Priory, and the S. choir windows, altar-screen, and bishop's throne in Durham Cathedral. This, says Billings, is owing to the fact that Gothic architecture reached its zenith in the 14th centy., when the wars were raging between England and Scotland. Of the Perp. style are the chapel and other parts of the palace at Bishops Auckland, portions of the cloisters and chapel of the Nine Altars in Durham Cathedral, and parts of the churches at Staindrop and Chester-le-Street. Billings divides the noticeable churches into 5 classes, viz. :-"1. Cross churches with central tower, nave and aisles, transept and chancel, viz. Darlington, Houghton-le-Spring, Norton. 2. Churches with a W. tower, and otherwise the same, viz. St. Andrew Auckland, Brancepeth, and Sedgefield. 3. Churches with a W. tower, nave with aisles, and chancel, viz. Billingham, Boldon, Chester-leStreet, Easington, Hartlepool, Pittington, Staindrop, and Lanchester; St. Helen's is the same without a tower, and Heighington and Coniscliffe with only 1 aisle to the nave. 4. Churches with a central tower, nave, and chancel, viz. Merrington and Jarrow. 5. Churches without towers or aisles, where the chancel is only a continuation of the nave, viz. Medomsley, Dalton-le-Dale, and St. Edmund's Gateshead. churches of Auckland, Coniscliffe, Darlington, Lanchester, Jarrow, Sedgefield, and Staindrop, were collegiate, and retain the stall-seats of their prebendaries." The Owing to the Scottish raids, many of the churches have been used as fortifications. Thus, in 1315, John Sayer, while ascending Houghton tower, for the purpose of defence against the Scots, missed his footing, and falling upon the pavement had his brains dashed out. Merrington Church stood a siege. In 1483 the Bishop of Durham licensed the rector of Houghton to "enclose, fortify, and embattle a tower, above the lower porch, within his manse. The most important Tombs are the magnificent monuments of the Nevilles at Staindrop and Brancepeth, the latter being of wood, and the former almost unrivalled in England. There are also mutilated monuments of this family in the nave of Durham Cathedral. At Chester-leStreet is a long line of Lumley effigies, of which only two are authentic, There are other effigies at Dalton-le-Dale, Ryton, Lanchester, Easington, Pittington, and Sockburn. At Houghton is the quaint table-monument of Bernard Gilpin; at Redmarshal an alabaster tomb of the Langtons (1417); at Long-Newton and Staindrop fine modern tombs of the Vanes. Abbeys, &c.—Besides the monastic remains which exist in the churches of Jarrow, Wearmouth, and Hartlepool, the principal are those of Finchale Priory, in a lovely dell by the side of the Wear. Two pointed windows only remain of the abbey at Hart, and nothing of that at Neasham. The ruin of a small monastic cell may be seen at Friarside. At Beaurepaire and Muggleswick are picturesque remnants of the country houses of the priors of Durham. 30 Castles and Country Seats Histories, &c. Sect. I. CASTLES AND COUNTRY SEATS.-The finest feudal and military remains are to be found in Durham Castle, and the two great Neville castles of Raby and Brancepeth, though of the latter almost all that was original has been destroyed. Barnard Castle is a fine ruin in a magnificent situation. Of Stockton only a single stunted tower remains. Streatlam is incorporated with an Italian mansion. Witton has been almost entirely destroyed by fire. The castles of Lumley and Hylton, of a later period, are remarkable for their "segmental arches with hanging tracery." Bishops Auckland is an interesting building of various styles and periods. There are ruins of castelets, or peel-towers of the better class, at Dalden, Ludworth, and Langley Dale. In later domestic architecture Horden Hall is remarkable as a fine specimen of c. 1600. The manor-house at Gainford is chiefly of the same date. Gibside is a good specimen of Jacobean architecture, and the manor-houses at Stella and Houghton-le-Spring have some good points. There are small remains of the manor-house of the Hardinges at Hollinside. The moated grange of Butterby has a picturesque gateway, and the remains of an avenue. Elemore is a handsome building of the last century. Lambton Castle is modern, and more remarkable for its situation than its architecture. Ravensworth Castle, modern and partly Gothic, occupies the site of an ancient building, of which two obscure towers remain. Wynyard is a richly-decorated building of the present century. Windlestone is only remarkable for its picture-gallery, and the works of art which it contains. There are other fine pictures at Lambton, and in the Roman Catholic College at Ushaw. HISTORIES AND GUIDE-BOOKS.-Durham is especially rich in county histories, from that of Bede, who has told the story of Jarrow and Wearmouth in his Ecclesiastical History, down to the most recent times. Among the later histories are Hutchinson's Hist. of Durham, 1785-94; Mackenzie's Hist. of Durham, 1832; Surtees' (splendid) Hist. of the Co. Palatine of Durham, 1816-34; and Fordyce's Hist. of Durham, 1857. To all these works the editor is much indebted. Other books which may be consulted upon this county are the Collections published by the Surtees Society (founded in memory of the historian-vol. 24 comprises his memoir and poems); Billings' Architectural Antiquities of Durham; Raine's Hist. of Auckland Palace; Raine's Durham Cathedral; Ormsby's Durham; Sir Cuthbert Sharpe's Hist. of Hartlepool; Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569; Bishopric Garland; Brayley and Britton's Beauties of Durham; Sidney Gibson's Finchale, Houghton-lespring, Hartlepool, and Bishop Middleham; Dodd's Paper on the Collieries in 'The Land we Live in ;' Winkle's Durham Cathedral; Winch's Flora of Durham; Carleton's Life of Bernard Gilpin; Howitt's Visits to Remarkable Places. The story of St. Cuthbert has been thrice told; first in 1626, by Robert Hegge, in a work called 'The Golden Legend of St. Cuthbert ;' and in later times by the contradictory Roman Catholic and Protestant authorities, Monsignor Eyre and the late Dr. Raine. INNS.-There are very few Inns in the county of Durham of a kind to offer attractions to the pleasure-seeking tourist; perhaps the best are that at Barnard Castle and the humble little hotel near the High Force, which is situated amid wild and beautiful scenery, and whence several interesting excursions may be made. SKELETON TOUR. The following rapid Skeleton Tour will comprise all the chief objects of interest in the county: Days. 1. Darlington. St. Cuthbert's Church. Rail (by Gainford) to Winston Stat. Thence by omnibus to Staindrop. Visit the Neville Tombs and Raby Castle. Walk or drive to Barnard Castle, taking Streatlam on the way. 2. Barnard Castle. The lovely scenery of Rokeby and the Tees. 3. Drive to the High Force. Excursion to Caldron Snout. at the High Force Inn. Sleep 4. Drive to Stanhope, by St. John's Weardale. Excursion to Hunstanworth, Muggleswick, and the interesting remains of Blanchland just within the Northumbrian border. 5. By rail (passing Witton Castle) to Bishops Auckland. Visit the Palace and Park. Rail to Durham, visiting Brancepeth Castle and Church. 6. Durham Cathedral and Castle. Excursion to Finchale Priory, by Kepyer Hospital and Wood. 7. Excursion to Neville's Cross, Bearpark, King David's Bridge, Ushaw College, and Lanchester, returning by Langley Hall and Witton Gilbert. 8. Excursion to Sherburn Hospital (walk or by rail) and Pittington Church, return by Shincliffe and Butterby. 9. Rail to Fence Houses (or by driving), visit Lumley Castle, Chesterle-street, Lambton Castle, and Houghton-le-Spring. Rail from Fence Houses to Gateshead. 10. Visit Ravensworth and Gibside. By rail (visiting Jarrow) to Sunderland. 11. Descend a Coal-pit. Visit Hylton Castle, Whitburn, and Marsden Rocks. 12. By rail (stopping to visit Hawthorne Hythe, Easington Church, Horden Hall, Castle Eden Dene, and the Blackhall Rocks) to Hartlepool. 13. St. Hilda's Church. The Harbour. By rail (visiting Billingham Church) to Stockton-on-Tees. Hence by rail to Dinsdale Stat., whence visit the Leper's Bath and Sockburn. Rail or drive to Darlington. ROUTE ROUTES. The names of places are printed in italics only in those routes where the places are 1 Darlington to Newcastle, by Aycliffe (Sedgefield, Windlestone, Merrington, Bishop Middleham); Sherburn (Pittington, Elemore); Fencehouses, Durham; Chester-leStreet (Lumley, Lambton); Gateshead (Ravensworth, Gibside, Stella, Ryton). (Part of the North-Eastern Rly.) 2 Leamside to Gateshead, by Houghton-le-Spring (part of the North-Eastern Rly.) 3 Darlington to Barnard Castle by Rly., part of the S. Durham line to Tebay in Westmoreland (Staindrop, Raby, Streatlam, and Excursion up Teesdale to the High Force and Caldron Snout) 4 Darlington to Bishop's Auck ROUTE 1. described. PAGE ROUTE 33 74 82 DARLINGTON TO NEWCASTLE, BY land, Wolsingham, and Stan- 5 Leamside to Bishop's Auckland, 6 Darlington to Stockton by Rly. 7 Ferryhill to West Hartlepool, 8 Hartlepool to Hendon (i.e. Sun- PAGE 96 102 104 110 113 as the 23rd Hen. VIII., in a brief for its reparation as "The most directe and sure way and passage for the King o'r Sovraigne Lorde's armie AYCLIFFE (SEDGEFIELD, WINDLE- and ordyn'ce to resort and pass over STONE, MERRINGTON, BISHOP-MID- into the north p'ties and marches of DLEHAM), SHERBURN,(PITTINGTON, this his realme, for the surtie and ELEMORE), FENCEHOUSES, (HOUGH- defence of the same against the inTON-LE-SPRING, LUMLEY, CHES- vasion of the Scotts and others his TER-LE-STREET, LAMBTON), GATES- enemyes, over whiche such armys HEAD, (RAVENSWORTH, GIBSIDE, and ordyn'ces hathe hertofor always STELLA, RYTON). PART OF THE bene accostomyed to goo and passe." 252 m. Croft Spa Stat. |