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Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral from across the River Wear
Dedication Christ, the Blessed Mary the Virgin & St Cuthbert of Durham
Denomination Church of England
Tradition Broad Church
Administration
Diocese Durham
Province Province of York
Clergy
Dean The Very Revd. Dedication (Lat dedicatio, from dedicare, to proclaim to announce is to immerse oneself with sincerity into a certain subject or properly the setting apart Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary For the Dungeons & Dragons deity see Saint Cuthbert (Dungeons & Dragons St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (c Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Broad Church is a term referring to Latitudinarian Churchmanship in the Church of England, in particular and Anglicanism, in general In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England Diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham (and therefore An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government so named by analogy with a secular Province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian The Province of York is one of two Ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England and consists of 14 Dioceses which cover the northern third of A dean, in a church context is a Cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy Michael Sadgrove
Canon The Revd. The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove is the current Dean of Durham A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Prof. Mark McIntosh
(from Sep 09)
Canon The Revd. A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Canon Rosalind Brown
Canon The Revd. A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Canon Dr Stephen Cherry
Precentor The Revd. A precentor is one who helps facilitate worship The details vary depending on the religion denomination and era in question Canon Dr David Kennedy
Archdeacon The Ven. A position of archdeacon is a senior position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, and in some other Christian denominations above that of most Ian Jagger
Other
Organist/Director of Music Canon James Lancelot
Organist Mr Keith Wright
Organ Scholar (position vacant)
Chapter Clerk Mr Paul Whittaker
Lay Member of Chapter Dr David Hunt
Lay Member of Chapter Mr Adrian Beney
Website www.durham cathedral.co.uk

The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly referred to as Durham Cathedral, in the city of Durham, England, was founded in AD 1093 and remains a centre for Christian worship today. An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or Orchestra, or accompany An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or Orchestra, or accompany An organ scholar is a young musician employed as a part-time assistant Organist at an institution where regular choral services are held Chapter Clerk is the title usually given to the officer responsible for the administrative support to the Chapter of a Cathedral or Collegiate church in Someone who is not Ordained but is a member of a Cathedral chapter. Someone who is not Ordained but is a member of a Cathedral chapter. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages Durham (ˈdʌrəm in RP, locally ˈdʏrəm is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham, England England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings It is generally regarded as one of the finest examples of a Norman cathedral in Europe and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with nearby Durham Castle, which faces it across Palace Green, high above the River Wear. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Durham Castle is a Norman Castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College Durham Palace Green is a small area of grass in the centre of Durham, England, flanked by Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. The River Wear (wɪə("wee-er" is a river in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards mostly through County Durham,

The Cathedral houses the shrine and related treasures of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, a seventh century saint, and these are on public view. A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used For the Dungeons & Dragons deity see Saint Cuthbert (Dungeons & Dragons St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (c A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity It is also home to the head of St Oswald of Northumbria and the remains of the Venerable Bede. Oswald (c 604 &ndash August 5, 642) was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death and is now venerated as a Christian Saint. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c One can also climb the 325 steps to the top of the 217 feet (66 m) tall tower to enjoy an outstanding view of Durham and the surrounding area.

There are regular services sung by the cathedral choir. Except for Mondays, and certain vacations, the choir sing every day.

The bishops of Durham were very powerful prince-bishops up to the mid-nineteenth century. See also List of Bishops of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the Anglican Bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in A Prince-Bishop is a Bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more Secular principalities usually pre-existent titles of nobility The seat of Bishop of Durham is still the fourth most significant in the Church of England hierarchy, and he stands at the right hand of the monarch at coronations. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Signposts for the modern day County Durham are nowadays subtitled "Land of the Prince Bishops. "

Contents

History

Saxon

The see of Durham takes its origins from the Diocese of Lindisfarne, set up by Saint Aidan at the behest of Oswald of Northumbria around AD 635. Lindisfarne () (variant spelling Lindesfarne is a Tidal island off the north-east coast of England. " Augustine was the Apostle of Kent but Aidan was the Apostle of the English Oswald (c 604 &ndash August 5, 642) was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death and is now venerated as a Christian Saint. The see lasted until AD 664, at which point it was translated to York. The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The see was then reinstated in AD 678 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the The community at Lindisfarne Priory produced many saints, of which Saint Cuthbert is central to the development of Durham Cathedral. Lindisfarne () (variant spelling Lindesfarne is a Tidal island off the north-east coast of England. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity For the Dungeons & Dragons deity see Saint Cuthbert (Dungeons & Dragons St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (c

After repeated Viking raids the monks fled Lindisfarne in AD 875, carrying St Cuthbert's relics with them. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas The diocese of Lindisfarne remained itinerant until 882, when a community was re-established in Chester-le-Street. Chester-le-Street is the main town in the Chester-le-Street district of County Durham, England. The see had its seat here until 995, when further incursions once again caused the monks to move with the relics. According to local legend, the monks followed two milk maids who were searching for a dun (i. e. brown) cow and were led into a peninsula formed by a loop in the River Wear. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The River Wear (wɪə("wee-er" is a river in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards mostly through County Durham, At this point Cuthbert's coffin became immovable and this was taken as sign that the new shrine should be built here. A more prosaic set of reasons for the selection of the peninsula is its highly defensible position, and that a community established here would enjoy the protection of the Earl of Northumberland, as the bishop at this time, Aldhun, had strong family links with the earls. The title of Earl of Northumberland was created several times in the Peerages of England and Great Britain. Aldhun of Durham (born circa 959 died 1018 also know as Ealdhun, was the last Bishop of Lindisfarne and the first Bishop of Durham. Nevertheless, the street leading from The Bailey past the Cathedral's eastern towers up to Palace Green is named Dun Cow Lane.

Initially, a very simple temporary structure was built from nearby timber to house the relics of Cuthbert. The shrine was then transferred to a sturdier, probably wooden, building known as the White Church. This church was itself replaced three years later in 998 by a stone building also known as the White Church; by 1018 only the west tower was unfinished. Durham soon became a site of pilgrimage, encouraged by the growing cult of Saint Cuthbert. King Canute was one early pilgrim, granting many privileges and much land to the Durham community. } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian The defendable position, flow of money from pilgrims and power embodied in the church at Durham ensured that a town formed around the cathedral, establishing the early core of the modern city.

Medieval

Ground plan of Durham Cathedral
Ground plan of Durham Cathedral
Legend of the founding of Durham depicted on cathedral
Legend of the founding of Durham depicted on cathedral

The present cathedral was initially designed and built under the first prince-bishop, William of St. Carilef. William de St-Calais (also Calais or Carileph or Carilef) (d 1096 was a medieval Norman Monk, Abbot of the abbey Construction began in 1093, although William died before completion of this phase in 1135, passing responsibility to his successor Ranulf Flambard[1] The building is notable for the ribbed vault of the nave roof, with pointed transverse arches supported on relatively slender composite piers alternated with massive drum columns, and flying buttresses or lateral abutments concealed within the triforium over the aisles. Ranulf Flambard, also known as Ralph Flambard or Ranulph Flambard and sometimes Ranulf Passiflamme, (c The intersection of two or three Barrel vaults produces a rib-vault or ribbed vault when they are edged with piped masonry often carved in decorative patterns In Romanesque and Gothic Christian Abbey, Cathedral Basilica and church Architecture, the nave is the A flying buttress, or arc-boutant, is a specific type of Buttress usually found on a religious building such as a Cathedral. See also Cathedral architecture of the Western World These features appear to be precursors of the Gothic architecture of Northern France a few decades later, doubtless due to the Norman stonemasons responsible, although the building is considered Romanesque overall. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. Regional characteristics of Romanesque architecture|Romanesque art Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which It was the skilled use of the pointed arch and ribbed vault which made it possible to cover far more elaborate and complicated ground plans than hitherto. The buttressing made it possible both to build taller buildings and to open up the intervening wall spaces to create larger windows.

Saint Cuthbert's tomb lies at the East and was once an elaborate monument of cream marble and gold. For the Dungeons & Dragons deity see Saint Cuthbert (Dungeons & Dragons St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (c

In the twelfth century, Bishop Hugh de Puiset added the Galilee Chapel at the west end of the cathedral. Hugh de Puiset (c 1125&ndash3 March 1195 was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar of England under King Richard I. Also known as The Lady Chapel, the Galilee Chapel holds the remains of the Venerable Bede and of Bishop Langley, whose tomb blocked the Great West Door of the cathedral. A Lady chapel is a traditional English term for a Chapel inside a Cathedral or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c Thomas Cardinal Langley (1363 &ndash 20 November 1437 was a Dean of York, Bishop of Durham (1406-1437 and Lord Chancellor of England two times

William of St. Carilef, Ranulf Flambard, and Hugh de Puiset are all buried in the cathedral's Chapter House, which lies opposite the cloisters and dates from 1140. William de St-Calais (also Calais or Carileph or Carilef) (d 1096 was a medieval Norman Monk, Abbot of the abbey Ranulf Flambard, also known as Ralph Flambard or Ranulph Flambard and sometimes Ranulf Passiflamme, (c Hugh de Puiset (c 1125&ndash3 March 1195 was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar of England under King Richard I.

The thirteenth century saw the construction of the Chapel of the Nine Altars, at the eastern end of the cathedral, beginning under Richard le Poore (1228-1237). The central tower of this time was destroyed by lightning, so the current tower dates from the fifteenth century.

Dissolution

Cuthbert's tomb was destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538, but survives as a modest stone affair. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Two years later, in 1540, the Benedictine monastery at Durham was dissolved, although the cloisters are well preserved architecturally, and its last prior -- Hugh Whitehead -- became the cathedral's first dean. A Benedictine monastery is a Monastery that follows the Rule of St Benedict on monastic living written by the founder of western Monasticism Saint The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded A cloister (from Latin claustrum) is a part of Cathedral, Monastic and Abbey architecture Prior is a Title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier first' with several notable uses Hugh Whitehead (d 1551 was the last Prior of the Benedictine Monastery at Durham in England A dean, in a church context is a Cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy

The Seventeenth Century

In 1650, Durham Cathedral was used by Cromwell as a makeshift prison to hold Scottish prisoners-of-war after the Battle of Dunbar of September 3, 1650. The Battle of Dunbar ( 3 September, 1650) was a battle of the Third English Civil War. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius It is estimated that as many as 3,000 prisoners died in the cathedral itself, where they were kept in inhumane conditions, largely without food, water or heat. The prisoners destroyed much of the cathedral woodwork for firewood but Prior Castell's clock, featuring the Scottish thistle, was spared. Their bodies were buried in unmarked graves. The survivors were shipped as slave labour to North America. In 1946 during work to install a new central heating system at the Cathedral, a mass grave of the Scottish soldiers was uncovered. In 1993 the Scottish Covenanter's Memorials Association discussed with the Cathedral the construction of a memorial to the soldiers, however, this appears to have been inconclusive, since no memorial has yet been created. A campaign properly to respect and remember the "Dunbar Martyrs" was launched at the end of 2007, aiming as a minimum to gain a Christian blessing for the dead and a memorial at the Cathedral burial site or even possible exhumation of the remains and reburial in Scotland. [2]

1700 - 1900

The Chapel of the Nine Altars features a large seventeenth-century rose window, rebuilt in the eighteenth century, and a statue of William Van Mildert, the last prince-bishop (1826-1836) and driving force behind the foundation of Durham University. A Rose window (or Catherine window) is often used as a generic term applied to a circular Window, but is especially used for those found in churches William Van Mildert (1765&ndash1836 was the last Prince-Bishop of Durham (1826&ndash1836 and one of the founders of the University of Durham. Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name

20th century and beyond

Durham Castle and Cathedral*
UNESCO World Heritage Site

Durham Cathedral's West Towers from the Cloisters
State Party United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv, vi
Reference 370
Region Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1986  (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
Region as classified by UNESCO.

Today, the Cathedral remains the seat of the Bishop of Durham. Durham Castle is a Norman Castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College Durham A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex See also List of Bishops of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the Anglican Bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in

In 1986, the Cathedral, together with the nearby Castle, became a World Heritage Site. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The UNESCO committee classified the Cathedral under criteria C (ii) (iv) (vi), reporting, "Durham Cathedral is the largest and most perfect monument of 'Norman' style architecture in England". United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 [3]

In 1996 the Great Western Doorway was the setting for Bill Viola's large-scale video installation The Messenger. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Bill Viola (born America 1951 is a contemporary video artist.

Durham Cathedral has been featured in the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where it had a spire digitally added onto the top of the famous towers. Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a setting in J K Computer animation Computer-generated imagery (also known as CGI) is the application of the field of Computer graphics or more specifically 3D computer graphics

Interior views of the Cathedral were featured in the 1998 film Elizabeth. Elizabeth is a 1998 film loosely based on the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the Cathedral as one of his four choices for the 2002 BBC television documentary series Britain's Best Buildings. The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Dan Cruickshank (born 26 August, 1949) is an architectural historian and Television presenter currently working for the BBC The year 2002 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 2002. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or another to " Document " reality Britain's Best Buildings is a BBC documentary series in which Dan Cruickshank chooses the finest examples of British architecture [4]

Organ and Organists

Organ

Details of the organ from the National Pipe Organ Register

Organists

  • 1557 John Brimley
  • 1576 William Browne
  • 1588 Robert Masterman
  • 1594 William Smyth
  • 1599 William Browne
  • 1609 Edward Smyth
  • 1612 Mr Dodson
  • 1614 Richard Hutchinson
  • 1661 John Foster
  • 1677 Alexander Shaw
  • 1681 William Greggs
  • 1710 James Hesletine
  • 1763 Thomas Ebdon
  • 1811 Charles E. J. Clarke
  • 1813 William Henshaw
  • 1862 Philip Armes
  • 1907 Rev Arnold D. Culley
  • 1933 John Dykes Bower
  • 1936 Conrad Eden
  • 1974 Richard Lloyd
  • 1985 James Lancelot

Quotations

"Durham is one of the great experiences of Europe to the eyes of those who appreciate architecture, and to the minds of those who understand architecture. The group of Cathedral, Castle, and Monastery on the rock can only be compared to Avignon and Prague. Avignon (/aviɲɔ̃/ in French) ( Provençal: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm is a commune Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. " - Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England. Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, ( January 30, 1902 &ndash August 18, 1983) was a German-born British scholar of The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of Guide books to the Architecture of the United Kingdom.

'With the cathedral at Durham we reach the incomparable masterpiece of Romanesque architecture not only in England but anywhere. The moment of entering provides for an architectural experience never to be forgotten, one of the greatest England has to offer. ' Alec Clifton-Taylor 'English Towns' series on BBC television. Alec Clifton-Taylor OBE ( 2 August 1907 &ndash 1 April 1985) was a noted English Architectural historian, writer


"I paused upon the bridge, and admired and wondered at the beauty and glory of this scene. . . it was grand, venerable, and sweet, all at once; I never saw so lovely and magnificent a scene, nor, being content with this, do I care to see a better. " - Nathaniel Hawthorne on Durham Cathedral, The English Notebooks. Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer

"I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for best cathedral on planet Earth. " - Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island. William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, (born 8 December 1951 is a best-selling American Author of humorous books on Travel, as well Notes from a Small Island is a travel book by Bill Bryson. It was written when the author was due to move back to his native United States but decided

"Grey towers of Durham
Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles
Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot
And long to roam those venerable aisles
With records stored of deeds long since forgot. "

- Sir Walter Scott, Harold the Dauntless, a poem of Saxons and Vikings set in County Durham. Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout [5]


More pictures

Footnotes

  1. ^ Ranulf Flambard also built Flamwell Bridge, the first crossing of the River Wear, in the town. The River Wear (wɪə("wee-er" is a river in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards mostly through County Durham,
  2. ^ “The Dunbar Martyrs”
  3. ^ Full report (PDF file)
  4. ^ Cruickshank, Dan. Choosing Britain's Best Buildings (English). BBC History. Retrieved on June 3, 2008. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
  5. ^ The verse is inscribed on a plaque on Prebends Bridge, which still affords the excellent view of the Cathedral which inspired it, sometimes known as Scott's View ([1] and [2]).

See also

Further Reading

External links

See also List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom The medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540 are a group of twenty-five buildings English Gothic is the name of the Architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520 Regional characteristics of Romanesque architecture|Romanesque art Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works
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