326 Bamburgh Parish Church, by the Rev. W. Darnell. 



undertook to convert the heathens of Bernicia, as the 

 northern province of his kingdom was then called. Soon 

 after his arrival in Northumberland, he was permitted by its 

 King to select for himself the seat of his Episcopacy, and 

 became the first Bishop of Lindisfarne, a.d. 635. A humble 

 shed, affixed to the western end of Bamburgh Church, 

 afforded him an occasional residence ; and here it is recorded 

 he was sojourning when the evil news of the death of Oswin, 

 Oswald's successor, reached him ; and here he sickened, and in 

 twelve days died, reclining against a wooden buttress which 

 supported the sacred edifice.* He held the See of Lindis- 

 farne for a period of nine years. Of the original Church no 

 traces remain. The date of the present structure is supposed 

 to be about 1180 a.d., and the chancel somewhat later, 1200 

 a.d. The building appears to have undergone various 

 alterations, in the lapse of so many centuries. The present 

 Church is cruciform in its plan, but having the tower at the 

 west end engaged with the aisles, and a north and south 

 transept. The south aisle is much wider than the north one, 

 and the tower opens to the nave and aisles by three pointed 

 arches upon impost mouldings. Eastward of the tower is 

 an arcade on each side, of four arches opening to the aisles. 

 The pillars are circular, having moulded capitals and rude 

 foliage on one of them. The chancel arch is plain, without 

 mouldings ; and in the wall to the south side a square aper- 

 ture filled with pierced panelling has been inserted as a 

 hagioscope. The chancel is unusually long — 62 feet by 21 ; 

 and was carefully restored about thirty-five years ago, when 

 the plaster was removed from the walls and the ceiling from 

 the oak roof. The east window is a triple lancet, eight 

 lancets on the south side and four on the north ; the greater 

 number being filled with stained glass, give a very imposing 

 appearance to the chancel. Figures in stained glass of our 

 Lord, the four evangelists, and some of the apostles, were 

 placed in the chancel in the year 1845 ; the contributors being 

 Sir Thomas Tancred, Bart., and the three Trustees of Lord 

 Crewe, &c. The glass is of good character, supposed to have 

 been brought from the Continent ; and was purchased at the 

 establishment of the Messrs Wright, in Wardour Street, 

 London. 



In a sepulchral recess, on the south side, is the effigy of 



* Vide Raine's St, Cuthbert, p. 9. 



