54 
idea forced itself upon my mind, that this line contained a local 
designation of the minster (monasterium) in the suburb or 
pomoerium, distinguishing it from the minster of S. Peter, 
within the city, and from the minster of S. Mary, Bishophill, 
on the other side of the river; and that this designation was in 
some way connected with Sinuit’s name. EtTiel-eard, — seld ,— 
setl, — stol, — stow, are words implying patrimonial ” or in¬ 
herited dwelling;” hatte hi minster sinvites ethelstowe, 
called her ^ minster set Sinvites ethelstow,’ ” will exactly fill 
the space. 
My restoration, then, of this inscription stands thus :— 
+ mOSMINSTEIlSETTOiVj& 
ZRARDT GRIMT^SE-OiViV 
^MANDRIHTNESH^ZJS'iVi) 
Z'^CRISTEST SCAMAi?/^ 7 
/SCRMARTINn SCEC VTEBE 
Rmi 1 OMNIYMSCOR VMQ 
OA^SECRATAESTANi^OD 
C'CZVI-SINVITAET VltBIS 
POMAERIOTHEME WRATEAT 
TEEIMINSTlERMT^lNriTESETEELSTO WE 
The monasteries or minsters of Northumbria in the Anglo- 
Saxon age, did not consist of one conventual church, with the 
cells of the brethren, and all other offices attached, like those 
built after the Norman Conquest. On the contrary they com¬ 
prized several churches and oratories, sometimes at considerable 
distances apart; and it is probable that the brethren lived 
in detached cottages, as do those of Camaldoli to this day. 
Thus the monastery of S. Benedict Biscop embraced the 
basilica of S. Peter, the round church of S. Mary, and the 
oratory of S. Laurence, at Wearmouth, and the basilica of S. Paul, 
at Jarrow. Indeed the Northumbrian Church, which after 
the expulsion of S. Paulinus, was for the second time founded 
by Scottish missionaries, followed in this respect the practice 
of the Scottish Church, in the Monasteries of which, at Iona, 
Glendalough, Clonmacnoise, Monasterboice, &c., we still see 
groups of the ruins of several churches. The inscription before 
us evidently speaks of a monastery of this kind, consisting of 
several churches; and churches stand to this day in York, 
