A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



infused far too much local feeling and prejudice into his descriptions, enumerates 

 no less than six coverings or wrappings : on the outside a fine linen sheet, well 

 waxed ; then a somewhat thin and delicate robe of silk, with the figure of 

 what he styles an Anglo-Saxon knight on a ground of amber and ornamental 

 parts of leaf-gold ; thirdly, a robe of thick soft silk, with ' St. Cuthbert's 

 birds ' the eider ducks, and other things woven into it ; fourthly, an amber 

 silk robe ; then for fifth and sixth coverings, two more silken robes, one of 

 purple and crimson, the other of damask, also of the same colours. 1 In the 

 midst of these wrappings (under the three upper ones) lay hidden the re- 

 markable 'Cross of St. Cuthbert'; there were found also the remains of a 

 portable altar, an ivory comb, and the beautiful tenth-century stole, etc., of 

 Bishop Frithstan of Winchester. There was also a ring, commonly called 

 St. Cuthbert's ring; this, however, is not earlier than the thirteenth century; 

 it is kept with great honour at Ushaw. 



After all that seemed valuable had been removed to the Cathedral 

 Library and the fragments of the coffin had also been stored away in a cup- 

 board, the remains were placed in a rough box of deal planks carelessly put 

 together, and again buried in the vault. 



When in 1899 Dr. Greenwell 3 had undertaken to piece together, so far 

 as was possible, the fragments of the coffin, he asked leave to have the vault 

 re-opened to see whether any bits of carved work had been thrown back into 

 it in 1827. Some few portions, all small, of the carved wood were found 

 and fitted into their places ; the most of the wood was either in minute 

 fragments or in dust. In other respects the re-opening was of value. 8 



Though the coffin of 1827 had broken asunder under the pressure of 

 rubbish over it, the bones of the chief body were found arranged loosely in 

 their natural order. There was also a second skull resting on the saint's arm, 

 that of St. Oswald. On examination of the bones there was found remaining 

 on them throughout portions of ligaments and considerable remains of the 

 ' periosteum membrane,' a kind of skin which enwraps the bones and is so 

 delicate of texture and substance that it rapidly perishes if exposed to damp 

 earth or to the moisture of ordinary decay. 4 This fact, to which two 

 qualified anatomists testified, at once disposes of the suggestion that this 

 skeleton had been taken out of the Centry Garth by the monks; for the monks' 

 burial-yard was damp, and bones lying there could not have retained this 

 delicate membrane. It is most improbable too, that when such a substitution 

 took place the valuable vestments and other wrappings should have been left, 

 six deep on the body ; or that they should have failed to secure the cross or 

 the ancient comb and the most interesting portable altar. At any rate, 

 the fact is that the position of the cross found under three of the wrappings 

 is a direct proof that these had never been disturbed. 6 



Then it was observed by Canon Fowler that in one of the eye sockets 

 of the skull was a something of which he says, ' I could distinguish not only 

 the exsiccated muscles diverging from a point at the back, but the circular 

 form of the iris, and the rows of the roots of the eyelashes I have 



1 Raine, St. Cuthbert (Durham, 1828), 194. 

 8 Haverfield and Greenwell, Catahgue, 133-156. 



8 See Arch. Ivii., (i) 1 1. Canon Fowler was present, as also the writer of this article. * Ibid. 20. 



s All these were found in 1827. Reginald of Durham (Surtees Soc., i.), c. 41, mentions a gold fillet, and 

 Rame says there were traces of a mark that might have been left on the skull by contact with gold. 



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