In front of the principal altar stands Langley’s Tomb, erected by himself; but of far more interest is the resting-place of a greater man.
No visitor can look upon the stone slab that marks the grave of the Venerable Bede without awe. Bede, so famed for his learning and piety, was a contemporary of St. Cuthbert and spent his long life chiefly in the monasteries of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow. He died in 735 and was buried at Jarrow. In 1022 his remains were stolen and placed in the same coffin with those of St. Cuthbert. Pudsey removed them into the new Galilee Chapel. “There, in a silver casket gilt with gold, hee laid the bones of Venerable Bede, and erected a costly and magnificent shrine over it,” so the Rites of Durham inform us. When the shrine was destroyed in 1542, the bones were interred beneath the site of the shrine and were left undisturbed until 1831, when they were exhumed, examined, enclosed in a lead-lined coffin and replaced in the tomb.
“The most interesting monument here is the plain altar-slab which marks the burial-place of the great Northumbrian scholar. On the tomb are engraved the well-known words, Hac sunt in fossâ Bedæ Venerabilis ossa (In this grave lie the bones of the Venerable Bede). According to the old legend the monk, who was casting about for a word to complete the scansion of his line between Bedæ and ossa, left a space blank until he could in the morning return to his task with a mind refreshed. However, during the night an unknown hand added the metrically suitable Venerabilis. This, according to the legend, is the origin of the peculiar preface Venerable, always associated with the name of Bede.”—(T.)
There are few monuments and tombs in Durham Cathedral. The most interesting is that of Lord Ralph Neville and his wife, Lady Alice, in the south side of the nave. Unfortunately the effigies of 1367 and 1364 are much mutilated. Near them is the altar-tomb of Lord John Neville (died, 1386), and his wife, the daughter of Lord Henry Percy, the famous “Hotspur.” Their effigies are headless and mutilated, but traces of colour and gilding are to be seen. The carving of the canopies is very beautiful and between each of the niches are two square panels bearing the arms of Neville and Percy.
We now come to the transepts. Each consists of two bays, with an aisle on the eastern side, to which three steps lead. In these at one time altars stood—to St. Nicholas and St. Giles, to St. Gregory and St. Benedict in the north transept; and to St. Faith and St. Thomas the Apostle, to Our Lady of Bolton and Our Lady of Houghhall, in the south transept. A large window ornaments and lights each end.
The one in the north end is supposed to date from 1362. It is composed of six lights, and the head shows late geometrical tracery. The transom crossing the mullions is not visible from the outside. Below it a second set of mullions supports a small gallery which leads to the triforium. This window was repaired in 1512 and filled with glass of the period representing its chief figures—St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Gregory and St. Ambrose. Therefore it became known as The Four Doctors of the Church. Prior Castell, who had charge of the repairs, placed himself here kneeling before the Virgin. The opposite window, in the south end of the transept, is called the Te Deum. It contains six lights and is Perpendicular in style, dating between 1416 and 1446. There are corresponding stairways in the north-west and south-west corners of the transepts.
Now we come to the Tower, supported on four large Norman piers with semicircular arches. We look above about seventy feet and see the first story of the lantern with a gallery. Panels, grotesque heads, corbels, crockets and finials and a string-course ornamented with the Tudor flower give us plenty to study. Then come the windows, each with two lights and divided by a transom, and, last of all, the handsome groined roof with bosses on the ribs.
The Choir is the earliest part of the church. It contains Early Norman, Early English and Early Decorated work. The two later styles occur in the eastern part, and much beautiful detail is to be enjoyed. Where the one leaves off and the other begins affords interesting study.
Carileph’s work is seen in the western bays. Arcades adorn the piers on both sides of the choir. The lower row has six arches and the upper three. All these are carved with foliage, heads and half figures. On each pier of the upper arcade there is an angel under a canopy. The vaulting dates from the Thirteenth Century. It is quadripartite. Square leaves and the dog-tooth decorate the ribs. The bosses at the points of intersection are very fine.
An altar-tomb with the effigy of Bishop Hatfield (1345-1381), beneath the Bishop’s Throne, reminds us of the days when bishops were princes and warriors. Hatfield led eighty archers to the siege of Calais; and during his rule at Durham the battle of Neville’s Cross occurred (see page 236). Such a magnificent bishop had to have a magnificent tomb; and so, according to the custom of the day, he designed one for himself. Here he lies beneath a canopy that once was bright with painting and gilding. His effigy shows his splendid robes.