The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-25 00:00:00

British Archeological Association.

DURHAM, Thursday.
After the morning service yesterday, the Cathe-
dral, every part of which was thrown open by the
Dean and Chapter, was explored under the guid-
ance of Mr. Gordon Hills, who said that though in
general beauty and ornamental detail the structure
might be surpassed at Lincoln and elsewhere, still
there was about it an air of solemnity and of dig-
nity which could hardly be found in any other
cathedral. The remains of St. Cuthbert, which for-
merly reposed at Chester-le-Street, were brought to
Durham about the year 995, and a temporary
church was built, replaced in four years by one of
stone. The church as it now stood was begun
about 1093—some ten years after the introduction
of the Benedictine monks, who had an establish-
ment here. In the nave Hr. Hills called attention
to the extraordinarily massive construction of the
piers and arches, the circular piers being no less
than 25ft. Gin. in circumference. The nave now was
very bare of ornament compared with its state be-
fore the Reformation, when the magnificent rood-
screen—considered the ch oicest in the country, and
the Jesus altar were removed. A great peculiarity
was a line of blue marble in the pavement between
the northern and southern doors, for to the east of
that mark, down to the time of the Reformation,
women were never permitted to go. The reason
generally assigned was the alleged misconduct of
certain monks in a monastery founded by St. Cuth-
bert to which a nunnery was attached. But the
mark might have had another meaning, for Mr.
Hills suspected that in early times it was intended
to shut off the choir at that point. The beautiful
Galilee Chapel, at the west end of the church, was
then visited. It was erected by Bishop Pudsey to-
wards the close of his episcopate, which began in
1153 and lasted nearly 40 years. This chapel,
which stopped up the western entrance, was said to
have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and to be
intended for the use of women, who were excluded
from the rest of the church. It now forms a be-
coming shrine for the remains of " the Venerable
Bede," whose plain table monument bears the well
known inscription :

"Mac sunt in fossil Beds) Venerabilis ossa."

The monkish legend is that the " Veneralibis"
was supplied by an angel to the author after he had
vainly racked his brains for a word of the right
quantity to fill up the hiatus in his line. The re-
mains of Bede are said to have been stolen from
Jarrow in 1022 by a Sacrist of Durham, and after
being long preserved in the coffin of St. Cuthbert,
they were placed by Bishop Pudsey in a splendid
shrine. The original tomb was destroyed at the
Reformation. The Nine Altars Chapel was next
visited, and the magnificent screen dividing the choir
from the chapel was greatly admired. The chapel
took its name from nine altars dedicated to as many
saints, these altars being originally divided from
each other by elaborate oak screens, and each be-
ing fitted up in the most costly manner. After the
Cathedral had been explored the cloisters and the
chapter library were inspected—the latter rich in
missals and illuminations, two or three MSS. being
described as De mann Bedle. To the dean and
chapter just praise was given for the zeal and taste
displayed in keeping up
s
the whole of the beautiful in their charge.
On the beautifully-wooded bank of the Wear,
about four miles from Durham, stand the picturesque
ruins of Finchale Priory, which in archaeological in-
terest are hardly second to those of Fountains Abbey.
At 3 o'clock a large party assembled here, and Mr.
Edward Roberts gave a learned and elaborate de-
scription of the remains and the structural arrange-
ment of the old building, so far as can be judged
from the parts left standing. Finchale seems to have
been a place of some consequence even in 792, for a
synod was held there to regulate discipline ; but it
obtained its chief renown some 350 years afterwards
from the renown of St. Godric. A pilgrimage to
Rome and a contemplation of the austere life led by
the monks of Lindisfarne induced him to become a
hermit; and in his cell on the Wearside he practised
unheard-of austerities. Thus it is recorded that he
wore an iron shirt next his skin day and night, and
that he wore three ; he mingled ashes with the flour
from which he made his bread, which he kept three
or four months lest it should be too good for eating ;
and in winter as well as in summer he passed whole
nights at his devotions, standing up to his chin in
water. Like St. Anthony, he was tempted, but
wrought a cure by rolling himself amid thorns and
briars. In spite of this asceticism, St. Gothic lived
here 63 years. The church after his death was soon
enriched by pilgrimages to his tomb. Mr. Roberts
described the church as consisting of a long narrow
nave with aisles ; a long and narrow choir, also with
aisles at the western portion ; and transepts without
aisles. The conventional buildings were on the
south side, that opposite to the river. The land
fails rapidly towards the river, and advantage was
taken of this to raise the refectory and other
principal rooms to the upper story, an unusual ar-
rangement, and one which Mr. Roberts believed was
unique in England, though not uncommon in Italy.
The buildings appeared to be all coeval and to date
about the reign of the third Henry—between 1194
and 1200. There was no great window, except at
the east end. The conventual buildings are also
all nearly of the same
.tuon being age, the window in the
Prior's
at the latest
a b The probable position was pointed
u l,
390. and hospt
out of the refectory, with its outlets to the orchard
on the higher level ; of the cloister, with its steps
Chapel
leading to the garden or the farm ; the treasury,
the day-room, the dormitory, the library, and the
Scriptorium, There was a tower called the Douglas
tower, but no reason can be assigned for the name,
except that the Douglas may once have been a guest
within the Priory. In the Prior's Chamber is a
fragment called by tradition " the wishing chair,"
said to have been much resorted to for the cure of
barrenness ; but an old writer adds that after the
removal of the monks the chair entirely lost its
virtue. Mr. Roberts, however, treated the tradition
with little respect. The ruins have suffered greatly
through the practice of using them as a quarry for
building or repairs in the neighbourhood. Some
years ago this was put a stop to upon the remon-.
strance of the archaeologists , but Mr. Roberts
stated that the practice had lately been resumed,
and expressed a natural hope that means would be
found to prevent it and to preserve these beautiful
remains as they now stand.

In the evening there was a soiree at the Castle,
and papers were read by Mr. Hodgson Hinde, vice-
president of the Newcastle Antiquarian Society, on
the progress of the Roman arms in Britain, with
especial reference to the position of the northern
frontiers at different periods ; and by the Rev. Pre-
bendary Scarth on a Roman altar found in restoring
Gainford Church in 1864, with an explanation of
the inscription. This morning the archaeologists
will be received at Raby Castle by the president,
the Duke of Cleveland.