Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/87

 64 HISTORY OP BISHOP AUCKLAND. Durham, 20th December, 1153 ; but it is certain there were prebendaries here before Bishop Beck's ordinance for constituting a deanery within this church, and probably they had a succession here from the early period before noted." There seems little doubt but St. Andrew's is indebted for its foundation to the above circumstance, and that those monks had become so numerous — drawn together by the reputed sanctity of St. Cuthbert, and the many miracles wrought by him — ^that the Bishop found it necessary to send a number of them to the various parts of his diocese. Many of the parish churches in diflferent parts of the County of Durham, doubtless, owe their origin to the same circumstanca In thus giving the date of the foundation of the Church of St. Andrew, we wish to be understood as alluding to the present structure. There is every probability that a church stood upon that place previous to the present structure, dating back even to Saxon times. We have evidence of this, from the fact that there are three pieces of sculpture built in the walls which bear indications of great antiquity. One, which is evidently a priest with the maniple on his arm, is to be seen in the exterior wall, near the entrance to the fire-hole of the flues, under the tower; and the others (evidently two saints, and probably S.S. Peter and Paul) in the interior wall of the tower, in the belfiy. Matthew, of Westminster, records " that in 800, the churches of Herteness and Tinemuth were spoiled by the Danes, and in 867, the Durham churches and monasteries were destroyed far and wide." From the latter part of the 10th century — at which time the present Cathedral of Durham was founded — until the commencement of the Scottish wars, in the latter part of the 12th century, the rich resources of the See and Cathedral establishment were entirely devoted to the ennobling art of ecclesiastical architecture ; and many of the churches then erected still remain as monuments of the fervent piety and zeal of that age, and bear many similarities and indications of the same master spirit who reared that beautiful structure. In the earlier part of that period, the Norman or circular style prevailed ; and afterwards, until the year 1300, the elegant architecture known as early English was predominant, of which the fine old church of St. Andrew's is a good exampla The fourteenth century was noted for the Gothic or decorated style, of which the diocese of Durham (says Billings) is remarkably barren. But this can easily be accounted for by the active part taken by the Princes Palatine of Durham, in the harrassing wars taking place between England and Scotland at that time. From the time of Carilepho's endowment to the latter part of the 12th century things seem to have fallen into considerable neglect. When Bishop Beck was appointed to the See of Durham he, by statutes dated 1292, endowed it munificently, and appointed a Dean and nine prebends, making new regulations for their better government and deportment. He, also, ordained* that the Dean and his successors should receive all obventions, lands, rents, rights, and liberties, which the Vicars formerly had ; that he should constantly reside, and provide a priest to officiate in the Bishop's Palace at Auckland ; and that, as usual, he should appoint priests and other fit officiating ministers to the duties of the parish church and chapeL He, also, gave the lands on the south side of the Gaunless (still called the " Deanery"), for the purpose of building a residence for the Dean and Prebends, upon condition that before the expiration of two years, next following, such habitation should be built, and that all pretence, for non-residence should be removed. The following is from Bishop Beck's ordinance for constituting a Deanery within the Church of St. Andrew's : — We trost that our pastoral duty is discharged most suitably to the will of Qod, when our care extends not only to the XJniveniB, &c. Ricas, &c. yolamns et ordinainDs q'd capellas d'ce cantarie beate Marie Virg. &o. in collegiat. Eocli'a de Aaokland Kpi Andree, &c sit sacrista in EccL aive capella n'ra ooUeg. infra maneriam n'rm de Aackland Epi sitnat, et sab ejus r^mine^ &c castodiantnr sacra yaaa yeetimenta ecdia ac. It*ni volumus et qd capellaaas dc*e cantarie amicla habitu et saperindament more vicarior. in dicta n'ra ecolesia ooll^;iat. infra maneriam n*rm &c mians matutinis et vesperis &c. debit ministrand. &c. necnon q*d sit eom'aniarius et commensalis cum decano ejusd sedena in mensa tempore refec'cois cam ceteris vicarij choralibns ibdm &o. predic. n'ror Danehn. epor. dee cantarie fandatoram statnt et ordinac'oiboa in oantarinm edit non obstan. qoib'canq. Dat 8th Jul 1499. Digitized by Google
 * Nova ordioac'o cantarie be. M. Virg. in EccL CoL de Aackland £pi E. regiatro Fox. p. 21.