St Mary and St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary and St Cuthbert
Parish church of St Mary and St Cuthbert
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OS grid reference	NZ 274 513
Location	Chester-le-Street, County Durham
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	https://www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Mary and St Cuthbert
Past bishop(s)	Bishop of Lindisfarne
Administration
Diocese	Durham

The church of St Mary and St Cuthbert is a Church of England church located in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England. People have worshipped at this spot for over 1100 years. Some parts of the building you see today are more than 950 years old! This church is famous because the oldest surviving translation of the Gospels into English was made here. A scribe named Aldred did this work between 947 and 968. At that time, this church was a very important center for Christianity in a large area.

Why was St Cuthbert's Community Formed?

This church was first built to keep the body of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. He was a Bishop of Lindisfarne from 684 to 687. After he died, he became a very respected saint. Many people followed his teachings. The Venerable Bede even wrote two books about his life.

Moving to Chester-le-Street

In 875, Viking raiders forced the monks to leave Lindisfarne. They took St Cuthbert's coffin and other valuable items with them. They traveled for seven years. Finally, in 883, they settled in Chester-le-Street. This place was then called Cunecaster or Conceastre. It was built on the site of an old Roman fort called Concangis. A leader named Guthred gave them this land.

Building the First Church

The monks built a wooden church and a special place for St Cuthbert's relics. They named it St Mary and St Cuthbert. Even though there was plenty of stone from the old Roman fort, they chose wood. Some people think they didn't plan to stay there for very long. The church was inside the Roman fort, which might have offered some protection. It also gave them access to roads and the River Wear.

A Cathedral for Over a Century

This church was also a cathedral. This means it held the seat of the bishop. The church's area, or diocese, stretched from Teesside in the south to Lothian in the north. It also reached the Irish Sea in the west. King Alfred the Great approved the bishop's power. The community stayed here for 112 years. Kings Æthelstan and Edmund visited and gave gifts. These gifts added to the treasures brought from Lindisfarne.

The Lindisfarne Gospels' Journey

One of their most important treasures was the Lindisfarne Gospels. These were created in Lindisfarne around 715. While at Chester-le-Street, they were translated from Latin into English. Aldred wrote notes in Old English above the Latin text. This happened between 947 and 968. This makes them the oldest surviving English translation of the Gospels.

The Gospels and St Cuthbert's coffin stayed here until 995. More Viking raids forced the monks to leave again. They went to Ripon and then to Durham. Durham was easier to defend. There, they built a stone cathedral for St Cuthbert's remains. The wooden church in Chester-le-Street stayed until a stone church replaced it in the mid-11th century.

How the Church Building Changed Over Time

Stones with lewis holes in a front buttress. These holes were used to lift heavy stones.

The oldest parts of the church we can still see today date back to 1056. That's when a stone church was built. These parts include the walls of the chancel and two large pillars in the nave. The church was much smaller then, about a third shorter and narrower. You can see special holes called lewis holes in some stones. These show that Roman stones were reused in later building work.

Medieval Extensions and Additions

Around 1267, the church got bigger. The nave, the lower part of the tower, and the east wall were built then. In 1286, it became a collegiate church. This meant it had a dean, canons, chaplains, and deacons. They were supported by money from a large area. Around 1383, a small house called an anchorage was added. Six male anchorites lived there until 1547. Today, it is the Ankers House Museum. In 1409, a tall, 158-foot spire and a belfry were added. Three bells were also installed, and one of them is still used today!

Changes After the Reformation

During the English Reformation, the church stopped being a collegiate church. It became a regular parish church. It had less money and power. Over the years, many donations helped with building work. The Lumley and Lambton families gave a lot of money. In 1595, John Lumley added statues of his family, called effigies. These can still be seen along the north wall. A new south porch was built in 1742. In 1829, a special pew for the Lambton family was added. It was designed by Ignatius Bonomi and had an outside staircase.

Victorian Restorations and Modern Additions

In 1862, major restoration work began. The church became a rectory and an organ was installed in 1865. This organ was later fixed by Harrison & Harrison. To celebrate the church's 1000th birthday in 1883, a screen was put in. Other changes were also made. In 1927, a decorative screen behind the altar, called a reredos, was added. Paneling and a bishop's throne were also installed. These were designed by Sir Charles Nicholson. His brother, Archibald Keightley Nicholson, added three panels showing Journey of St Cuthbert's body. In 1950, the church became a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. New doors were added to the South Porch in 1964.

Notable Burials at the Church

• John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham
• Ralph de Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley

The Church in Art and Literature

The statues of the Lumley family are mentioned in a poem by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Her poem, The Aisle of Tombs, was written in 1836. It was inspired by a painting by Thomas Allom. The poem talks about how only the best parts of people live on after they are gone.

Celebrating the Millenary Festival

In 1883, the church celebrated its 1000th anniversary. The celebrations lasted from July 18 to August 5. For this special event, the church received a big makeover. New oak stalls and an oak screen were added to the chancel. A new cloth behind the altar, called a dossal, and other hangings were designed by C. E. Kempe. The Earl of Scarbrough gave a new pulpit. A new marble floor and other improvements were also made. Many of these were gifts for the celebration.

Many other events took place during the festival. A book was published to mark the church's first thousand years. The Bishop of Durham, J. B. Lightfoot, attended. He took part in the celebrations, including a service to dedicate the new bells.

The Church Bells

The bell tower at the church is over 600 years old. It first held three bells. In 1883, a new set of six bells was made by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. Two of the old bells were melted down and their metal was used in the new ones. In 1908, two more bells were added, making a total of eight. These are used for change ringing, a special way of ringing bells. One of the original bells from 1409 still exists. It's called an "odd ninth" and is used as a service bell. This bell is very important historically. The bells are rung before Sunday services and for practice on Friday evenings.

The Lindisfarne Gospels Today

Opening page of the Gospel of Matthew from the Lindisfarne Gospels.

The Lindisfarne Gospels were kept in Durham until 1539. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, St Cuthbert's shrine was looted. The Gospels were then taken to London. Today, they are kept at the British Library. However, a copy of the Gospels is kept at the church. You can see it when the church is open.

The Anchorage and Ankers House Museum

Front view of the church, with Ankers House Museum on the left.

Attached to the church is the old anchorage. This is one of the few anchorages still existing today. It is considered the most complete example of its kind in England. It was made in the late 14th century by blocking off a corner of the church. An extra room was added outside in the 16th century. It used to have two levels, but the floor was removed to create more space and light.

Life of an Anchorite

From 1383 to 1547, six anchorites lived here. An anchorite was a person who chose to be walled into a small room for life. They could watch church services through a small opening called a squint. This squint looked down onto a side altar. They received food through another small opening to the outside.

The Ankers House Museum

The anchorage was used this way until the English Reformation. After that, it was sometimes used by poor people or church members. In 1986, it became the Ankers House Museum. It is one of the smallest museums in the UK. It shows what life was like for an anchorite. It also displays items found on the site. These items include Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval artifacts.

Images for kids

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  The interior before renovations done in 1883.

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  The church from the northwest.

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  A view over Chester-le-Street towards Lumley Castle.

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  Various irregularly shaped weathered and carved stones.

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  The shaft of an Anglo-Saxon cross, now at The Ankers house.

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  Two of the original bells (cast in 1409).