3 - Establishing a New Cult Centre at Durham, c.995–1080

Summary

After its relocation to Chester-le-Street in the period c.884–995, the community of St Cuthbert retained its status as a leading spiritual, secular and economic power in Northumbria. Alliances with aristocratic and royal families on a regional and national scale, together with the exhibition of St Cuthbert's relics, public displays of patronage to his cult, and the incomes derived from an expanding body of estates, all combined to ensure the continued prominence of the community down to the end of the tenth century. However, in 995, Cuthbert's relics and community were once again moved, this time to a new base at Durham, located only six miles to the south. The move was to be their last, securing a permanent home for St Cuthbert's cult, which lasts to the present day. Like the earlier moves to Norham and then Chester-le-Street, the translation of Cuthbert's community to Durham in the 990s can be explained by recognising changes in the political, cultural and economic landscape of Northumbria. As noted in the previous chapter, the HSC made no mention of the move to Durham. Symeon's LDE provides the only narrative commentary on the move. However, Symeon's tendency to emphasise the miraculous elements of this story ensure that his description, which forms the basis of his third book, requires careful evaluation.

Symeon explained that the decision to leave Chester-le-Street was one again taken in response to a perceived Viking threat. Echoing his descriptions of earlier raids, Symeon asserted that:

Now in the year of our Lord 995, that is the seventeenth year of the reign of King Æthelred, the said bishop [Ealdhun], who was then entering the sixth year of the episcopal office which he had accepted, was forewarned by a heavenly premonition that he should flee as quickly as possible with the incorrupt body of the most holy father Cuthbert, to escape the fury of the Vikings (‘pyratarum’) whose arrival was imminent.

There are no recorded Viking attacks around Chester-le-Street in 995, and Symeon gave no further details on the precise nature of this new threat to Cuthbert's community.