Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham Part 3

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Transepts, looking North.]

Both the north-west and south-west corners of the transepts contain stairways, opening at their various levels on to the triforium, clerestory, and the s.p.a.ce between the vaulting and the roof. That in the south transept also gives access to the central tower and belfry, an ascent of which, if the day be clear, will repay the visitor for his fatiguing climb of three hundred and forty steps by the magnificent view spread at his feet. The transepts were no doubt the earliest part of the building to be vaulted; that of the northern arm being plain is probably the earlier, while that of the south arm, though of similar character, has zig-zag ornaments. Several of the priors of Durham were buried in the transepts, the first, Prior Fossor, 1364, and the last, Robert Ebchester, who died in 1484.

On the piers of the transepts projecting brackets may be noticed. These are of Perpendicular date, and originally carried statues.

The crossing, or s.p.a.ce between the four piers supporting the central tower, gives us a fine view of the interior of the lantern.

The #Tower# is carried on four large cl.u.s.tered Norman piers with semi-circular arches. Over the arches, and seventy-seven feet above the floor of the church, is the lower stage of the lantern, round which is a gallery with an open pierced parapet. It rests on corbels, each alternate one being carved with a grotesque head. The walls are panelled up to the base of the great windows,--each panel having two cinquefoiled arches under a crocketed canopy and final; while between them are small b.u.t.tresses, also panelled, and ending in a finial which reaches the same height as the canopy. Over the panelling is a string course ornamented with that characteristic ornament of the Perpendicular period, the Tudor flower, and above this on each face two tall windows near together. Each window has two lights, and is divided by a transom. The roof of the lantern is groined, with fine bosses at the intersections of the ribs.

The whole seen from below has a very fine effect, and must be very different in appearance from the original Norman structure. The whole of the lantern was refaced, and the statues which had been removed from their niches were replaced, some thirty years ago, by the Dean and Chapter of Durham.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Corbel in Choir.]

The #Norman East End.#--The original form of the Norman east end has long been the subject of discussion and conjecture. It was practically safe to a.s.sume that the choir ended in an apse, though whether the aisles were also apsidal, or continued round a great apse as an ambulatory, was a debatable point. This question has now been finally settled.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Choir, looking East.] During some operations necessitating the opening of the floor, in January 1895, certain indications were found which led the diocesan architect, Mr C.H. Fowler, and Canon Greenwell to continue the excavation. The result was the discovery that Carileph's church certainly possessed three apses--a large one terminating the choir, and smaller ones the aisles. The apses of the aisles were square externally, and apsidal internally. The great apse consisted of five bays, one on either side next to the choir, forming an oblong between the choir and the springing line of the curve of the apse, over which would be the great sanctuary arch. The remainder, or apse proper, was divided into three bays by engaged cl.u.s.tered shafts, similar to those of the choir and nave. It was surrounded by a wall arcade of the same character as that of the rest of the church. The base of one of the shafts of the arcade was found in position. An extremely interesting point in this discovery is the fact that the levels are the same as those of the nave and choir. The foundations are on the rock at the same depth, and the aisle walls and apse walls are in the same line. The external square line of the aisle apses is in line with the springing of the choir apse. The foundations of the apse to the north aisle have been thoroughly excavated, and there is every reason to believe that that on the south side of the church entirely corresponds. The width of the north aisle apse from north to south is nine feet eight inches. There can be little doubt, judging from the remainder of Carileph's work, that all three apses were covered with stone vaults, though of precisely what character can only be a matter of conjecture. The cracking, previously spoken of, which led to this part of the church being taken down and the new eastern transept being erected, cannot have arisen from any subsidence of the foundations. It, in all probability, was the result of the thrust of the apse vaults on to walls which were insufficiently b.u.t.tressed. The marks on some of the stones found during this excavation, and the shape of others, seem to point to the conclusion that here we have the earliest part of the church, and that Carileph used up in his foundations much of the stone of Aldhun's White Church.

Of the two usual eastern endings to Norman churches--viz. those with three apses, and those having the aisle carried round as an ambulatory--the latter is far more common in England, and the former on the Continent. There are two other notable instances of the three apsidal arrangement in England: S. Albans, 1077, which is earlier than Durham; and Peterboro', 1117, which is later than, and was probably modelled on, Durham. There are many examples of ambulatories--the White Tower Church (London), Winchester, Gloucester, Worcester, and Norwich being among them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Corbel in Choir.]

The apses of Durham are of considerable depth from east to west, the oblong bay previously mentioned, which is fourteen feet wide in that direction, adding greatly to this effect. The width of the foundations is fourteen feet, and the width of the wall has been seven feet. The diameter of the choir apse from north to south was about thirty-two feet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plan of Norman East End.]

These discoveries are specially interesting, completing as they do the whole chain, and leading us with very little imagination to see in its original condition what must have been, and may even now claim to be, the most n.o.ble example of Norman architecture in our country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Triforium of Nave and Choir.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Capital in the Nine Altars Chapel.]

The #Nine Altars Chapel.#--Leaving the consideration of what once occupied the site of the east end of Durham, we will turn our attention to the beautiful erection which now stands there, the eastern transept, or, as it is named from the altars of the saints it once contained beneath its windows, the Chapel of the Nine Altars. It is approached from the aisles by steps, the floor level being lower than that of the church proper. It is altogether a remarkable and interesting structure.

With its lightness and loftiness contrasting grandly with the ma.s.sive Norman nave and choir, its cl.u.s.tered columns of polished marble alternating with stone, its fine bold sculpture, its splendid vaulted roof and rich arcading, it forms a perfect example of the Early English style. Though regular and symmetrical in general design, the detail shows great variety, and even irregularity, a quality so often present in old work, and so much to its advantage. In general character it may be compared with that at Fountains Abbey, which was built during the same time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Capital in the Nine Altars Chapel.]

The circ.u.mstances leading to its erection have been already referred to.

The Norman apses having been partly removed, owing to their dangerous condition, the "New Work," as it was always called, was commenced in the year 1242. The eastern wall, with its rose and nine lancet windows, is the earliest part of the chapel, the north and south walls being later.

The joining and blending of the work with the Norman of Carileph's choir had evidently been accomplished when the chapel was almost completed.

The eastern wall is of three bays, each bay having three lofty lancet windows. The bays are not of equal width, the centre one being regulated by the width of the nave of the church, and narrower than the north and south bays.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sections of Hood and Arch Mouldings.]

A very beautiful arcade runs completely round the walls. It is of trefoil arches, deeply and richly moulded, supported on marble columns carved with foliage. Over the arches is a hood mould terminating with heads. In the spandrels are a series of deeply-sunk and moulded quatrefoils, two of which contain sculpture. The bases of the columns rest on a plinth. Surmounting this arcade is a moulded string, from the level of which rise the windows, and above the windows another string course and a second range of windows. In the centre bay, however, is the large rose window, which is over thirty feet in diameter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Nine Altars Chapel.]

The division of the chapel into three bays is effected by two main vaulting arches, which spring on the western side from the piers of the east end of the choir, and on the eastern side from responds of cl.u.s.tered shafts alternately of marble and stone, banded at intervals and having richly carved capitals. The arches themselves are deeply moulded and ornamented with dog-tooth ornament and foliage. The vault of the central bay has eight ribs--two springing from each of the cl.u.s.ters just described, and two from each of the choir piers. The vaulting of the remaining bays is quadripart.i.te, but has peculiarities which are worthy of notice, arising from inequality of width. We must not omit to call attention to the exquisite sculpture of the vaulting. The centre has figures of the Four Evangelists, while in the north is a beautifully executed carving of vine and grapes, and in the south, figure subjects.

Among the sculptured heads on the wall arcade at the south end, at the western side of the two bays into which the south wall is divided, are two which are portraits of the men to whom we owe the design and execution of the beautiful sculpture of this chapel. One is an elderly man, the other much younger, and both wear linen dust-caps over their heads.

The nine lancet windows were originally filled with ancient stained gla.s.s, which, as the reader will remember, was removed, Below each window was an altar. They were dedicated a follows, beginning at the south end of the chapel:--

1. S. Andrew and S. Mary Magdalene. 2. S. John the Baptist and S. Margaret. > South bay.

3. S. Thomas of Canterbury and S. Catherine. /

4. S. Oswald and S. Lawrence. 5. S. Cuthbert and S. Bede. > Middle bay.

6. S. Martin. /

7. S. Peter and S. Paul. 8. S. Aidan and S. Helen. > North bay.

9. S. Michael the Archangel. /

The rose window over the lancets of the middle bay is Wyatt's "restoration" of the original one. It consists of an outer circle of twenty-four and an inner circle of twelve radiating lights, the mullions of which are received on a foliated circle in the centre.

In the north wall of the chapel is a very fine window, known as the Joseph window, on account of the stained gla.s.s it originally contained, which ill.u.s.trated the life-history of Joseph. It is a beautiful example of Early Decorated or geometrical Gothic, and is of six lights. There is an inner plane of tracery resting on cl.u.s.tered shafts, which is connected to the mullions of the window proper by through stones. The window occupies the complete width of the north end of the chapel. The painted gla.s.s which it once contained is thus described in the "Rites of Durham":

"In the North Alley of the said Nine Altars, there is another goodly faire great gla.s.s window, called Joseph's Window, the which hath in it all the whole storye of Joseph, most artificially wrought in pictures in fine coloured gla.s.s, accordinge as it is sett forth in the Bible, verye good and G.o.dly to the beholders thereof."

This window deserves the attention of the architectural student, as it is an exceedingly fine specimen of the tracery of its date.

The south wall of the chapel contains two windows, each divided by a central mullion, and having an inner mullion connected by through stones. They are widely splayed inwards, and separated by a group of vaulting shafts. One or both of these windows contained stained gla.s.s, with the history of the life and miracles of S. Cuthbert. As seen at present, they contain tracery of the Perpendicular period, a restoration of that inserted by Prior Wessington. Each window is of two lights, crossed by a transom. Entry to the nine altars was provided for, as well as from the choir and aisles, by two doors on the western side of its north and south walls. The northern doorway is now walled up. They enter through the wall arcade. The writer of the "Rites of Durham" says the north door was made in order to bring in the body of Bishop Anthony Bek, who is buried in the chapel. The architectural features of the doorway would, however, seem to contradict this theory, and there is little room to doubt that both north and south doorways formed part of the original design of the structure.

Before leaving this interesting portion of the building we must direct our attention to its most important contents, the #Tomb of S.

Cuthbert#. This, as at present to be seen, is a great oblong platform, thirty-seven feet long by twenty-three feet wide, and its upper surface or floor six feet above the floor of the chapel. Beneath a slab in the centre the bones of the patron saint rest. The shrine of S.

Cuthbert at one time stood upon this platform, but of that no vestige remains.

The floor of the platform is reached by two doors through the Neville screen in the choir, and by a small stairway from the south aisle. The wanderings of the monks of Lindisfarne with the body of their saint, their many difficulties and trials, and their ultimate settlement at Dunholme or Durham, have already been described. The shrine was eventually set up in its present position by Bishop Carileph, in 1104, when he brought it from the cloister garth from the tomb he had there set up for its temporary reception, until his church was sufficiently advanced to permit of its removal thither. It was visited by large numbers of pilgrims, and many important personages were among them. Of these may be mentioned William the Conqueror, Henry III. (1255), Edward II. (1322), and Henry VI. (1448). The shrine was destroyed soon after the surrender of the monastery to the Crown, in 1540, when the body was buried beneath the place where its former receptacle had stood. There have since this time been traditions that the exact place of the burial was secret, and known only, according to one account, to three Benedictine monks, who each handed the secret down to a successor. The other tradition places the knowledge of the place of burial in the hands of the Roman Catholic bishops of the Northern Province. One of these traditions was made public in the year 1867, and gave the place of interment as being under the second and third steps leading to the tower from the south transept. This place was excavated and examined, but no trace of any burial could be found there. It is to these traditions that Scott refers, in _Marmion_, in the following lines:--

Chester-le-Street, and Ripon saw His holy corpse, ere Wardilaw Hailed him with joy and fear; And after many wanderings past, He chose his lordly seat at last, Where his cathedral, huge and vast, Looks down upon the Wear.

There deep in Durham's Gothic shade His relics are in secret laid; But none may know the place, Save of his holiest servants three, Deep sworn to solemn secrecy, Who share that wondrous grace.

In May 1827 the grave in the Nine Altars Chapel was opened in the presence of two of the church dignitaries and other persons. Dr Raine, who was also present, has left a careful account of the discoveries then made.[3] The outer coffin, that made in 1542, was first removed, revealing a second and much decayed coffin and many bones. After the removal of these relics the lid of a third oak coffin was revealed, in a very advanced state of decay. This innermost coffin was covered over its entire surface with carvings of human figures, the heads surrounded by a nimbus. When this coffin was removed the skeleton was exposed to view, wrapped in coverings, the outer of which had been of linen. The robes beneath were much decayed, and only portions of them could be preserved.

On the breast of the body, among the robes, a comb was found, answering exactly to that described by Reginald in 1104. Among the most interesting of the finds were a stole and maniple.

[3] Raine. S. Cuthbert.

The stole is of very early date, and is of needlework in colours and gold. The centre design is a quatrefoil, inside which is a lamb with nimbus, and the letters AGNV DI. On either side are figures of Old Testament prophets, with their names. Near the ends the embroidery occurs on both sides of the stole, on the back of one of which among foliage is the inscription AELFFLAED FIERI PRECEPIT, which is continued on the back of the opposite end, thus--PIO EPISCOPO FRIDESTANO. The translation of this inscription is to the effect that Aelfled commanded the stole to be made for the pious Bishop Frithestan. The maniple is of a similar character, and also bears ornament, figures, and inscriptions.[4] Frithestan was made Bishop of Winchester in 905.

Aelfled, who was Queen of Eadward, the son and successor of Alfred, died in 916. It was therefore during these ten years that she caused this stole and maniple to be made for the Bishop Frithestan. It is recorded that the son and successor of Eadward, by name Athelstan, when on a journey in the north visited Chester-le-Street and the shrine of S.

Cuthbert, which was then at that place. Among other presents he left as offerings a stole and maniple, and a girdle and two bracelets of gold.

It is a curious fact that a girdle and two gold bracelets were found along with the stole and maniple in the grave, in 1827, and leaves very little doubt that they are the ones mentioned above. The bones of the saint were quite intact, and none were missing. They were, with the other relics, placed in a new coffin, and the grave re-covered. Some portions of the inner coffin, with the stole, two maniples, the girdle and bracelets and fragments of the robes are now carefully preserved in the Dean and Chapter Library. A large gold cross found among the robes, decorated with garnets, and of workmanship of the time of S. Cuthbert is also preserved in the library. These discoveries seem to speak for themselves, and to leave very little room for doubt that the body exhumed and examined in 1827 was really that of the patron saint of the church.

[4] Photographs, coloured by the late J.I. Williamson, are exhibited in the South Kensington Museum.

There were also found in the grave bones of infants, supposed to be relics of the Holy Innocents, and a skull, most probably that of S.

Oswald, which was known to have been placed in the coffin of S.

Cuthbert.

Two smooth grooves may be observed on the platform, which are _said_ to have been worn into the stone by the knees or feet of generations of pilgrims visiting the shrine.

There are several other tombs and monuments in this chapel, chiefly wall tablets of not exceptional interest. At the north end, however, is a colossal statue of the last of the prince bishops, Bishop van Mildert, who died in 1836. The monument is of white marble, the figure seated on a throne and holding a book. It was erected by public subscription, the sculptor being John Gibson, R.A. Near this monument is a blue slab covering the remains of Bishop Anthony Bek, patriarch of Jerusalem, who died in 1310. It was to bring in the body of this bishop that some writers have thought the north doorway of the Nine Altars Chapel was constructed. This is, as we have seen already, extremely improbable.