On Saturday, Pauline, Andrew, Becky and myself met up at the Lit and Phil to check out their local history section for tales from Durham. I discovered an Ecclesiastical History of the area in volume II of William Page's A History of the County Durham, and jotted down some notes on the interesting bits.

There were a couple of battles in which the Scots unsuccessfully attacked Durham. The first was led by King Malcolm in 1006, in which "the heads of many of the defeated host were fastened upon the fortifications." The next, in 1040, was led by Duncan of Shakespearean fame. On that occasion, heads were stuck on poles on Palace Green.

The next subject which interested me concerns the removal of Cuthbert's Community from Durham. Bishop Carileph, one of the Norman bishops installed following the conquest of 1066, "gave the congregation the choice of turning monk or withdrawing." I read elsewhere, in a book Jean brought to the last comics meeting, that only one person took Carileph up on his offer. This source mentioned that staying and joining the benedictines would, of course, mean celebacy!

I also came across an interesting passage when reading about Bishop Fox, who "strove to curb the wild and unruly borderers of Tynedale and Redesdale by spiritual process. They contantly made inroads into the bishopric for the sake of plunder, and among them were certain hedge-priests as lawless as any. The presence of these men is a curious side-light on the character of some of the Northumberland clergy at the time, and it is probable that the bishopric clergy proper were of a higher type than their rougher brethren further north." There was an accompanying reference to an article in the Surtees Society, but when i looked it up it was in Latin.

Also according to this book, the banner of Saint Cuthbert was unfurled in battle for the final time when James IV invaded in 1512. The banner is mentioned in some of the other sources I've read, and is said to have sewn into it a square of linen Cuthbert used to polish his chalice, and is also known to have been flown during the famous Battle of Neville's Cross. The invasion by James IV sparked 'a clearing movement which was intended to sweep away the remains of the Scots in England." The Bishop of the time, Ruthall, was known to have attended burnings of Lutheran books in London.