nowledge and very recent tradition as to
Northumbria. He lived most of his long life between the monasteries of
Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, and was buried at the latter. In the year 1022
his remains were secretly removed from Jarrow by Elfrid, who was the
most unscrupulous relic-hunter of that time, who deposited a portion of
them in the same coffin with those of S. Cuthbert. From here they were
removed by Bishop Pudsey, and placed in the newly-erected Galilee
Chapel, where he caused them to be enclosed in a magnificent shrine.
"There, in a silver casket gilt with gold, hee laid the bones of
Venerable Bede, and erected a costly and magnificent shrine over it."[6]
When the shrine was destroyed at the suppression of the monastery, in
1542, the bones were interred beneath the place it occupied, where they
remained undisturbed till the year 1831. In that year they were exhumed
and examined, and, after being enclosed in a lead-lined coffin, were
replaced in the tomb, with a parchment giving full details of the
exhumation. Some coins and a ring which were found at this time are
preserved in the Dean and Chapter Library. The inscription previously
quoted was then cut on the upper slab of the tomb.
[6] "Rites of Durham."
In the Galilee Chapel is also the tomb of its restorer, Cardinal
Langley, which was erected by himself in front of the principal altar.
On its head may be seen three shields bearing the arms of the cardinal.
Four of the western windows of the chapel originally contained beautiful
stained glass, a most careful description of which may be found in the
"Rites of Durham."
Why this chapel has always been known as the "Galilee" Chapel has been
the subject of much discussion and conjecture, and is still a matter of
uncertainty. That it was erected for a Lady Chapel there can, however,
be no doubt. In the nave of the church, between the piers immediately to
the west of the north and south doorways, the visitor will notice a
dark-coloured marble cross, beyond which no woman was allowed to pass
eastward.
#Monuments in the Nave and Transepts.#--The church of Durham is not
rich in tombs and monuments to the dead. This is to be accounted for
partly by the fact that for some centuries the Bishops of the diocese
were interred in the chapter-house, and even most of these tombs have
been lost or destroyed. Another reason for the scarcity of monuments is
that no layman was allowed to be buried in the church until 1367,
|