Chapter I: Front Matter

THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF
DURHAM

A DESCRIPTION OF ITS FABRIC
AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
EPISCOPAL SEE

BY
J.E. BYGATE, A.R.C.A.

WITH FORTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON GEORGE BELL & SONS 1905

_First Published ... March 1899_
_Second Edition, Revised ... September 1900_
_Reprinted ... 1905_

_The Riverside Press Limited, Edinburgh_

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GENERAL PREFACE

This series of monographs has been planned to supply visitors to the great English Cathedrals with accurate and well illustrated guide-books at a popular price. The aim of each writer has been to produce a work compiled with sufficient knowledge and scholarship to be of value to the student of Archaeology and History, and yet not too technical in language for the use of an ordinary visitor or tourist.

To specify all the authorities which have been made use of in each case would be difficult and tedious in this place. But amongst the general sources of information which have been almost invariably found useful are:--(1) the great county histories, the value of which, especially in questions of genealogy and local records, is generally recognised; (2) the numerous papers by experts which appear from time to time in the Transactions of the Antiquarian and Archaeological Societies; (3) the important documents made accessible in the series issued by the Master of the Rolls; (4) the well-known works of Britton and Willis on the English Cathedrals; and (5) the very excellent series of Handbooks to the Cathedrals originated by the late Mr John Murray; to which the reader may in most cases be referred for fuller detail, especially in reference to the histories of the respective sees.

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AUTHOR'S PREFACE

As much as possible of this brief description of Durham is from the personal acquaintance of the writer with the building. Yet many authorities have, of necessity, been consulted in its preparation, notably a pamphlet by the Rev. Canon W. Greenwell, and the "County of Durham," by J.R. Boyle, F.S.A. Thanks are also due to the authorities of the Cathedral for having freely given permission to make drawings and measurements, and to the late Mr Weatherall, chief verger, for his kindly assistance and information.

The illustrations are chiefly from sketches and drawings by the writer, and from photographs reproduced by the kindness of the Photochrom Company, Ltd., and Messrs S.B. Bolas & Co.

J.E.B.

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.--The Building of the Church 3

CHAPTER II.--Description of the Exterior 21
The Towers 21
The East Front 22
The West Front 25
The North Door 25
The South Door 26
The West Door 28
The Cloister 29
The Chapter-House 32
The Dun Cow 35

CHAPTER III.--Description of the Interior 39
The Nave 39
The Choir 40
The Neville Screen 43
The Transepts 50
The Tower 53
The East End 54
The Chapel of the Nine Altars 61
The Tomb of S. Cuthbert 69
The Galilee or Lady Chapel 72
Monuments in the Nave and Transepts 79
The Font 81

CHAPTER IV.--History of the See 82

CHAPTER V.--The Castle and University 102