelling is a string course ornamented\nwith that characteristic ornament of the Perpendicular period, the Tudor\nflower, and above this on each face two tall windows near together. Each\nwindow has two lights, and is divided by a transom. The roof of the\nlantern is groined, with fine bosses at the intersections of the ribs.\nThe whole seen from below has a very fine effect, and must be very\ndifferent in appearance from the original Norman structure. The whole of\nthe lantern was refaced, and the statues which had been removed from\ntheir niches were replaced, some thirty years ago, by the Dean and\nChapter of Durham.\n\n[Illustration: Corbel in Choir.]\n\nThe #Norman East End.#--The original form of the Norman east end has\nlong been the subject of discussion and conjecture. It was practically\nsafe to assume that the choir ended in an apse, though whether the\naisles were also apsidal, or continued round a great apse as an\nambulatory, was a debatable point. This question has now been finally\nsettled.\n\n[Illustration: The Choir, looking East.] During some operations\nnecessitating the opening of the floor, in January 1895, certain\nindications were found which led the diocesan architect, Mr C.H. Fowler,\nand Canon Greenwell to continue the excavation. The result was the\ndiscovery that Carileph's church certainly possessed three apses--a\nlarge one terminating the choir, and smaller ones the aisles. The apses\nof the aisles were square externally, and apsidal internally. The great\napse consisted of five bays, one on either side next to the choir,\nforming an oblong between the choir and the springing line of the curve\nof the apse, over which would be the great sanctuary arch. The\nremainder, or apse proper, was divided into three bays by engaged\nclustered shafts, similar to those of the choir and nave. It was\nsurrounded by a wall arcade of the same character as that of the rest of\nthe church. The base of one of the shafts of the arcade was found in\nposition. An extremely interesting point in this discovery is the fact\nthat the levels are the same as those of the nave and choir. The\nfoundations are on the rock at the same depth, and the aisle walls and\napse walls are in the same line. The external square line of the aisle\napses is in line with the springing of the choir apse. The foundations\nof the apse to the north aisle have been thoroughly excavated, and there\nis every reason to believe that that on the south side of the church\nentirely corresponds. The width of the north aisle apse from north to\nsouth is nine feet eight inches. There can be little doubt, judging from\nthe remainder of Carileph's work, that all three apses were covered with\nstone vaults, though of precisely what character can only be a matter of\nconjecture. The cracking, previously spoken of, which led to this part\nof the church being taken down and the new eastern transept being\nerected, cannot have arisen from any subsidence of the foundations. It,\nin all probability, was the result of the thrust of the apse vaults on\nto walls which were insufficiently buttressed. The marks on some of the\nstones found during this excavation, and the shape of others, seem to\npoint to the conclusion that here we have the earliest part of the\nchurch, and that Carileph used up in his foundations much of the stone\nof Aldhun's White Church.\n\nOf the two usual eastern endings to Norman churches--viz. those with\nthree apses, and those having the aisle carried round as an\nambulatory--the latter is far more common in England, and the former on\nthe Continent. There are two other notable instances of the three\napsidal arrangement in England: S. Albans, 1077, which is earlier than\nDurham; and Peterboro', 1117, which is later than, and was probably\nmodelled on, Durham. There are many examples of ambulatories--the White\nTower Church (London), Winchester, Gloucester, Worcester, and Norwich\nbeing among them.\n\n[Illustration: Corbel in Choir.]\n\nThe apses of Durham are of considerable depth from east to west, the\noblong bay previously mentioned, which is fourteen feet wide in that\ndirection, adding greatly to this effect. The width of the foundations\nis fourteen feet, and the width of the wall has been seven feet. The\ndiameter of the choir apse from north to south was about thirty-two\nfeet.\n\n[Illustration: Plan of Norman East End.]\n\nThese discoveries are specially interesting, completing as they do the\nwhole chain, and leading us with very little imagination to see in its\noriginal condition what must have been, and may even now claim to be,\nthe most noble example of Norman architecture in our country.\n\n[Illustration: Triforium of Nave and Choir.]\n\n[Illustration: Capital in the Nine Altars Chapel.]\n\nThe #Nine Altars Chapel.#--Leaving the consideration of what once\noccupied the site of the east end of Durham, we will turn our attention\nto the beautiful erection which now stands there, the eastern transept,\nor, as it is named from the altars of the saints it once contained\nbeneath its windows, the Chapel of the Nine Altars. It is approached\nfrom the aisles by steps, the floor level being lower than that of the\nchurch proper. It is altogether a remarkable and interesting structure.\nWith its lightness and loftiness contrasting grandly with the massive\nNorman nave and choir, its clustered columns of polished marble\nalternating with stone, its fine bold sculpture, its splendid vaulted\nroof and rich arcading, it forms a perfect example of the Early English\nstyle. Though regular and symmetrical in general design, the detail\nshows great variety, and even irregularity, a quality so often present\nin old work, and so much to its advantage. In general character it may\nbe compared with that at Fountains Abbey, which was built during the\nsame time.\n\n[Illustration: Capital in the Nine Altars Chapel.]\n\nThe circumstances leading to its erection have been already referred to.\nThe Norman apses having been partly removed, owing to their dangerous\ncondition, the \"New Work,\" as it was always called, was commenced in the\nyear 1242. The eastern wall, with its rose and nine lancet windows, is\nthe earliest part of the chapel, the north and south walls being later.\nThe joining and blending of the work with the Norman of Carileph's choir\nhad evidently been accomplished when the chapel was almost completed.\nThe eastern wall is of three bays, each bay having three lofty lancet\nwindows. The bays are not of equal width, the centre one being regulated\nby the width of the nave of the church, and narrower than the north and\nsouth bays.\n\n[Illustration: Sections of Hood and Arch Mouldings.]\n\nA very beautiful arcade runs completely round the walls. It is of\ntrefoil arches, deeply and richly moulded, supported on marble columns\ncarved with foliage. Over the arches is a hood mould terminating with\nheads. In the spandrels are a series of deeply-sunk and moulded\nquatrefoils, two of which contain sculpture. The bases of the columns\nrest on a plinth. Surmounting this arcade is a moulded string, from the\nlevel of which rise the windows, and above the windows another string\ncourse and a second range of windows. In the centre bay, however, is\nthe large rose window, which is over thirty feet in diameter.\n\n[Illustration: The Nine Altars Chapel.]\n\nThe division of the chapel into three bays is effected by two main\nvaulting arches, which spring on the western side from the piers of the\neast end of the choir, and on the eastern side from responds of\nclustered shafts alternately of marble and stone, banded at intervals\nand having richly carved capitals. The arches themselves are deeply\nmoulded and ornamented with dog-tooth ornament and foliage. The vault of\nthe central bay has eight ribs--two springing from each of the clusters\njust described, and two from each of the choir piers. The vaulting of\nthe remaining bays is quadripartite, but has peculiarities which are\nworthy of notice, arising from inequality of width. We must not omit to\ncall attention to the exquisite sculpture of the vaulting. The centre\nhas figures of the Four Evangelists, while in the north is a beautifully\nexecuted carving of vine and grapes, and in the south, figure subjects.\nAmong the sculptured heads on the wall arcade at the south end, at the\nwestern side of the two bays into which the south wall is divided, are\ntwo which are portraits of the men to whom we owe the design and\nexecution of the beautiful sculpture of this chapel. One is an elderly\nman, the other much younger, and both wear linen dust-caps over their\nheads.\n\nThe nine lancet windows were originally filled with ancient stained\nglass, which, as the reader will remember, was removed, Below each\nwindow was an altar. They were dedicated a follows, beginning at the\nsouth end of the chapel:--\n\n 1. S. Andrew and S. Mary Magdalene. \\\n 2. S. John the Baptist and S. Margaret. > South bay.\n 3. S. Thomas of Canterbury and S. Catherine. /\n\n 4. S. Oswald and S. Lawrence. \\\n 5. S. Cuthbert and S. Bede. > Middle bay.\n 6. S. Martin. /\n\n 7. S. Peter and S. Paul. \\\n 8. S. Aidan and S. Helen. > North bay.\n 9. S. Michael the Archangel. /\n\nThe rose window over the lancets of the middle bay is Wyatt's\n\"restoration\" of the original one. It consists of an outer circle of\ntwenty-four and an inner circle of twelve radiating lights, the mullions\nof which are received on a foliated circle in the centre.\n\nIn the north wall of the chapel is a very fine window, known as the\nJoseph window, on account of the stained glass it originally contained,\nwhich illustrated the life-history of Joseph. It is a beautiful example\nof Early Decorated or geometrical Gothic, and is of six lights. There is\nan inner plane of tracery resting on clustered shafts, which is\nconnected to the mullions of the window proper by through stones. The\nwindow occupies the complete width of the north end of the chapel. The\npainted glass which it once contained is thus described in the \"Rites of\nDurham\":\n\n \"In the North Alley of the said Nine Altars, there is another goodly\n faire great glass window, called Joseph's Window, the which hath in\n it all the whole storye of Joseph, most artificially wrought in\n pictures in fine coloured glass, accordinge as it is sett forth in\n the Bible, verye good and godly to the beholders thereof.\"\n\nThis window deserves the attention of the architectural student, as it\nis an exceedingly fine specimen of the tracery of its date.\n\nThe south wall of the chapel contains two windows, each divided by a\ncentral mullion, and having an inner mullion connected by through\nstones. They are widely splayed inwards, and separated by a group of\nvaulting shafts. One or both of these windows contained stained glass,\nwith the history of the life and miracles of S. Cuthbert. As seen at\npresent, they contain tracery of the Perpendicular period, a restoration\nof that inserted by Prior Wessington. Each window is of two lights,\ncrossed by a transom. Entry to the nine altars was provided for, as well\nas from the choir and aisles, by two doors on the western side of its\nnorth and south walls. The northern doorway is now walled up. They enter\nthrough the wall arcade. The writer of the \"Rites of Durham\" says the\nnorth door was made in order to bring in the body of Bishop Anthony Bek,\nwho is buried in the chapel. The architectural features of the doorway\nwould, however, seem to contradict this theory, and there is little room\nto doubt that both north and south doorways formed part of the original\ndesign of the structure.\n\nBefore leaving this interesting portion of the building we must direct\nour attention to its most important contents, the #Tomb of S.\nCuthbert#. This, as at present to be seen, is a great oblong\nplatform, thirty-seven feet long by twenty-three feet wide, and its\nupper surface or floor six feet above the floor of the chapel. Beneath a\nslab in the centre the bones of the patron saint rest. The shrine of S.\nCuthbert at one time stood upon this platform, but of that no vestige\nremains.\n\nThe floor of the platform is reached by two doors through the Neville\nscreen in the choir, and by a small stairway from the south aisle. The\nwanderings of the monks of Lindisfarne with the body of their saint,\ntheir many difficulties and trials, and their ultimate settlement at\nDunholme or Durham, have already been described. The shrine was\neventually set up in its present position by Bishop Carileph, in 1104,\nwhen he brought it from the cloister garth from the tomb he had there\nset up for its temporary reception, until his church was sufficiently\nadvanced to permit of its removal thither. It was visited by large\nnumbers of pilgrims, and many important personages were among them. Of\nthese may be mentioned William the Conqueror, Henry III. (1255), Edward\nII. (1322), and Henry VI. (1448). The shrine was destroyed soon after\nthe surrender of the monastery to the Crown, in 1540, when the body was\nburied beneath the place where its former receptacle had stood. There\nhave since this time been traditions that the exact place of the burial\nwas secret, and known only, according to one account, to three\nBenedictine monks, who each handed the secret down to a successor. The\nother tradition places the knowledge of the place of burial in the hands\nof the Roman Catholic bishops of the Northern Province. One of these\ntraditions was made public in the year 1867, and gave the place of\ninterment as being under the second and third steps leading to the tower\nfrom the south transept. This place was excavated and examined, but no\ntrace of any burial could be found there. It is to these traditions\nthat Scott refers, in _Marmion_, in the following lines:--\n\n Chester-le-Street, and Ripon saw\n His holy corpse, ere Wardilaw\n Hailed him with joy and fear;\n And after many wanderings past,\n He chose his lordly seat at last,\n Where his cathedral, huge and vast,\n Looks down upon the Wear.\n There deep in Durham's Gothic shade\n His relics are in secret laid;\n But none may know the place,\n Save of his holiest servants three,\n Deep sworn to solemn secrecy,\n Who share that wondrous grace.\n\nIn May 1827 the grave in the Nine Altars Chapel was opened in the\npresence of two of the church dignitaries and other persons. Dr Raine,\nwho was also present, has left a careful account of the discoveries then\nmade.[3] The outer coffin, that made in 1542, was first removed,\nrevealing a second and much decayed coffin and many bones. After the\nremoval of these relics the lid of a third oak coffin was revealed, in a\nvery advanced state of decay. This innermost coffin was covered over its\nentire surface with carvings of human figures, the heads surrounded by a\nnimbus. When this coffin was removed the skeleton was exposed to view,\nwrapped in coverings, the outer of which had been of linen. The robes\nbeneath were much decayed, and only portions of them could be preserved.\nOn the breast of the body, among the robes, a comb was found, answering\nexactly to that described by Reginald in 1104. Among the most\ninteresting of the finds were a stole and maniple.\n\n [3] Raine. S. Cuthbert.\n\nThe stole is of very early date, and is of needlework in colours and\ngold. The centre design is a quatrefoil, inside which is a lamb with\nnimbus, and the letters AGNV DI. On either side are figures of Old\nTestament prophets, with their names. Near the ends the embroidery\noccurs on both sides of the stole, on the back of one of which among\nfoliage is the inscription AELFFLAED FIERI PRECEPIT, which is continued\non the back of the opposite end, thus--PIO EPISCOPO FRIDESTANO. The\ntranslation of this inscription is to the effect that Aelfled commanded\nthe stole to be made for the pious Bishop Frithestan. The maniple is of\na similar character, and also bears ornament, figures, and\ninscriptions.[4] Frithestan was made Bishop of Winchester in 905.\nAelfled, who was Queen of Eadward, the son and successor of Alfred, died\nin 916. It was therefore during these ten years that she caused this\nstole and maniple to be made for the Bishop Frithestan. It is recorded\nthat the son and successor of Eadward, by name Athelstan, when on a\njourney in the north visited Chester-le-Street and the shrine of S.\nCuthbert, which was then at that place. Among other presents he left as\nofferings a stole and maniple, and a girdle and two bracelets of gold.\nIt is a curious fact that a girdle and two gold bracelets were found\nalong with the stole and maniple in the grave, in 1827, and leaves very\nlittle doubt that they are the ones mentioned above. The bones of the\nsaint were quite intact, and none were missing. They were, with the\nother relics, placed in a new coffin, and the grave re-covered. Some\nportions of the inner coffin, with the stole, two maniples, the girdle\nand bracelets and fragments of the robes are now carefully preserved in\nthe Dean and Chapter Library. A large gold cross found among the robes,\ndecorated with garnets, and of workmanship of the time of S. Cuthbert is\nalso preserved in the library. These discoveries seem to speak for\nthemselves, and to leave very little room for doubt that the body\nexhumed and examined in 1827 was really that of the patron saint of the\nchurch.\n\n [4] Photographs, coloured by the late J.I. Williamson, are\n exhibited in the South Kensington Museum.\n\nThere were also found in the grave bones of infants, supposed to be\nrelics of the Holy Innocents, and a skull, most probably that of S.\nOswald, which was known to have been placed in the coffin of S.\nCuthbert.\n\nTwo smooth grooves may be observed on the platform, which are _said_ to\nhave been worn into the stone by the knees or feet of generations of\npilgrims visiting the shrine.\n\nThere are several other tombs and monuments in this chapel, chiefly wall\ntablets of not exceptional interest. At the north end, however, is a\ncolossal statue of the last of the prince bishops, Bishop van Mildert,\nwho died in 1836. The monument is of white marble, the figure seated on\na throne and holding a book. It was erected by public subscription, the\nsculptor being John Gibson, R.A. Near this monument is a blue slab\ncovering the remains of Bishop Anthony Bek, patriarch of Jerusalem, who\ndied in 1310. It was to bring in the body of this bishop that some\nwriters have thought the north doorway of the Nine Altars Chapel was\nconstructed. This is, as we have seen already, extremely improbable.\n\nThe student of architecture will find very much to interest him in this\nChapel of the Nine Altars. The beautiful sculpture and variety in the\ncapitals of the shafts of wall arcading, not to mention the rich carving\nof the vaulting bosses and capitals of the vaulting shafts, will well\nrepay his earnest study.\n\n[Illustration: The Galilee Chapel.]\n\n[Illustration: The Galilee Chapel.]\n\n[Illustration: Capital in Galilee Chapel.]\n\nThe #Galilee# or #Lady Chapel# is situated at the west end of the\nnave. It is well known that for some reason women were not allowed to\nenter any church where S. Cuthbert's shrine stood, nor even any church\ndedicated to him. At Lindisfarne a separate church was provided for\nthem, and at Durham the Galilee Chapel was added for the same purpose.\nIt was alleged that S. Cuthbert himself had made this rule, but there is\nno proof that he ever issued such a command. The Venerable Bede makes\nno mention of any special feeling of antipathy to women on the part of\nthe saint. Bede was contemporary with, and survived S. Cuthbert\nforty-eight years. Whatever may have been the origin of the practice, it\nis certain that in later times women were jealously excluded from the\nchurches of S. Cuthbert, and to this circumstance we owe, in the chapel\nunder our consideration, the most beautiful and perfect example of\nTransitional Norman architecture existing in England.\n\n[Illustration: Paintings in the Galilee Chapel.]\n\nLet us recall briefly the circumstances attending its erection. Hugh\nPudsey, who occupied the episcopal throne, 1153 to 1195, commenced to\nbuild a Lady Chapel at the east end of the church. The work had not gone\nfar before accidents happened, and cracks and fissures appeared in the\nwalls, which the builder thought \"gave manifest indication that it was\nnot acceptable to God and His servant S. Cuthbert.\"[5] The work was\ntherefore abandoned, and another chapel was commenced at the west end of\nthe church, \"into which women might lawfully enter, so that they who had\nnot bodily access to the secret things of the holy place, might have\nsome solace from the contemplation of them\" (Geoffrey de Coldingham).\nPudsey caused to be moved here the marble shafts and bases he had\npreviously brought from \"beyond the sea,\" and intended to be used in the\nconstruction of his chapel at the east end. Entering the chapel by the\nsteps leading from the Norman nave, the visitor is at once impressed\nwith the lightness and delicacy of the work before him, as compared with\nthe massive grandeur of the Norman cathedral behind. Here we have, in\nfact, one of the latest uses of the round arch influenced by the rapidly\ndeveloping Early English Gothic. In plan the chapel consists of a nave\nwith double aisles, which perhaps might be more properly called five\naisles. These are divided by arcades, each of which is of four bays.\nThese arches and the columns which support them are the chief beauty and\ncharacteristic of the chapel. The arches are semi-circular, of one\norder, with three lines of chevron, one on each face, and one on the\nsoffit between two roll mouldings. The capitals are light and graceful\nand carved with a volute, and the columns clusters of marble and\nfreestone shafts. The arches, however, rest on the marble columns, which\nare, no doubt, those previously alluded to. The whole seems to have been\ncoloured in fresco, and remains of this are still to be seen. The stone\nshafts, which alternate with those of marble, do not carry any of the\nweight of the arch, and are, undoubtedly, an addition, probably in the\ntime of Cardinal Langley, when they must have been added, with a view\nto improving the appearance. The dimensions of the chapel are\nforty-seven feet from east to west, and seventy-six feet from north to\nsouth. The existing roof and the three perpendicular windows on the west\nend are also additions by Cardinal Langley. On the walls above what were\nonce the altars of the Virgin and Our Lady of Pity, remains of fresco\npainting may be noticed, all that remains of what has evidently been\nbeautiful work. These were only brought to light by the removal of\nsuccessive coats of whitewash with which they had been covered.\n\n [5] Geoffrey de Coldingham.\n\n[Illustration: Detail of the Galilee Chapel.]\n\nWhen the Galilee was erected, access from the church was by the great\nwest door of the cathedral. This was, however, closed up by Cardinal\nLangley, who constructed the two doorways at the end of the aisles by\nwhich the chapel is now entered. Those portions of the Norman wall\narcading, which had to be removed by reason of the breaking through of\nthe new doorways, were used to fill up the lower part of the great west\ndoor. The latter was again removed in 1846, when the west doorway was\nre-opened. Langley's two doorways have four centred arches enclosed\nbeneath a square label moulding, with shields bearing the Cardinal's\ncoat-of-arms in each spandrel. To Langley also may be attributed the\nfive massive buttresses on the exterior of the western wall of the\nchapel, which partly cover the arcading and panelling with which it was\ndecorated. In adding the new roof Langley raised the walls above the\narches to carry it, giving a somewhat peculiar effect to the interior.\nThe original roof lines can still be made out on the west wall. Of the\ncontents of the chapel remaining, perhaps the most interesting to the\nvisitor is the grave and site of the shrine of the Venerable Bede. The\nshrine, like that of S. Cuthbert's, is gone, and all that remains is the\nstone slab on which it once stood, and which bears the inscription\n(placed there in 1831):\n\n Hac sunt in Fossa\n Baedae Venerabilis Ossa\n\nThis remarkable man was contemporary with S. Cuthbert, whom, as we have\nsaid, he survived forty-eight years. His holiness and piety, together\nwith his great learning, earned for him the title Venerable, and after\nhis death, in 735, his bones were enshrined. Of his parentage we know\nnothing, except that, from his own writings, he was born in the\nterritory of the Abbey of Wearmouth. At the age of seven he was being\neducated in that monastery, and by the time he was ten years old he\nmoved to the newly-founded Abbey on the Tyne, at Jarrow. He had able and\nlearned teachers in Benedict Bishop and Ceolfrid, and appears to have\nturned his advantages to the best account. Deacon at nineteen, and\npriest at twenty-nine years of age, he led a holy and studious life.\nAfter his ordination he wrote his \"Commentaries on the Scriptures,\" and\nwritings on all the known sciences--geography, arithmetic, and\nastronomy. The greatest work of his life is, however, his\n\"Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation,\" to which we owe all our\nknowledge of the introduction of Christianity into Great Britain, and\nthe early history of the English Church. It is dedicated to King\nCeolwulf. His information was collected from various sources--by letter\nas to Canterbury, by communication with bishops and priors as to England\ngenerally, and from personal knowledge and very recent tradition as to\nNorthumbria. He lived most of his long life between the monasteries of\nMonkwearmouth and Jarrow, and was buried at the latter. In the year 1022\nhis remains were secretly removed from Jarrow by Elfrid, who was the\nmost unscrupulous relic-hunter of that time, who deposited a portion of\nthem in the same coffin with those of S. Cuthbert. From here they were\nremoved by Bishop Pudsey, and placed in the newly-erected Galilee\nChapel, where he caused them to be enclosed in a magnificent shrine.\n\"There, in a silver casket gilt with gold, hee laid the bones of\nVenerable Bede, and erected a costly and magnificent shrine over it.\"[6]\nWhen the shrine was destroyed at the suppression of the monastery, in\n1542, the bones were interred beneath the place it occupied, where they\nremained undisturbed till the year 1831. In that year they were exhumed\nand examined, and, after being enclosed in a lead-lined coffin, were\nreplaced in the tomb, with a parchment giving full details of the\nexhumation. Some coins and a ring which were found at this time are\npreserved in the Dean and Chapter Library. The inscription previously\nquoted was then cut on the upper slab of the tomb.\n\n [6] \"Rites of Durham.\"\n\nIn the Galilee Chapel is also the tomb of its restorer, Cardinal\nLangley, which was erected by himself in front of the principal altar.\nOn its head may be seen three shields bearing the arms of the cardinal.\n\nFour of the western windows of the chapel originally contained beautiful\nstained glass, a most careful description of which may be found in the\n\"Rites of Durham.\"\n\nWhy this chapel has always been known as the \"Galilee\" Chapel has been\nthe subject of much discussion and conjecture, and is still a matter of\nuncertainty. That it was erected for a Lady Chapel there can, however,\nbe no doubt. In the nave of the church, between the piers immediately to\nthe west of the north and south doorways, the visitor will notice a\ndark-coloured marble cross, beyond which no woman was allowed to pass\neastward.\n\n#Monuments in the Nave and Transepts.#--The church of Durham is not\nrich in tombs and monuments to the dead. This is to be accounted for\npartly by the fact that for some centuries the Bishops of the diocese\nwere interred in the chapter-house, and even most of these tombs have\nbeen lost or destroyed. Another reason for the scarcity of monuments is\nthat no layman was allowed to be buried in the church until 1367, when\nLord Ralph Neville obtained that distinction for himself and his wife,\nthe Lady Alice de Neville, who was buried in 1374. This monument\noccupies the third sub-bay from the east, on the south side of the nave.\nIt is an altar tomb, and though it has suffered severely from mutilation\nduring the unsettled times of the Reformation, sufficient remains to\nenable us to see that it was once a well-designed and noble monument.\nIts mouldings are bold, and there are indications of the places where\nfigures were once attached to the sides. The recumbent effigies of the\nnoble lord and his wife, on the top of the tomb, are, however,\nhopelessly smashed. It is probable that Lord Ralph Neville obtained this\nhonour for himself through his services and victory at the Battle of\nNeville's Cross, near Durham, in 1346. In the next bay westward is the\ntomb of Lord John Neville, who died in 1386. This is also an altar tomb,\nand has suffered severely, though it remains in a better state of\npreservation than the one just described. Its sides each have six\nniches, with elaborately ornamented canopies, and containing figures,\nwhile the ends have three similar niches with figures. The carving of\nthe canopies is exceedingly beautiful. Between each of the niches are\ntwo square panels with trefoiled heads, each panel bearing a shield with\nthe arms of Neville and Percy. Both above and below the niches much\ndelicate carving may be noticed. Surmounting all are the broken effigies\nof Lord John and his wife, who was the daughter of Lord Henry Percy, the\nwell-known Hotspur. All the figures on this tomb, including the\nrecumbent figures, are headless, but sufficient remains to show that\nthey were of great excellence. Remains of colouring and gilding can also\nbe distinguished in places on the monument.\n\nClose to this is the slab and matrix of a brass to Robert Neville, who\nwas bishop of the diocese from 1438 to 1457. The brass has all been\nremoved, but the matrix shows a dignified figure of the bishop holding a\ncrozier and a scroll, while an inscription formerly existed on a plate\nat his feet. Bishop Neville was known for his generous qualities, as\nwell as for his high descent.\n\nIn the western wall, on its south side, near to the entrance to the\nGalilee, is a mural tablet to a former Prebendary in the cathedral, and\na well-known antiquary, Sir George Wheler, who died in the latter part\nof the seventeenth century. On the northern side is a slab to the\nmemory of Captain R.M. Hunter, who was killed while charging a Sikh\nbattery at Ferozeshah.\n\nOpposite to the monument of Ralph Neville is a modern altar tomb to a\nformer headmaster of Durham Grammar School, the Rev. James Britton,\nD.D., erected by his pupils. It is surmounted by a reclining figure of\nDr. Britton, in academic robes, reading a book.\n\nIn the south transept is a fine monument, by Chantrey, to the memory of\nBishop Barrington, who held the see from 1791 to 1826, dying at the\nadvanced age of 92 years, beloved by all. He was a great prelate, and\nused his immense powers as Prince Palatine with great wisdom. The\nkneeling figure, with bowed head, the left hand resting on a book, in an\nattitude of deep reverence, is worthy of the name of its sculptor. On\nthe west wall of the same transept is a tablet to the memory of the\nofficers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the Durham Light\nInfantry who were slain or died during the Crimean War.\n\nNear to this is a recently inserted brass to the memory of the officers\nand men of the 2nd Durham Regiment who died in Egypt and the Soudan.\n\nIn the north transept we may give some attention to a monument to the\nRev. John Carr, a former headmaster of Durham School. It was erected to\nhis memory by his pupils. The monument was designed by Rickman, and is\nin the style known as Decorated Gothic.\n\n[Illustration: The Font and Cover.]\n\nThe #Font# stands at the west end of the nave. It is a comparatively\nmodern work, covered by a tall wooden canopy which was erected by Bishop\nCosin in 1663. The original Norman font was destroyed by the Scottish\nprisoners in 1650, and was replaced by a large marble basin by Bishop\nCosin. This font, in its turn, was removed to Pittington Church, where\nit is now in use, its place being filled by the present modern one. It\nis designed in the Norman style, and is square, supported on short\ncolumns. The sides are carved with medallions, copied from illuminated\nMSS., which represent scenes from the life of S. Cuthbert. The cover\ndeserves attention as a specimen of the woodwork of the seventeenth\ncentury, exhibiting a curious and characteristic mixture of Classic and\nGothic forms and details.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nHISTORY OF THE SEE\n\n\nThe earlier history of the see of Durham has already been referred to in\norder to lead up to the founding of the cathedral. We have seen how the\nbishop and monks of Lindisfarne fled and wandered with the relics of\ntheir beloved S. Cuthbert, eventually settling at Chester-le-Street,\nuntil, in the year 990, Bishop Aldhun, in terror of the Danes, again\nfled southward to Ripon. The country at this time was ruled by that weak\nmonarch, Ethelred the Unready, and the Danes, finding no determined\nopposition, continually made piratical incursions, and eventually,\nthrough the treachery of three chieftains, the Castle of Bamburgh fell\ninto their hands. After an interval of three or four months peace was\nmade with the invaders, and Aldhun and his monks ventured to return\ntowards Chester-le-Street. It was during this journey, at a place called\nWredelau, that the car carrying the saint stuck fast, and the incidents\npreviously related occurred, which led to the founding of the Bishopric\nof Durham.\n\n#Aldhun# may therefore be called the first Bishop of Durham. He held\nthe see for twenty-nine years, and died in 1018. Aldhun it was who built\nthe first or White Church, now destroyed. It is extremely probable that\nsome of the stones of this church were used in the foundations of\nCarileph's choir and apses.\n\nAfter Aldhun's death the see remained vacant for three years, when he\nwas succeeded by\n\n#Edmund# (1020-1040). It is said that the monks could not agree as to\nwho should succeed Aldhun, when one day Edmund, a presbyter, asked in a\njoke, \"Why not appoint me?\" Being a pious and a faithful man, they took\nhim at his word, and, after much persuasion and fasting and prayer, he\nwas consecrated. The choice was a good one. Edmund was an energetic and\nbeloved prelate. He died at Gloucester in 1041. One of the most\nimportant events during his episcopate was the invasion of Northumbria\nby Duncan, King of the Scots. He besieged Durham, but was beaten off,\nwith great slaughter, and the heads of many of his men were exposed in\nthe market-place.\n\n#Egelric# (1042-1056) was the next bishop. He was an alien, and made\nhimself obnoxious to the clergy and people. With the intention of\nrebuilding, he pulled down the wooden church at Chester-le-Street, which\nhad been the seat of the bishopric for one hundred and thirteen years. A\nlarge quantity of treasure was found while digging foundations, and this\nEgelric appropriated and sent to his monastery at Peterborough, where he\nsoon followed it. Before resigning the see of Durham, however, he\nsecured the appointment of his brother to the bishopric. Some years\nlater William the Conqueror called him to account for his behaviour in\nthe matter of the treasure, and threw him into prison at Westminster,\nwhere he died in 1072.\n\n#Egelwin# (1056-1071) succeeded, through the influence of his\nbrother. He took part in the rebellion of Eadwin and Morcar, and, like\nhis predecessor, died in prison. He was the last of the Saxon bishops.\n\n#Walcher# (1071-1080). William I. found the Church in great disorder\nand made many changes. He filled most of the sees by the appointment of\nNorman bishops. To Durham he elected Walcher. The latter was a man of\ngentle disposition, but his chaplain, Leobwin, and Gilbert, a kinsman of\nhis own, to whom he entrusted most of his affairs, were hated by the\npeople, over whom they exercised great tyranny. At length a noble, named\nLyulph, ventured to remonstrate with them, and in their rage they had\nhim assassinated. The people were furious, and the bishop vainly denied\nany knowledge of the deed. He called a meeting at Gateshead. Here a\ntremendous tumult arose, the mob crying, \"Good rede, short rede, slay ye\nthe bishop,\" and eventually setting fire to the church. The bishop was\neventually reduced to a choice of facing the mob or being burnt in the\nchurch. He chose the former, and, covering his face with his robe, went\nout. He was immediately slain on the threshold, and dreadfully\nmutilated. His body was removed by the monks to Jarrow, and afterwards\nto Durham, where he was buried.\n\n#William of S. Carileph# (1080-1096) was next appointed bishop. He\nwas a man of great attainments. To him we owe the founding of the\npresent cathedral. Carileph also made an important change, by the\nremoval from Durham of the secular clergy, and their replacement by\nBenedictine monks drawn from Jarrow and Monkwearmouth. The foundations\nof the new church were laid on 29th July 1093, the Bishop and Prior\nTurgot being present. He did not live to see it very far advanced, being\ntaken ill at Windsor. He died about Christmas 1096.\n\n#Ranulph Flambard# (1099-1128).--The see was kept vacant for three\nyears by William Rufus, when he appointed Flambard, a great builder. He\nbuilt the nave and aisles, the west doorway and lower part of the\nwestern towers, and vaulted the aisles. He also built Framwellgate\nBridge over the Wear at Durham, erected and endowed S. Giles' Church,\nDurham, and was the founder of Norham Castle on the Tweed.\n\n#Galfrid Rufus# (1133-1140) was his successor. His episcopate was\nmuch disturbed by wars with the Scots. The chapter-house was finished\nduring his time of office.\n\n#William de S. Barbara# (1143-1152) was next appointed. Extraordinary\nevents marked his election. William Cumin, chancellor of the Scottish\nking, attempted to take the bishopric for himself, and succeeded so far\nas to capture the castle with the aid of the Scots. The rightful bishop\nwas not able to gain possession for sixteen months after his election.\nCumin submitted in 1144.\n\n[Illustration: The Crypt.]\n\n#Hugh Pudsey# (1153-1195) now succeeded to the bishopric at the age\nof twenty-five. He bought for life the earldom of Northumberland and the\nmanor of Sadberg. In 1187 the news of the capture of Jerusalem by the\nSaracens spread consternation in the Church, and Pudsey prepared to\naccompany King Henry to the East. He fitted out ships and galleys in a\nmost sumptuous manner, his own having a seat for himself of solid\nsilver. Neither he nor King Henry embarked in the crusade, however. The\nking died, and Richard his son undertook the expedition, leaving Bishop\nPudsey and Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, as justiciaries for the northern\nand southern portions of the kingdom respectively. These two\nquarrelled, and Pudsey was decoyed to London by Longchamp, and committed\nto the Tower. He soon obtained his release, but was compelled to resign\nthe earldom of Northumberland. In 1195 he undertook a journey to London\nto see the king, and endeavour to obtain restitution of his honours and\npossessions, but was taken ill, and died on the way, at Howden. His work\nin the cathedral we have seen. He also built the great hall of the\ncastle, most of the beautiful Church of S. Cuthbert at Darlington, and\nthe Elvet Bridge over the Wear at Durham, and founded the hospital at\nSherburn, near Durham. Darlington Church, which would well repay a\nvisit, is a fine specimen of Early Pointed architecture, second only to\nthe Galilee of Durham, the two showing in a wonderful manner the rapid\ndevelopment of the change which was taking place in architectural style\nduring Pudsey's time.\n\n#Philip de Pictavia# (1197-1208), elected at the urgent request of\nthe king. He was continually at loggerheads with his clergy. He\nsupported King John against the Pope, and was for this excommunicated;\ndied in 1208, and was buried in unconsecrated ground. This bishop is\nsaid to have had the permission of the king to coin money at Durham.\n\n#Richard de Marisco# (1217-1226) was elected after an interval of\nnearly ten years. The feud with the monks continued during his\nepiscopate, and the bishop swore the Church of Durham should have no\npeace while he lived; threatened that if a monk should show himself\nbeyond his cloister he should lose his head; and once, when his servants\nhad beaten a monk, and the man complained, he replied that it was a pity\nthey did not kill him. He died at Peterborough in 1226.\n\n#Richard le Poore# (1229-1237), who was the next bishop, elected\nafter the see had been vacant two years and four months, was translated\nfrom Salisbury, where he had commenced building the new cathedral. He\nended the dispute between the monks and the Bishop of Durham by an\nagreement known as \"Le Convenit.\"\n\n#Nicholas de Farnham# (1241-1248) became bishop after a three years'\ndispute with the king. He resigned in 1248.\n\n#Walter de Kirkham# (1249-1260), Dean of York, was next elected.\n\n#Robert de Stitchill# (1261-1274), Prior of Finchale, succeeded him.\nDissensions again arose between the bishop and the monks. He died on his\nreturn from France, where he had attended a council at Lyons. He was\nburied in a monastery in France, but his heart was brought to Durham,\nand buried in the chapter-house.\n\n#Robert de Insula# (1274-1283), a native of Holy Island, as his name\nsuggests, was then elected bishop. His tenure of office was peaceful.\n\n[Illustration: Stone Coffin Lid.]\n\n#Anthony Bek# (1283-1310). The next bishop was of noble birth, the\nson of Walter Bek, Baron of Eresby, in Lincolnshire. He took part with\nEdward I. in his expedition to Scotland, and, being very wealthy, was of\ngreat assistance to the king. His following consisted of twenty-six\nstandard bearers, one hundred and forty knights, and an army of five\nthousand foot and five hundred horse. He was employed by the king, with\nsuccess, in many important State matters. In the year 1300 trouble again\narose with the monks. Some of them being dissatisfied with the Prior\nHotoun, the bishop proposed to hold a visitation. The prior refusing to\nadmit him unless he came unattended, the bishop deposed and\nexcommunicated him. The convent took sides, some with the bishop and\nsome with the prior, and it was only on the interference of the king\nthat a partial peace was restored. The quarrel soon reopened. Some men\nmade a complaint against the bishop. He had compelled them to take arms\nunder him in the Scottish war, and had imprisoned some who had returned\nwithout leave. The barons upheld the men, and it led to them taking\nsides with Prior Hotoun in his dispute. The bishop, calling the monks\ntogether, ordered them to elect a new prior, which they promptly refused\nto do. On this the bishop appointed Henry de Luceby of Holy Island to be\nprior of Durham, and brought men from Weardale and Tynedale to expel the\nold prior. They laid siege to the convent, and for three days Prior\nHotoun and forty-six monks were shut up with only six loaves and sixteen\nherrings. They continued the services however. On the third day a\nTynedale man was sent to pull the prior out of his stall, but was so\nawed by his venerable appearance that he dared not touch him. A monk on\nthe bishop's side, however, did the work. Prior Luceby was installed,\nand Prior Richard seized and imprisoned. He soon escaped, however, and\ncarried his complaint before Parliament, and afterwards to the Pope,\nBoniface VIII. The Pope decided in his favour, and Hotoun returned to\nDurham, and Luceby and his friends were obliged to go, though they\ntried, when doing so, to carry off some silver plate and other\nvaluables. Bek continued in great splendour until his death in 1310.\nWhen he died he was king of the Isle of Man, Patriarch of Jerusalem,\nBishop of Durham, and Prince Palatine.\n\n#Richard de Kellaw# (1311-1316), formerly a monk of Durham, succeeded\nBek. He was a good and learned man, and lived in harmony with the monks.\n\n#Louis de Beaumont# (1318-1333) was next appointed bishop, after\ngreat competition and intrigue. He was chosen in opposition to the\nwishes of the chapter, who had elected Stamford, Prior of Finchale, to\nsucceed Kellaw. On his way to Durham for consecration and enthronement,\naccompanied by two cardinals and a large retinue, he was waylaid at\nRushyford by a band of ruffians under Gilbert Middleton. They plundered\nthe cardinals, but carried the bishop a prisoner to Mitford Castle. His\nrelease was only secured on payment by the monastery of a heavy ransom.\nHe was an ignorant man, and so innocent of Latin that he could not read\nhis profession of obedience, being continually prompted. Later, at an\nordination, he stumbled over the words \"_in oenigmate_\" and cried in\nFrench, \"_Par Seynt Lewis, il ne fuit pas curtays qui cest parole ici\nescrit._\" \"By Saint Lewis he was no gentleman who wrote this word.\"\n\n#Richard de Bury# (1333-1345), who succeeded, was a great scholar,\ntutor to Edward III., and author of \"Philobiblon,\" a book still extant.\nHe was a good man, and very kind to the poor.\n\n#Thomas de Hatfield# (1345-1381) was, like Bishop Bek, a warrior\necclesiastic. Soon after his election he led eighty archers to the siege\nof Calais. His episcopate was notable for the wars with the Scots, and\nthe great victory obtained over them, with the capture of King David and\nmany nobles, at Neville's Cross, near Durham. Fifteen thousand Scots\nwere slain. The victory was attributed to the presence of the sacred\nbanner of S. Cuthbert, which Prior John Fossor took to a place near the\nbattlefield, kneeling in prayer the while for success. A hymn of\nthanksgiving was appointed to be sung on the top of the cathedral tower\non each anniversary of the battle. This custom is still carried out,\nthough the day has been changed to the twenty-ninth of May. Hatfield was\na liberal supporter of Durham College at Oxford. He erected his own tomb\nin the choir of the cathedral, in which he was afterwards buried.\n\n#John Fordham# (1381-1388), secretary to Richard II., and Canon of\nYork, was next elected. Suspected of giving bad advice to the king, he\nwas compelled to resign, but was given the inferior bishopric of Ely,\nwhere he lived to extreme old age, dying in 1425.\n\n#Walter de Skirlaw# (1388-1405), translated from Bath and Wells, was\na munificent prelate. He built bridges at Shincliffe, Bishop Auckland,\nand Yarm; a refuge tower, a beautiful chapter-house (now in ruins) at\nHowden; and was a large contributor to the expense of building the\ncentral tower of York Cathedral. His work in the building of the\ncloisters of Durham has already been referred to.\n\n#Thomas Langley# (1406-1437) succeeded. He was Chancellor of England,\nDean of York, and in 1411 was made a cardinal. He occupied the see\nduring part of the reign of Henry IV., the whole of that of Henry V.,\nand fifteen years of that of Henry VI. He founded two schools on the\nPalace Green at Durham, and in his will left collections of books to\nmany colleges.\n\n#Robert Neville# (1437-1457), son of the Earl of Westmoreland and his\nwife Joan, who was a daughter of John of Gaunt. He was therefore uncle\nof the Earl of Warwick, the \"king-maker\" of Richard III. and of Edward\nIV. He had a peaceful episcopate of nineteen years, and was buried in\nthe cathedral, in the south aisle near his ancestors.\n\n#Laurance Booth# (1457-1476), Canon of York and Lichfield, Archdeacon\nof Richmond, and Dean of S. Paul's, was the next bishop. He was a\nsupporter of the House of Lancaster. He was translated to the\narchbishopric of York in 1476, the first of the bishops of Durham who\nwas raised to that dignity.\n\n#William Dudley# (1476-1483), Dean of Windsor, succeeded him.\n\n#John Sherwood# (1483-1494), who was appointed next, was a learned\nman, and made a large collection of Greek manuscripts. He died in Rome\nin 1494.\n\n#Richard Fox# (1494-1501) was translated from Bath and Wells after\nthe see had remained vacant for eleven months. Nothing of particular\nmoment occurred during his episcopate. He was an early patron and helper\nof Wolsey, and lived to regret having assisted him. He made alterations\nin the castle at Durham. He was translated to the see of Winchester in\n1501, and died in 1528.\n\n#William Sinews# or #Sever# (1502-1505), translated from Carlisle.\nHe is said to have been the son of a sieve-maker at Shincliffe, near\nDurham.\n\n#Christopher Bainbridge# (1507-1508), Dean of York, was next elected,\nand after an episcopate of one year was translated to York. In 1511 he\nwas sent to Rome as ambassador by Henry VIII., and while there was\ncreated cardinal. He died in Rome, poisoned by a servant whom he had\nstruck in anger.\n\n#Thomas Ruthall# (1509-1522), Dean of Salisbury, was the next bishop.\nHe was immensely wealthy, and his love of money brought him into\ndisgrace. King Henry commanded him to draw up an account of the lands\nand revenues of the Crown. The bishop, in error, sent to the king the\nwrong book, in which was set forth an account of his own possessions.\nThe king, though tampered with by Wolsey, made no use of the knowledge\nthus obtained. But the affair rankled in the mind of the bishop, and is\nsaid to have hastened his death.\n\n#Thomas Wolsey# (1522-1528) was appointed to succeed him. The famous\ncardinal held the see for six years, as well as that of York. During the\nwhole of his episcopate he never visited Durham, and in 1528 he resigned\nit for the see of Winchester.\n\n#Cuthbert Tunstall# (1530-1559) was translated from London by a Papal\nBull, the last used for this purpose. Tunstall was a remarkable man, and\nhe occupied the see during an important period of Church history, the\nReformation, all the stages of which he saw. During his episcopacy, the\ngreat privileges of the bishops of Durham as Princes Palatine were very\nmuch curtailed. In 1526, while Tunstall was Bishop of London, the\nEnglish translation of the New Testament by Tyndall appeared, causing\ngreat alarm among the clergy. The part played by Tunstall in relation to\nthis is well known. He opposed the supremacy of King Henry as head of\nthe Church, but eventually gave up the struggle and preached in its\nfavour. The monastery of Durham was suppressed in 1540, and a dean and\ntwelve canons appointed. Soon after the accession of Edward VI., Bishop\nTunstall was committed to the Tower and deprived of his see, on a charge\nof having encouraged rebellion in the north. On the accession of Mary to\nthe throne he was released and restored, but there would seem to be no\ngrounds for supposing that he took any part in the cruelties practised\nduring her reign. When Elizabeth became queen, Tunstall refused to take\nthe oath, and was again deprived of his see, and, being now an old man,\nwas committed to the custody of his friend Archbishop Parker\n(Canterbury), with whom he lived till his death in 1559. He was a\nscholarly prelate, of a kindly nature, and was held in universal esteem.\n\n#James Pilkington# (1560-1575) left the buildings of the see in a\nruinous condition.\n\n#Richard Barnes# (1575-1587), translated from Carlisle. He is said to\nhave been removed to Durham in order to spy upon the correspondence and\nmessengers of the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots.\n\n#Matthew Hutton# (1589-1594), Dean of York, was the next bishop. A\nman of great learning, and considered one of the best preachers of his\nday. He was translated to York in 1594.\n\n#Tobias Matthew# (1595-1606), Dean of Durham, was his successor. He\nwas also a great preacher, and was celebrated for his wit. He was\ntranslated to York.\n\n#William James# (1606-1617), Dean of Durham, was next elected.\n\n#Richard Neile# (1617-1627) was translated from Lincoln. He was\nremarkable as being the only bishop who held six sees successively--viz.\n1608, Rochester; 1610, Lichfield; 1613, Lincoln; 1617, Durham; 1627,\nWinchester; and 1631, Archbishop of York. He did much to help forward\nmen of learning and ability by giving them preferment in his see, and\nreserving apartments for their use in Durham House, London, which became\nknown as Durham College. He spent large sums of money on repairs to the\nbuildings at Durham.\n\n#George Monteigne# (1628), Bishop of London, only held the see of\nDurham for three months, when he was translated to York.\n\n#John Howson# (1628-1631), Bishop of Oxford, held the see for two\nyears, and died in 1631.\n\n#Thomas Morton# (1632-1659), translated from Lichfield. The North of\nEngland was much disturbed in 1640 by the invasion of the Scots, and\nBishop Morton fled--first to Stockton, afterwards to York--and never\nreturned to his diocese. The successful Scots levied heavy taxes on the\ndistrict for the maintenance of their troops, as much as L850 a day\nbeing demanded. In 1646, Episcopacy was abolished, and the estates of\nthe bishops ordered to be sold. Thus we find at Durham the castle sold\nto the Mayor of London for L1267 and Durham, Borough, and Framwellgate\ndisposed of to the Corporation for L200. The bishop lived a life of\nsuffering in London, cared for by his friends, till his death in 1659,\nat the age of ninety-four. During his episcopate, in 1656, Oliver\nCromwell arranged for the founding of a college in Durham, but his death\nprevented him carrying out his scheme. His son, however, did so, and it\nflourished until the Restoration, which, by giving back property to its\nrightful owners, put an end to its existence.\n\n#John Cosin# (1660-1671), Canon of Durham, was the first bishop after\nthe Restoration. He was a most munificent prelate, leaving many\ncharitable bequests. He spent large sums in the restoration of the\ncathedral and castle and the palace at Bishop Auckland. He built a\nhospital for eight poor people, and erected a library on the palace\ngreen.\n\n#Nathaniel Crewe# (1642-1722), translated from Oxford. He was a\nstrong supporter of King James II., but afterwards took the oath of\nallegiance to William and Mary. He was noted for his charity and\nmunificence, and left large sums to the poor, and in scholarships\ntenable by natives of Durham.\n\n#William Talbot# (1722-1730), translated from Salisbury.\n\n#Edward Chandler# (1730-1750), Bishop of Lichfield, was next elected.\nHe gave L2000 to be laid out for the benefit of the widows of clergymen\nof his diocese.\n\n#Joseph Butler# (1750-1752) was translated from Bristol. He is best\nknown as the author of \"The Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed.\"\n\n#Richard Trevor# (1752-1771), Bishop of S. David's, a learned, pious,\nand unostentatious man. He left L200 in his will to the poor of Durham\nand Auckland.\n\n#John Egerton# (1771-1787), Bishop of Lichfield, was next elected. He\nmarried the daughter of Henry, Duke of Kent, and his eldest son\nafterwards became Earl of Bridgewater.\n\n#Thomas Thurlow# (1787-1791) was translated to Durham from Lincoln.\nHe was brother of the Lord Chancellor.\n\n#Shute Barrington# (1791-1826) was the next bishop, having previously\nheld the sees of Llandaff and Salisbury. A most beneficent prelate; his\ncharities, especially those for the founding of schools and augmentation\nof poor livings, were magnificent. During his episcopacy, external\nrepairs to the cathedral having become absolutely necessary, James\nWyatt, who had already done such mischief at Salisbury, was given charge\nof the work. Then it was that the paring process, spoken of previously,\nwas completed, the chapter-house destroyed, and the Galilee Chapel only\nsaved from destruction by the intervention of Dean Cornwallis. Wyatt's\nother wild schemes, to extend the choir eastwards, to the utter ruin of\nthe Nine Altar Chapel, to remove the beautiful Neville screen, and\nsurmount the central tower of the church by a spire, were happily\nchecked in time, or there is no saying to what extent the building would\nhave been mutilated. Bishop Barrington died in London, in his\nninety-third year.\n\n#William Van Mildert# (1826-1836), Bishop of Llandaff, succeeded to\nthe see. During his episcopate, many important changes were made. The\nEcclesiastical Commission, appointed in 1833, to consider in what manner\nthe funds of the Church might be made more available for the purposes\nfor which they were intended, decided to give future bishops a fixed\nyearly payment, and to reduce the number of canons from twelve to six.\nOn the appointment of a new bishop, the Palatinate was to be annexed by\nthe State. Thus Van Mildert was the last Count Palatine. Before these\nchanges came into force, however, the bishop and the dean and chapter\nfounded and endowed the university out of the revenues of the see, for\nthe use of which the bishop gave up the castle. Bishop Van Mildert was a\nman of great charity, and though his income was immense, he died\ncomparatively poor. He died in February 1836, and was interred in the\nchapel of the Nine Altars.\n\n#Edward Maltby# (1836-1856), his successor, was translated from\nChichester, and held the see for twenty years, when, owing to advanced\nage and increasing infirmity, he resigned in 1856.\n\n#Charles Thomas Longley# (1856-1860), first Bishop of Ripon, was next\nelected. He was a popular and much-beloved prelate. In 1860 he was\ncreated Archbishop of York, and two years later was translated to\nCanterbury.\n\n#Hon. Henry Montague Villiers# (1860-1861) was translated from\nCarlisle. A fine preacher, his episcopate was all too short. He died,\nafter much suffering, in 1861.\n\n#Charles Baring# (1861-1878), Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol,\nsucceeded him. A man of unbounded charity and goodness, he won the\naffection of all who knew him personally. He was compelled, through\nillness, to resign the see in 1878, and did not long survive his\nretirement.\n\n#Joseph Barber Lightfoot# (1879-1889) was then elected to the see. A\nman of scholarly attainments, he is still too well known and remembered\nto need any detailed note. He came to Durham pledged to accomplish as\nsoon as possible the division of the diocese, which promise he carried\nout by restoring the suppressed see of Hexham to Newcastle-on-Tyne. A\nfine tomb to the memory of Dr Lightfoot has been placed on the north\nside of the choir of the cathedral, and as a memorial of his episcopate\nthe mutilated chapter-house has been restored.\n\nThe present bishop is the #Right Rev. Brooke Foss Westcott, D.D.#\n\n * * * * *\n\nIn this place may conveniently be given the rough draft of the\nsettlement of the see by King Henry VIII. at the Reformation. Although\ndeparted from in many instances, it throws a curious light on the king's\nintentions to keep up some semblance of a conventual institution with an\nactive educational purpose.\n\n\n DURESME.\n\n [Fol. 30.] Duresme \\\n cum Cellis. /\n\nFirst a provoste of the College cc li.\nItem xii prebendaryes and the moste parte of theym preachers vi\n of them 1 markes and vi of them xxvi li. xiii s. iiii d. by the\n yere ccclx li.\nItem a Reader of humanytie in greke by the yere xx li.\nItem a Reader of dyvynytie in hebrewe by the yere xx li.\nItem a Reader bothe of devynytie and humanytie by the yere xx li.\nItem a Reader of physyke xx li.\nItem lx scollers to be tawghte both gramer and logyke in hebrewe\n greke and lattyn every of them by the yere iii li. vi s. viii d. cc li.\nItem xx studyentes in dyvynytie to be founde x att Oxenford, and\n x att Cambryge every of them by the yere x li. cc li.\nItem a Scolmaster for the same Scollers xx li.\nItem an ussher x li.\nItem viii petycanons to synge and serve in the quere every of them\n x li. by the yere xxiiii li.\nItem x laye men to synge and serve also in the quyre every of\n them by yere vi li. xiii s. iiii d. lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem x Chorysters every of them by the yere fyve marks\n xxxiii li. vi s. viii d.\nItem a master of the Chylderne x li.\nItem a Gospeller vi li.\nItem a pysteller v li.\nItem ii sextens vi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem xii poore men beynge olde servynge men decayed by warres\n or in the Kyng's servyce every of\n them vi li. xiii s. iiii d. by yere lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d.\n\n [Fol. 30. dors.]\n\nItem yearly to be distrybuted in almes to poore house-holders\n lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem for yearly reparacions lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem to be employed yerely in makynge and mendynge of\n hyghewayes lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem to a Steward of the Landes vi li. xiii s. iiii d.\nItem to an Audytor x li.\nItem to ii porters to kepe the gates and shave the Company x li.\nItem to one cheyf Butler for hys wages and dyete iiii li. xiiis. iiiid.\nItem to an under Butler for hys wages and dyete iii li. vis. viiid.\nItem one Cheyf Cooke for hys wages and dyete iiii li. xiiis. iiiid.\nItem oone Under Coke for hys wages and dyete iii li. vi s. viii d.\nItem for the provostes expences in receyvyng the Rentes and\n surveyeng the landes by yere x li.\nItem to a Cato^r to bye there dyetes for his wages and dyete and\n makynge hys bockes of reconyngs by the yere vi li. xiiis. iiiid.\n\n [Fol. 31.]\n\n xx\nDuresme M^lDCiiii viii^{li} xi^s viii^d.\n xx\nPorciones deductae M^lDiiii xiii^{li} xiii^s iiii^d.\nReman' lxxxxiiii^{li} xviii^s iii^d.\n\n [Fol. 32.]\n\nA proporcion for mayntenance of Hospitalite Lernynge Dyvine\n Service Almes and other necessarie Expences in the Cathedrall\n Churche of Duresme to be erectyd foundyd and establysshed\n by the King's Majesties goodnes.\n\n xx\n Sm^a M^lDCiiii viii^{li} xis. viii d.\n\n\n HOSPITALITE.\n\n The dean cclxiii li. x s.--Prebend' xxxii li. vi s. viii d.\n Corpus of the deane and prebendaries.\n\nFyrste for the Deane for the corpus of his promotion which he shall\n certaynlye receyve and accordinge wherunto he shall paye the\n tenthes and fyrst frutes xl li.\n\nItem to twelve prebendaries iche of them for the corpus of his\n promotion viii^{li} which he shall receyve certaynly by yere and\n accordinge whereunto he shall paye the tenthes and fyrste xx\n fruytes iiii xvi li.\n\n Sm^a cxxxvi^{li}\n\n\n DISTRIBUTIONS.\n\n | DCxxx li. xiii s. i d. |\n +---------------------^--+\nItem to the deane for every daie of his residence to be payd by waie |\n of Cotidiane distribucion out of the common possession xii s. v d. |\n to be paid out of the same common possession which amountyth |\n in the yere ccxxvi li. xii s. i d. |\n |\nItem to eche prebendarye for every daie of his residence to be payd |\n by waie of Cotidiane distribucion out of the common possession |\n xvi^d ob. over and besydes iiii s. ix d. ob. to be payd to every |\n of the prebendaries out of the same common possession which |\n in the hole yere amountith to the twelve said prebendaries to |\n the Summe ccciiii li.-^\n\n [Fol. 32 dors.]\n\n LEARNINGE.\n\n | ccxxx li. vi s. viii d. |\n +-------------------------+\n | cciii^{li} xiii iiii. |\n +--------------------^--+\nItem a reader in divinite for his yerely stypende to be paid of |\n the common possession xxvi li. xiii s. iiii d. |\nItem to twelve scolers to be found at the Universite off Oxforde |\n every of them ix li. xi s. viii d. by yere cxv li. |\nItem to xviii scolers to be taught Gramer Greke and Latyn |\n every of them iiii li. by yere lxxii li. |\nItem to a scolemaster for the same scolars x li. |\nItem to an ussher for them vi li. xiii s. iiii d.-^\n\n\n DYVINE SERVICE.\n\n | ccci^{li} |\n +--------^--+\nItem to twelve petycanons eche of them x li. by yere for ther dyet |\n and wagys cxx li. |\nItem to tenne laymen syngars eche of them to have yerely for their |\n dyet and wagys vi li. xiii s. iiii d. lxvi li. xiii s. iiii d. |\nItem to tenne Choristers eche of them lxvi s. viii d. |\n xxiii li. vi. s. viii d. |\nItem for a master to the Children for his dyet and wagys x. li. |\nItem to a Gospeller and Epistoler eche of them vi li. xiiis. iiiid. |\nItem to twoo sextens xii li. |\nItem to a Cator vi li. xiii s. iiii d. |\nItem to twoo buttellers xii li. |\nItem to two Cookes xii li. |\nItem to thre other commen servaantes as portor and ryngars eche of |\n them v li. xv li.-^\n\n [Fol. 33.]\n\n ALMES.\n\nItem to eyght poore men eche of them yerely vi li. xiii. s. iiii d. |\n liii li. vi s. viii d. |\nItem to be yerely distributed in almes to householders |\n xvi li. xiii s. iiii d. |\nItem to be yerely spente in mendynge of hyghways xx li.-^\n\n\n EXPENCES NECESSARIE.\n\n xx\n | ciiii iiii li. xv s. x d. |\n +-------------------------^-+\nItem for yerely reparacions by Estymation. cxxxi li. viii s. v d. |\nItem in exspences yerely in surveynge the landes and receyvinge |\n the Rentes xx li. |\nItem in expences for wyne and wax xiii li. vi s. viii d. |\nItem to a Stewarde of landes for his fee x li. |\nItem to an Auditor x li.-+\n\n xx xx\nSum of the common M^lCCCiiii vi li. xiii s. xd. M^lCCCCiiiixvi^{li} xv d.\nSum totall of all thies percels M^lDxxii^{li} xiii^s x^d.\n\nAbove which chargys the church indewyd with landes to susteyne the\nsame muste pay yerely tenthes and a certayne summe by composition for\nthe fyrste frutes deducted and abbayted.\n Cxxxvi li. payd by the deane and prebendaries severall.\n cxl li. to be allowyd by statute for almes.\n x li. for the stewarde allowyd by statute.\n x li. for the Auditors fee allowyd by statute.\n xx\nThe hole sume of deductions CCiiii xvi li.\nAnd so remaynes chargeable with tenthes and fyrst frutes\n M^lCCxxvi li. xiii s. x d.\n\n[Illustration: The Chapter Library.]\n\n[Sidenote: ]\n\n [Fol. 33. dors.]\n | ccxvi li. ix s. vi d. |\n +---------------------^-+\nWhereof to be payd for the tenthes of the commen possession |\n cxliiii li. vi s. iiii d. |\nItem a yerely Rent to be payd by composition for the fyrste frutes |\n lxxii li. xii s. iid.-^\n\nAnd so the Cathedrale Churche for mayntenance of the said yerely\n charges and paymente touchinge hospitalite lernynge divine\n service almes necessarie exspences tenthes and fyrst frutes\n after the Rates before mentionyd must yf the said shall lyke\n the Kings majestic be indewyd with yerely Revenues of the\n summe of M^lDCCxxxix^{li} xiii s. iiii d. MDCCxii li. x s.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V\n\nTHE CASTLE AND UNIVERSITY\n\n\nNo notice of Durham and its cathedral would seem complete without some\nmention being made of its fortress, the growth of which has been\ncontemporary with, and, we might almost say, inseparable from that of\nthe monastery itself.\n\nThere can be little doubt that other than the miraculous considerations\nassigned to them by tradition influenced the monks and the congregation\nof S. Cuthbert in their final choice of a resting-place for the bones of\ntheir beloved saint. The almost impregnable position of the rocky\npromontory upon which both Cathedral and Castle stand suggests a careful\nselection on their part, with a view to the prevention of attack and\nconsequent further disturbance of their sacred relics. What the first\nfortification was is a matter of doubt; most probably it was merely a\nwall or rampart of earth, with a large artificial mound at the weakest\npoint. This seems to have been the usual practice at an early date at\nmany other places in England, and in some cases their date is known and\ncorresponds to the time at which Durham was probably first fortified.\nWhatever the earliest protections were, we know that in 1072 William the\nConqueror, on his way from Scotland, passed through Durham. He quickly\nperceived the natural advantages and strength of the position, and gave\norders for the erection of a castle. This was at once set about, during\nthe episcopacy of Bishop Walcher, and continued under Carileph and\nFlambard. Of this building, which might be styled \"The Conqueror's\nCastle,\" not much remains. The most important is the #Chapel# or\nCrypt, which belongs, no doubt, to the earlier part of the period named\n(1080 to 1096). In plan the chapel has a nave and two aisles. The roof\nis vaulted, the ribs being plain, semi-circular, and square recessed,\nand is supported by six circular columns. The capitals of these columns\nare a somewhat interesting feature, owing to their Lombardic character.\nThe abaci are square and moulded, while the caps proper carry at their\nangles rudely carved volutes such as occur in the White Tower, London.\nEach capital is also carved differently with curious and rude devices.\nOf the three windows which terminated the nave and aisle at the east\nend, one has been destroyed to make way for a staircase and the other\ntwo are built up. The original windows of the chapel were very narrow\nand widely splayed. In the walls are an aumbrey and the remains of two\naltars.\n\n[Illustration: The Chapel or Crypt, Durham Castle.]\n\nOther remains of this date are somewhat scattered. Two windows in the\nundercroft of Bishop Bek's, or what is now known as #Bishop Hatfield's\nHall#, are examples. They have converging jambs, the semi-circular\nheads being cut from one stone and the inside very widely splayed. The\nwall from the keep to the chapel, and that from the keep to the gateway\nare also Norman work, as are also portions of the gateway itself.\n\nThe next important changes in the castle were made by Bishop Pudsey,\n1153-1195, who not only repaired the existing work but built a hall,\nknown as #Pudsey's Hall#. Although this hall has now almost entirely\ndisappeared, through repairs and alterations, sufficient evidence as to\nits whereabouts and general plan is forthcoming. It was of two storeys,\nthe lower and upper halls. Entrance to the lower hall was originally\ngained by a staircase which led from the courtyard to the splendid\ndoorway now enclosed in Tunstall's Gallery. This magnificent entrance\nhaving been covered with lath and plaster, and for long completely\nforgotten, was unearthed by, and at the expense of Bishop Barrington,\nearly in the present century. It is in good preservation and is a\nsplendid specimen of rich Norman architecture. It consists of five\norders, all richly carved and moulded. Three orders rest on carved\ncapitals and shafts, and two are carried down the jambs of the doorway.\nThe stairway has entirely disappeared, but there is little room to doubt\nthat it would be of much the same character as that in the close at\nCanterbury; and to the protection afforded by the staircase roof, we\nare, no doubt, indebted for the good preservation of the arch mouldings\nof the doorway itself.\n\nWhat was originally Pudsey's Upper Hall is now styled the #Norman\nGallery#. The greater portion of this gallery is at the present time\ndivided into chambers of residence for the students of the university.\nIt is reached by the Black Staircase and a doorway in the Early English\nGothic style. The interior of the south and west walls are enriched by\narcades in groups of three, the central bay of each of which is larger\nthan those flanking it, and is pierced by a window. The arches of the\narcade rest on shafts and cushion capitals, and are carved with chevron\nornament. The whole arrangement hereabouts bears the impress of having\nbeen a portion of one great building, which an examination of the roof,\nlead, and general outline makes even more certain.\n\nOn the western side of the courtyard stands the great #Bek's Hall#,\nbuilt by the bishop of that name. It is above the Norman undercroft,\npreviously mentioned. Much of its original character is now lost, owing\nto restorations, curtailments, and alterations. Bek's doorway is still\nin existence, though much hidden by the porch erected later by Bishop\nCosin. It has a pointed arch of two orders, with detached shafts in the\njambs. Another original relic, unrestored, is part of the window nearest\nthe fireplace, which is valuable as evidence of the date of the erection\nof the hall. The tracery is geometrical, and the shafts in the angles of\nthe splays are banded. About the year 1350 Bishop Hatfield enlarged and\naltered Bek's hall. At the west end he inserted two light windows, which\nare now blocked, though the tracery may be seen from students' rooms\ninside, and partly from the outside. The open oak roof, with the\nexception of some necessary later repairs, is of Bishop Hatfield's time.\nHatfield repaired and altered Pudsey's upper hall by the addition of\neast and west windows, and probably a new roof. He also rebuilt the\n#Keep#, which time and war had greatly injured. The existing keep,\nwhich was erected in 1840, is similar to Hatfield's, and in many places\nstands upon the old foundations. It is now used entirely as apartments\nfor students of University College.\n\nBishop Fox (1494-1501) is responsible for the next important changes. He\ncurtailed the great hall by a partition wall near its south end, which\nstill exists. The wall bears his badge in two places--a pelican feeding\nher young with blood from her breast. He also adapted part of Pudsey's\nbuildings, near the south-west corner of the castle, to the purposes of\na kitchen, erected three fireplaces, and windows, and the oak buttery\nhatch which opens from the kitchen, and which again has carved upon it\n\"the pelican in her piety.\"\n\nBishop Tunstall (1530-1558) built #Tunstall's Gallery#, which\nextends from the great hall to the clock tower. It is entered by Cosin's\nstaircase (erected later) and by an eastern stair built by Tunstall\nhimself. A curious feature of this stairway is a port-hole which\ncommands the main entrance to the courtyard. The present beautiful\nlittle chapel is also the work of Bishop Tunstall. It contains some\nnotable carved oak stalls, of earlier date than the chapel itself, which\nwere brought from the castle at Bishop Auckland. The carved devices of\nthe miserere seats of these stalls are curious and worthy of attention.\nThe doors in the gateway of the courtyard are the work of Tunstall's\ntime.\n\nBishop Cosin (1660-1672) found the castle in a dilapidated condition.\nDuring the Commonwealth it had been sold to the then Lord Mayor of\nLondon, who used it badly, to say nothing of the ruin caused by the\nScots. He spent large sums in its restoration. He added the present\nporch or entrance from the courtyard to the great hall. The great\nstaircase in the north-west corner of the courtyard is his and bears his\narms. Within and leading to Tunstall's Gallery is the Black Staircase,\nalso the work of Cosin. He enlarged the chapel, and constructed and\nfitted several apartments in the castle, besides several minor works. In\nhis will, he says, he spent the greater part of his temporal estate in\n\"rebuilding and repaireing the two episcopall Castles of Durham and\nBishop Auckland.\" This, he states, cost him seventeen thousand pounds,\nincluding the furnishing and ornamenting of the chapels, which he did\n\"for the use of my successors in those Chappells for ever.\" Many of the\nagreements between Bishop Cosin and his masons, plasterers, carpenters,\nand painters, from which the exact dates and prices paid for the work\nmay be learned, are preserved.\n\nThe latest important work at the castle was the rebuilding of the keep,\nin 1840, which was described at that time as \"a picturesque ruin.\" It\nwas entirely rebuilt on its original plan. The gateway to the courtyard\nwas repaired and modernised by Bishop Barrington, with the existing\ninartistic result.\n\nDurham Castle owes its picturesque appearance to two causes--first, its\nmagnificent and commanding position, on a rocky escarpment; and second,\nno doubt, to the many vicissitudes through which it has passed, the\nalterations and additions made necessary by time and constant war, and\nlater, the entirely different uses to which the building is put.\n\n[Illustration: Staircase in the Castle.]\n\nIt is now chiefly used as a hall of residence for university men and as\nlodging for the Judges of Assize.\n\nThe most favourable time for the architectural student to visit the\ncastle is during one of the university vacations, otherwise many\ninteresting features would be denied him. Many portions (except\nstudents' chambers) are, however, open to the public every week day.\n\n#The University of Durham.#--From an early date, frequent mention is\nmade in the history of the see of Durham, of a college at Oxford called\nthe Durham College. Its origin is not exactly known, but by the\nliberality of several bishops and priors its original endowment\nincreased, until provision was made for eight fellows and eight\nscholars. This was the case at the time of the suppression of the\nmonasteries by King Henry VIII., when, owing to its connection with the\nmonastery of Durham, the college was also dissolved. Its revenues, were,\nhowever, rescued, and in 1541 were handed over by the king to the newly\ncreated dean and chapter. Thus the matter stood till 1650, when a\npetition was presented to the Protector, showing the great disadvantages\nto the North of England arising from the long distance of Oxford and\nCambridge, and praying that the houses of the dean and prebendaries\nmight be converted into a college. Cromwell took a favourable view of\nthe idea, and in a letter to Lenthall, the Speaker, in its support, he\nsays:--\n\n \"Truly it seems to me a matter of great concernment and importance,\n as that which (by the blessing of God) may much conduce to the\n promotion of learning and piety in these poore, rude, and ignorant\n parts, there being also many concurring advantages to this place, as\n pleasantness, and aptness of situation, healthfull aire, and plenty\n of provisions, which seeme to favour and pleade for theire desires\n therein.\"[7]\n\n [7] Hutchinson, vol. i\n\nVarious delays occurred, however, and it was not until 1657 that the\nLord Protector issued his patent for the erection of the proposed\ncollege, in a document consisting of twenty-three heads.\n\nThe college thus commenced made great progress, and would no doubt have\ncontinued to do so, but for the constant opposition of the two great\nuniversities of Oxford and Cambridge. Then followed the Restoration, and\nwith it came a reaction against all measures established during the\nProtectorate. This feeling, combined with persistent petitions from the\nuniversities, soon accomplished the downfall of the College.\n\nBishop Van Mildert, who was translated to Durham in 1826, during his\nshort episcopate saw many changes, not the least of which was the\nsuccessful revival of the scheme for a university. Powers were obtained\nin 1832 for the training of students in divinity and the conferring of\ndegrees in other faculties. The new foundation was endowed out of the\nrevenues of the cathedral, and the bishop gave up the Castle of Durham\nfor the use of the college, besides financial assistance of L1000 for\nthe first year and L2000 for the following years until his death in\n1836. The first warden was Dr Charles Thorp, Archdeacon and Canon of\nDurham, but it was provided by an order, on the recommendation of the\nEcclesiastical Commissioners that in future the office of warden should\nbe permanently attached to the deanery, and that a canonry in the\ncathedral be annexed to each of the professorships of Divinity and\nGreek.\n\nThe government of the university is in the hands of the dean and\nchapter, and the affairs administered by a warden, senate and\nconvocation. A royal charter was obtained in 1837 making the university\na corporate body with perpetual succession and a common seal.\n\nThe university, besides its original schools of arts and divinity, has\nestablished schools of physical science and medicine, in connection with\nthe Durham College of Science at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and has recently\nadmitted women students to its courses and lectures.\n\nThere are many foundation scholarships and exhibitions in arts,\nclassics, mathematics, and theology, besides a long list of private\nfoundations and fellowships.\n\nThe university consists of one college and one hall. The former,\nUniversity College, occupies the Castle, and the latter, Bishop\nHatfield's Hall.\n\nIt is well supplied with libraries. The university library founded at\nthe opening, to which Bishop Van Mildert contributed a valuable\ncollection.\n\nThe library given in 1855 by the late Dr Martin Routh, president of\nMagdalen College, Oxford.\n\nThe library presented by the late Bishop Maltby in 1856, which he\nendowed with L1000.\n\nA library was also bequeathed to the university in 1859 by the late T.M.\nWinterbottom, M.D., of Westoe, South Shields. A large collection of\nbooks was bequeathed by the late Bishop Lightfoot.\n\nTwo other important libraries may here be mentioned, though they do not\nbelong to the University--viz. the Chapter Library and Bishop Cosin's\nLibrary.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI\n\nTHE CITY\n\n\nBesides the Cathedral and Castle, the City of Durham possesses several\nchurches of decided interest to the student of architecture, which\ndeserve a brief notice.\n\nThe Parish Church of #S. Mary in the North Bailey.#--This small\nchurch is generally known as S. Mary le Bow, owing to the fact that in\nits original steeple was an arch, through which the roadway passed. This\nsteeple fell in 1637, and the ancient structure was allowed to lapse\ninto complete ruin. The present church was built in 1685, and its most\nnoticeable feature is the open carved screen between the nave and\nchancel erected in 1707. The site of the church is the oldest in the\ncity, and some writers have thought it probably identical with that of\nthe White Church in which the body of S. Cuthbert was placed during the\nbuilding of the cathedral.\n\n#S. Mary-the-Less# is a small but picturesque church situated in the\nSouth Bailey, and is of Norman date. Its original architectural\ncharacter is, however, almost entirely lost, owing to extensive\nrestorations which took place in 1846-7. The round-headed window now in\nthe south wall of the chancel, but formerly in the west wall of the\nnave, is the only remaining original feature. The church is entered by a\nporch on the south side, and consists of a nave and chancel only. Some\nstones in the churchyard, which were removed from their position when\nthe church was restored, are carved with chevron ornament, and would\nseem to show that the date of the original structure was the earlier\npart of the twelfth century.\n\n#S. Oswald.#--This church stands on high ground overlooking the river\nWear, at the head of New Elvet; and is the parish church of the ancient\nborough of Elvet. The first church was erected by Bishop Carileph,\nthough the earliest parts of the existing building are of the time of\nBishop Pudsey, who also built the bridge across the river, known as the\nElvet Bridge. To this date (about 1190) belongs the eastern part of the\nnave arcade, the arches of which are semi-circular and rest upon tall\nround piers. Early in the fourteenth century a new chancel was built,\nthe aisles rebuilt and extended to the west end, and two new arches\nadded to the west end of the nave arcades. In the early part of the\nfifteenth century a clerestory and open parapet were added, and a new\noak roof placed over the nave. This was most probably a hammer-beam\nroof, and was coloured and gilded and decorated with angels holding\nshields. The only parts remaining at the present day are the grotesque\ncarved corbels, and the angels. The tower was also constructed at this\ntime. In 1834, owing to subsidence of the ground, it became necessary to\nrebuild the south aisle and a large part of the chancel, which caused\nthe destruction of much architectural beauty. The open parapet was\nremoved, the clerestory windows replaced by the present inferior ones,\nand the fine oak roof destroyed. The east end of the chancel was rebuilt\nin 1864. Special attention should be directed to the fine oak stall-work\nin the chancel, boldly carved in the style of the early part of the\nfifteenth century. The tower, which forms a beautiful and conspicuous\nlandmark, is reached by a stone staircase of unusual character. It is\nplaced in the thickness of the wall, and is covered in with twenty-four\ngravestones of thirteenth and fourteenth century date, on which may yet\nbe seen portions of inscriptions and symbols. Built into the tower was\npart of a Saxon cross, which has now been removed for preservation to\nthe dean and chapter library. This cross is interesting as evidence of\nthe existence on the same site of a pre-Norman church. The tower was\ncarefully restored in 1863. It contains a peal of six bells, which were\nre-cast in 1694, and bear the following inscriptions:--\n\n 1. GLOVIA(?) IN ALTISSMISS(?) DEO PEX FORSTER A\n VIC CHRISTO HODSON ME FECIT 1694.\n\n 3. DEVM TIMETE PEX FORSTER AM VIC I EVANS C\n WARDEN CHRISTO HODSON ME FECIT.\n\n 4. REGEM HONORATE PEX FORSTER A M VIC 1694\n CHRISTOPR HODSON MADE ME I EVANS I S\n H R.\n\n 5. IBIMUS IN DOMVM DOMINI PEX FORSTER A M VIC\n CHRISTOPER HODSON MADE ME 1694 IO EVANS\n CHV W.\n\n 6. OSVALDUS FLOREM MEREOR QVIA GESTO TENOREM\n PEX FORSTER AM VIC IO EVANS IS WH RW\n CW 94.\n\nThe second bell was cast in 1885.\n\n#S. Margaret's# Parish Church is situated on the steep hill called\nCrossgate. It is opposite to and across the river from the Castle, and\nfrom its churchyard a fine western view of the cathedral is obtained.\nThe church was built during the early part of the episcopate of Bishop\nPudsey (1154) and was formerly a chapel under the church of S. Oswald.\nHere again alterations and restorations have obliterated much that\noriginally existed. The church at present consists of a nave and aisles,\na chancel with aisles, a western tower, and north and south porches. The\nexisting portions of the original church are the chancel arch, and the\nsouth arcade of four bays, together with part of the clerestory and the\nnorth wall of the chancel. The arcade consists of low massive circular\npiers, with cushion capitals and plain chamfered abaci, which support\nsemi-circular arches of one order also chamfered.\n\nThe north arcade is also Norman, and very similar in character to that\nof S. Oswald. No doubt it is of the same date, and probably built by the\nsame architect. The chancel arch has two orders, recessed square and\nchamfered, with a plain chamfered hood mould. On both north and south\nsides of the arch is a squint. With the exception of two which are\nNorman, the windows are nearly all of modern date. One is in the north\nwall of the chancel and is widely splayed. It is not seen on the outside\nowing to the vestry which now covers it. The other, a very interesting\nspecimen, is situated over the western bay of the south arcade, and is a\nportion of the original clerestory and the earliest known clerestory\nwindow in the county. The roof of the nave is of oak, and a good\nspecimen of Perpendicular work. The tower is of fifteenth-century date,\nand exceedingly plain externally, but vaulted in the interior. It opens\non to the church by an arch which has been inserted in the west wall.\nThere is an interesting font of Frosterley marble, which is apparently\nof the same date as the chancel. The vestry which is raised above the\nlevel of the church floor is of the fifteenth century, and has on its\ngable the original gable cross.\n\n[Illustration: The Cathedral and Castle, from the North.]\n\nThe Parish Church of #S. Giles# occupies a very elevated position at\nthe north-east end of the city, and commands one of the finest views of\nthe cathedral, castle, and city, which it is possible to obtain. It was\nbuilt by Bishop Flambard and finished as early as 1112; but the north\nwall of the nave, containing two small Norman windows, widely splayed\ninwards, and a walled-up doorway is all that remains of this early\nchurch. The chancel is of later Norman of the time of Pudsey. Both\nwithin and without a bold chamfered string course runs round the\nchancel. On the south side is a semi-circular headed window, with a\ncarved dripstone and nook shafts, the capitals of which bear a similar\ncharacter to those in the Galilee Chapel of the cathedral. In the north\nwall of the chancel is the priests' door, now walled up, and the corbels\nand springers of the original chancel arch built by Pudsey. The present\narch was erected in 1876. In 1414 considerable alterations were made\nduring the episcopate of Bishop Langley, when the walls of the nave were\nraised, the upper stage of the tower built, and the west window\ninserted. The font is a fine stone bowl resting on a shaft, and is\nundoubtedly of the time of Flambard. The chancel contains some monuments\nof the Tempest and Heath families, who were the ancestors of the\nMarchioness of Londonderry, patroness of the church and parish of S.\nGiles. The tower contains three bells, the first and second of which are\npre-Reformation and the third bears the date 1646.\n\nOn the north side of Gilesgate near to the North-Eastern goods station,\nare the ruins of the little #Chapel of S. Mary Magdalen#, of which\nonly a small portion remains. At the west end of the north and south\nwalls are two doorways, the latter walled up. Portions of the east\nwindow are still in position, but it would appear to have been of\nearlier date than the surrounding walls, and probably had been brought\nfrom some other building. In the interior are the remains of a\nFrosterley marble font, and a gable cross of thirteenth-century date is\nin the custody of the dean and chapter. The chapel was 43 feet by 161/2\nfeet wide. It is supposed to have been founded by Sir John Fitz\nAlexander. In 1370 it was almost entirely rebuilt, and again in 1449, on\na site near the original one. The reason for this was the moisture of\nthe ground, which caused the foundations to become insecure. The\ngovernment was in the hands of the almoner of the cathedral, who\ndistributed doles to the poor. The chapel was used as a place of worship\nuntil nearly the end of the seventeenth century, when, owing to its\nruinous condition, services were finally discontinued.\n\n * * * * *\n\n\n\n[Illustration: PLAN AND DIMENSIONS.]\n\nPRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS OF THE CATHEDRAL\n\n Feet. Inches.\nLength of Nave 201 0\nWidth of Nave 39 0\nWidth of Nave Aisles 21 0\nLength of North Transept 66 0\nLength of South Transept 66 0\nWidth of Transepts 37 0\nLength of Choir 132 6\nWidth of Choir 39 6\nWidth of Choir Aisles 19 0\nLength of Nine Altars Chapel 131 0\nWidth of Nine Altars Chapel 38 6\nHeight of Vaulting of Nine Altars Chapel 77 0\nHeight of Vaulting of Choir 74 6\nHeight of Vaulting of Nave 72 0\nHeight of Vaulting of Lantern 155 0\nWidth of Lantern E. to W. 40 6\nWidth of Lantern N. to S. 39 0\nHeight of Tower Arches 68 6\nLength of Galilee Chapel 77 0\nWidth of Galilee 49 0\nHeight of Western Towers 144 6\nHeight of Central Tower 218 0\nTotal length of Church (interior) 469 6\nThickness of Wall at West End 8 0\n\nAREA 44,400 sq. ft.\n\n * * * * *\n\n\nTranscriber's Notes:\n\n1. Words and phrases which were italicized in the original have been\n surrounded by underscores ('_') in this version. Words or phrases\n which were bolded have been surrounded by pound signs ('#').\n\n2. Obvious printer's errors have been corrected without note.\n\n3. Inconsistencies in hyphenation or the spelling of proper names, and\n dialect or obsolete word spelling, has been maintained as in the\n original.","title":"Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espiscopal See","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":27391}