Besides the Cathedral and Castle, the City of Durham possesses several churches of decided interest to the student of architecture, which deserve a brief notice.
The Parish Church of S. Mary in the North Bailey.—This small church is generally known as S. Mary le Bow, owing to the fact that in its original steeple was an arch, through which the roadway passed. This steeple fell in 1637, and the ancient structure was allowed to lapse into complete ruin. The present church was built in 1685, and its most noticeable feature is the open carved screen between the nave and chancel erected in 1707. The site of the church is the oldest in the city, and some writers have thought it probably identical with that of the White Church in which the body of S. Cuthbert was placed during the building of the cathedral.
S. Mary-the-Less is a small but picturesque church situated in the South Bailey, and is of Norman date. Its original architectural character is, however, almost entirely lost, owing to extensive restorations which took place in 1846-7. The round-headed window now in the south wall of the chancel, but formerly in the west wall of the nave, is the only remaining original feature. The church is entered by a porch on the south side, and consists of a nave and chancel only. Some stones in the churchyard, which were removed from their position when the church was restored, are carved with chevron ornament, and would seem to show that the date of the original structure was the earlier part of the twelfth century.
S. Oswald.—This church stands on high ground overlooking the river Wear, at the head of New Elvet; and is the parish church of the ancient borough of Elvet. The first church was erected by Bishop Carileph, though the earliest parts of the existing building are of the time of Bishop Pudsey, who also built the bridge across the river, known as the Elvet Bridge. To this date (about 1190) belongs the eastern part of the nave arcade, the arches of which are semi-circular and rest upon tall round piers. Early in the fourteenth century a new chancel was built, the aisles rebuilt and extended to the west end, and two new arches added to the west end of the nave arcades. In the early part of the fifteenth century a clerestory and open parapet were added, and a new oak roof placed over the nave. This was most probably a hammer-beam roof, and was coloured and gilded and decorated with angels holding shields. The only parts remaining at the present day are the grotesque carved corbels, and the angels. The tower was also constructed at this time. In 1834, owing to subsidence of the ground, it became necessary to rebuild the south aisle and a large part of the chancel, which caused the destruction of much architectural beauty. The open parapet was removed, the clerestory windows replaced by the present inferior ones, and the fine oak roof destroyed. The east end of the chancel was rebuilt in 1864. Special attention should be directed to the fine oak stall-work in the chancel, boldly carved in the style of the early part of the fifteenth century. The tower, which forms a beautiful and conspicuous landmark, is reached by a stone staircase of unusual character. It is placed in the thickness of the wall, and is covered in with twenty-four gravestones of thirteenth and fourteenth century date, on which may yet be seen portions of inscriptions and symbols. Built into the tower was part of a Saxon cross, which has now been removed for preservation to the dean and chapter library. This cross is interesting as evidence of the existence on the same site of a pre-Norman church. The tower was carefully restored in 1863. It contains a peal of six bells, which were re-cast in 1694, and bear the following inscriptions:—
1. GLOVIA(?) IN ALTISSMISS(?) DEO PEX FORSTER A VIC CHRISTO HODSON ME FECIT 1694.
3. DEVM TIMETE PEX FORSTER AM VIC I EVANS C WARDEN CHRISTO HODSON ME FECIT.
4. REGEM HONORATE PEX FORSTER A M VIC 1694 CHRISTOPR HODSON MADE ME I EVANS I S H R.
5. IBIMUS IN DOMVM DOMINI PEX FORSTER A M VIC CHRISTOPER HODSON MADE ME 1694 IO EVANS CHV W.
6. OSVALDUS FLOREM MEREOR QVIA GESTO TENOREM PEX FORSTER AM VIC IO EVANS IS WH RW CW 94.