Early Church in Chester-le-Street

The period following the Roman Departure at the end of the 4th Century through until 883 when the monks of Lindisfarne arrived is largely a black hole. During the late Saxon period it is known that the place called “Cuncacestre”, was the See of Chester-le-Street. (Eardulph in 883 with a party of monks settled here and continued for 113 years.)Cuthbert’s body had been removed from Lindisfarne to protect it from Viking raiders who periodically ravaged the east coast. The modern church stands on the site of the original wooden church built in 883. It is quite surprising that the early church was built of wood since its location at the heart of the Roman fort meant that there would likely have been sufficient stone to make it a more permanent feature. The wooden structure lasted until the time of Egelric, the fourth Bishop of Durham (1042-1056) by which time the church had diminished somewhat in importance.
Eardulph, the originator of the church, was the sixteenth Bishop of Lindisfarne and he became the first Bishop of Chester-le-Street, to be followed by eight others. He was a noble man, a worthy successor to St. Cuthbert. The diocese over which he ruled was enormous, extending from the Tees northwards to the Firth of Forth and from the North Sea across country to the Irish Sea. This accounted for most of the northern part of the country and took in some of the largest towns in existence including, Carlisle, Durham, Newcastle and Edinburgh. It is this period which probably gave Chester-le- Street church to be called a Cathedral.
The church itself was dedicated to St Mary and St Cuthbert and it was from here that the whole of the Northern diocese was governed. Its importance is justified by the fact that all of the lands between Tyne and Wear were gifted to the See by Guthred, Prince of the Danes. This event was confirmed by King Alfred the Great. Both Guthred and Alfred recognised the spiritual importance of the church and extended further privileges and immunities to the endowment into a county palatine which allowed its Bishops the high estate of Temporal Princes, but still subservient to the kings under whom they lived.
King Athelstan, who came to the throne in 924 and who was responsible for the union of England under Wessex in 937, gave to Chester-le-Street church a number of princely gifts prior to his death in 940. His brother Edmund, who followed him to the throne in 940, gave to the church a copy of the Holy Gospels in significance to the shrine of St. Cuthbert. A few charred fragments remain of this gift, carefully mounted and preserved in the library of the British Museum. Other gifts given by the two Kings include two chasubles (sleeveless vestments), one alb (white tunic), a stole with maniple, a girdle, three altar cloths, a chalice, a gold paten (a shallow dish), a silver censer (incense burner), a cross of ivory and gold and a royal crown woven in gold. Additionally there was a copy of “The Life of St. Cuthbert” written in verse and prose. This important document no longer exists. It is interesting to note that the stole with maniple is likely to be the one found on the body of St Cuthbert when it was examined in 1827 in Durham Cathedral. Althelstan in person visited Chester-le-Street and presented the exquisite pieces of embroidery as an offering of his favourite saint. These offerings remained in the custody of the church in Chester-le-Street for some time before being handed over to Durham cathedral. They can be seen at the Cathedral library in Durham and are the oldest pieces of embroidery in the country.
The Bishopric of Chester-le-Street was removed to Durham in 995 and the church of St Mary and St Cuthbert became a parochial rectory. It remained as such until 1286 when Bishop Beck made it a collegiate, consisting of a dean, seven prebendaries, five chaplains, three deacons and other ministers. This continued until the Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII.

Part 2. The Church & The Anchorage

Following the Reformation made by order of Henry VIII and his son Edward VI, great changes took place within the church. These changes were not unique to Chester-le-Street but were country wide.
The Reformation, the movement which began in Germany, in an attempt to correct some of the worst features of the Roman Catholic Church, came to England first as a political move, and later as a matter of faith. These changes suited Henry VIII in his conflict with the Church of Rome and as a result large revenues were appropriated by the Crown. Along with other churches in the county, Bishop Auckland, Lanchester, Darlington etc. Chester-le-Street church was dissolved, losing not only much of its religious significance and importance, but also the riches upon which it relied heavily. The building also changed with the demolition of three ancient chapelries.
An interesting relic had grown up at the church over the centuries, namely the anchorage. The Anchorage is the home or dwelling place of an Anchoret or Hermit who had received permission to lead a pious and religious life within the precincts of the church. According to Dr. Rock, a great Roman Catholic authority on ancient and medieval churches, states that an Anchoret was under a life vow never to go outside of the precincts of the church to which he was attached. The hermit may well have been a priest or monk and as a result members of his flock came to consult him on religious matters or to confess to him as the need arose. The visitors also supplied him with food and water and other offerings which were passed to him via a small window.
The anchoret may also have been responsible for the keys to the church treasury and they would normally have been left in his safe keeping.
The Reformation changed these practices. Firstly it changed hands and was handed over to a section of the parish poor, chiefly widows. We know this since there were certain entries made in the parish books and the poor people paid rent of between three and eight shillings a year.
However, by 1619 these rent payments cease and it seems that a Mr. Roger Willis, a curate of the parish was assigned the anchorage as his living quarters. A few years later the accommodation was taken from him and the widows were reinstated, only to be forced out in 1630 by Mr. Willis and the Church Authorities. It was decreed that the church had acted correctly since the anchorage was built for the use of a "religious" person. In spite of this the widows and parish poor retaliated and entries in the parish books indicate that the widows were soon back in residence supported by three protecting men and a bar across the inner door.
It is not known whether Mr. Willis finally renounced his claim on the property but it is known that the church paid for his rent for a number of years afterwards.
The anchorage in the church originally consisted of four rooms, two up and two down built against the north wall of the tower. At some point in time the floor of one of the upper rooms has been removed which gave greater light to the lower room.
Two low side windows remain along with a small opening into the church which closed with a wooden shutter. This small opening allowed food and other offerings to be passed through to the Anchoret as well as the Church treasury keys when they were retained for safe keeping.

The Anchorage Window - viewed from the front of the Church