DURHAM CATHEDRAL, PLAN OF EASTERN PART OF CHAPTER HOUSE, AS EXCAVATED IN 1874. Published by the Society of Antiquaries of London, 1879. of Hugo de Puteaco, Philippus, Richardus de Marisco, Nicholaus de Farnham, or Robertus Stichell, but not any of those whose names begin with A, E, or W. The "Rites of Durham" gives the list of the bishops buried in the chapter-house, "as apperith by their names ingraven upon stone with the signe of the crosse annexed to every of there said names "-p. 47; and mentions further that the marble stones over Bishops De Insula and Kellawe had "ther immages in brass curiouslie graven," so that the fragment cannot have belonged to either of these, but to a plain slab like the rest. The Cistercian regulation that grave-slabs in cloisters were to be level with the floor, so as not to be in the way of the feet of passers-by, represents the general arrangement where there was much passing about, and no where would raised tombs be more inconvenient than in a chapterhouse. The notes on the graves of the five bishops will now follow in chronological order, and the rest of the interments, which are all those of persons unknown, will next be described in the order in which they came to light. A few remarks on the objects discovered may fitly conclude the present account. At the spot indicated by Willis as the grave of Bishop Flambard was found a stone cist partly overlaid by the slab of Geoffrey Rufus. It was covered in by six rough top-stones united by mortar, and none of them had fallen in. Over it grew a large thorn-tree. The grave had been broken into at the head, and a great rough stone thrust into the hole. On raising two of the covering stones it was perceived that this stone had crushed the skull, and let in some earth. The next stone being removed we could see the body, retaining something like vestments, and all the principal bones in situ. The right arm was nearly stretched out at full length, the left rather more bent. On the right side, among the bones of the hand, was a gold ring with a sapphire, somewhat dark in hue." By holding in a lantern we could see to the other end, the legs being distinctly visible, as also the bones of the feet in two heaps, a These numbers refer to the order in which the graves were examined. о RING FOUND IN NO. 4. It may be noted that the ring of Flambard, who ruled the bishopric for twenty-nine years, is much worn in comparison with those of Rufus and De St. Barbara, the former of whom ruled for eight years only, and the latter for ten. It was the signet ring of Flambard which he offered at the High Altar in Durham Abbey, and which was long attached to his deed of restitution. See Surtees's Durham, i. xx., note. 3 F VOL. XLV. and covering a great part of the body was a considerable quantity of some thin brown textile material. The long thread-like fibres of the thorn-tree root presented an extraordinary spectacle. On every side they had found their way through minute cracks and close joints, and were stretching themselves forth for life and nourishment among the dust of death. "Old Thorn, which graspest at the stones That name the under-lying dead, Thy fibres net the dreamless head; The covering stones were now replaced, and nothing more was done at this grave till a few days after, when the thorn-tree which had stood in the way of its being entirely opened was taken away and all the coveringstones were removed. In clearing the earth from these, a few vertebræ and other bones were found scattered about in it. The grave being now open from end to end, it was observed and recorded on the spot that the body was placed on the back, undisturbed with the exception of the skull (see above). The orbits and basial and facial bones were all gone. Both hands were placed over the pelvis. The feet did not reach within a foot of the end of the grave. The pastoral staff (Pl. XXXI.) lay on the right side of the body, its head with the concavity of the crook upward, impacted between the skull and the recess in the head-piece of the grave. Traces of the wooden shaft extended at intervals the whole length. The spiked ferule lay just outside the right foot. Between the right elbow and the spine were the crumbling remains of a pewter chalice. At the bottom of the coffin was a layer of wood charcoal broken up into small pieces. There were no signs of there ever having been a wooden coffin. The middle part of the body had the following remains of vestments or graveclothes upon it. First, a superficial layer of very thin dark brown material in mere fragments," then, immediately below that, and resting on the spinal column, a band of light brown closely-woven tissue, apparently silk, about 31 inches broad, turned over at the edges and hemmed. a Durandus speaks of burning charcoal with incense being put into graves, and of the charcoal by reason of its enduring quality remaining as a testimony that the earth is no more to be put to common uses. Rationale Div. Off. vii. 35. This was found on microscopical and chemical examination to be a resinous material, which had probably been spread on some fabric that had totally perished, to form a kind of cere-cloth. It appears to possess some of the peculiar properties of crude lac, from which shell-lac is made, and which, though an Oriental product, may have been well known in Europe in the twelfth century.' |