North Durham - Chester-le-Street and Washington
The spire of Chester-le-Street parish church photographed by David Simpson
Read more about North East history in the Timeline
FLIGHT FROM THE VIKINGS - THE BEGINNINGS OF A BISHOPRIC
Durham's Prince Bishops were the direct successors of the Anglo-Saxon Bishops of Lindisfarne. The story of the movement of their see from this Holy island, to the land between Tyne and Tees begins at the town of CHESTER LE STREET, half way between Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne. In 793 A.D the Vikings made their first attack upon the coast of Britain with a raid upon Lindisfarne. More raids were to follow. By the end of the following century the threat of further raids was such that the monks of Lindisfarne were forced to flee their island with the body of Saint Cuthbert and seek refuge on the mainland.
In 882 A.D, after several years of wandering the north of England, the carriers of St Cuthbert's coffin were eventually granted land at Chester le Street where Eardwulf, the last Bishop of Lindisfarne became the first Bishop of Chester le Street. There were a succession of nine bishops at Chester le Street until 995 A.D, when the threat of further raids, this time most probably from Scotland, caused the bishop's see to be moved once again. After more wandering, St Cuthbert's carriers were eventually led by a vision to Dunholme (Durham) where a great church was built for their saint's shrine. It was at Durham City, that the later Prince Bishops were to rule. Back to top of page.
CHESTER LE STREET SAXON MINSTER AND ROMAN FORT Back to top of page.
Although the town of Chester le Street can trace its origins back to the days of the Romans it does not have a great deal to show for its long history. Of greatest interest is the eleventh century church of St Mary and St Cuthbert, which is built on the site of a Roman fort called CONCANGIUM. Here also stood the Anglo-Saxon Minster, where the shrine of St Cuthbert was housed. The present church has an interesting museum called the Anker's House, with displays concerning Chester le Street's Roman and Anglo-Saxon history. The Anglo-Saxon minster that stood at Chester le Street many centuries ago was the place where the first ever English translation of the Gospels was made. The translations were added to the Latin text of the famousLindisfarne Gospels which had been brought from Lindisfarne to Chester le Street with St Cuthbert's coffin. This great book can now be seen in the British Museum, London. English speaking visitors to the museum will however, have difficulty understanding the translations, since they are written in an old Anglo-Saxon language called Northumbrian, a language from which the modern dialect of North East England derives. Back to top of page.
Inside the church at Chester le Street, are fourteen Elizabethan effigies of Durham's famous Lumley family. When James, the first king of England and Scotland, visited Chester le Street in 1603 he is supposed to have viewed the Lumley effigies and remarked; "I did nae ken Adam's name was Lumley" The first of the effigies is not in fact of Adam but Liulf of Great Lumley, an Anglo-Saxon noble, from whom the Lumley family claim descent. Liulf was killed in the eleventh century by one of William Walcher's men in an incident that led to that Bishop's murder at Gateshead in 1081. Lumley Castle, which dominates the countryside across the River Wear, to the east of Chester le Street, was for centuries the seat of the Lumley family. It was begun in 1389 by Sir Ralph Lumley, whose descendants include `Lily of Lumley', a ghost who reputedly haunts the castle. Today Lumley castle, situated by a pretty wooded valley adjoining the River Wear, is a hotel and restaraunt where popular `Elizabethan Banquets' are held. Here guests are entertained by staff in period costume, as they enjoy a hearty feast of food, wine and mead. Across the A1M motorway to the north of Lumley is Lambton Castle which commemorates another of County Durham's great families. Dating from 1797 Lambton Castle is not as historic as Lumley
Two miles north east of Lambton Castle, is the famous Penshaw Monument, a far more imposing reminder of the Lambton family. It is a copy of the temple of Theseum in Athens, though half its size, It can be seen clearly from parts of west Durham, North Tyneside and as far south as the Stang Forest in Teesdale. The monument was erected in 1848 in honour of John George Lambton, first Earl of Durham (1792 - 1840), known to Durham pitmen as `Radical Jack', because of his democratic views. The Earl was a chief instigator of the 1832 Reform Bill, which abolished the so called `Rotten Boroughs', an undemocratic feature of British politics. Such Boroughs included Old Sarum in Wiltshire, where two MPs were elected by the owner of a `green mound and a well'. This Reform Bill also gave MPs to large towns like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds, which previously had none at all. Other government reforms of the 1830s brought about the abolishment of the County Palatinate of Durham, terminating the last remaining vestiges of power held by the `Prince Bishops'. The Prime Minister at the time of the 1830 reforms was of course the Northumbrian, Earl Grey to whom another famous northern monument was erected at Newcastle upon Tyne. Both Penshaw and Greys Monument were designed by Benjamin Green.
THE LEGEND OF THE LAMBTON WORM
Penshaw Hill and the nearby Worm Hill are closely associated with one of the North East's best known folk tales; The Legend of the Lambton Worm. The hero of this legend was a certain young man called John Lambton, who on one particular Sunday morning decided to go fishing in the River Wear rather than attend the local church, as he was expected to do. His truancy was rather a waste of time, as he did not have a very succesful morning's sport. The only thing he had been able to catch, was a tiny worm-like creature which he despondently threw into a nearby well, before returning home for lunch. In later life John Lambton became a brave knight and crusader and left England to fight in the Middle East, where he soon forgot about the strange little worm caught on that otherwise uneventful Sunday morning. Unbeknown to John, while he was away abroad, this tiny creature had grown into an enormous hideous serpent, that began to terrorise the local neighbourhood. It is said that the worm would feed off the udders of cows and swallow little children alive and after feasting, would fall asleep and lazily lap its tail around the crest of Penshaw Hill.
Naturally, many attempts were made to slaughter this beast, but even when it was cut into many pieces the parts would rejoin and the worm remained alive. John Lambton, perhaps feeling partly responsible for the activities of the worm, decided to return home to England, where he consulted the advice of a wise old witch. He asked her how he should go about killing such a creature. The old lady explained that the only way to kill the beast was by standing in the middle of the River Wear, wearing a suit of armour coated with blades of steel, and wait patiently for the worm to arrive. However a warning was given to Lambton, that upon defeating the worm, he must then kill the first living thing he set eyes upon. Otherwise a curse would be placed upon nine generations of the Lambtons so that none would die in their bed. Lambton, obeying the words of the old lady put on the appropriate armour and instructed his father to send one of the family hounds to him, so he could complete the deed in accordance with her wishes. Making his way to the banks of the Wear he stood in the centre of the river, where he didn't have to wait for long. The worm came darting towards its adversary of long ago and proceeded to visciously wrap itself around the armoured knight. After a short struggle the creature was gradually sliced up into many tiny pieces by the steel blades of Lambton's armour. Bit by bit each piece of the worm was carried away by the current of the river before they had time to rejoin.
At last the worm was dead. The victorious but exhausted Lambton, made his way back to the bank of the river, remembering that he must now kill the first living thing he set eyes upon. As he emerged from the river he looked up with shock and horror to see his excited father, who had evidently forgotten the hound. Lambton could not kill his own Dad !. Would the curse prove true ?. Well history seems to suggest it did. Several Lambtons met violent deaths and indeed one General Lambton, confined to his bed by a terrible illness, pleaded and pleaded with his servants to release him. When they finally lifted him from his bed - he died. That is the twist in the tale of the legend of the Lambton Worm !
Above Penshaw Monument
The Legend of the Lambton Worm is the subject of a famous local folk song, which was once a great favourite in the old Victorian music halls of Tyneside. It is best heard when sung in a Geordie or Wearside dialect;
Play this to hear the Lambton Worm tune.
And cowt a fish upon his heuk He thowt leukt varry queer
But whatn't kind of fish it waas Young Lambton couldn't tell
He waddn't fash te carry it hyem, So he hoyed it doon a well.
Noo Lambton felt inclined te' gan, An' fight in foreign wars
He joined a troop of knights that cared For nowther wounds nor scars,
An' of he went te' Palestine Where queer things him befel,
An' varry seun forgat aboot The queer worm i' the well.
Whisht ! lads, haad yer gobbs An' aa'll tell yer boot the worm."
But the worm got fat and growed an growed An' growed an aaful size
He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob,
An' greet big goggly eyes.
An' when at neet he craaled aboot Te' pick up bits o' news
If he felt dry upon the road, He milked a dozen coos.
Whisht ! lads, haad yer gobbs An' aa'll tell yer boot the worm."
This fearful worm wad often feed
On calves an' lambs and sheep,
An' swally little bairns alive When they laid doon te' sleep.
An' when he'd eaten aal he could
An' he had had his fill,
He craaled away an' lapped his tail Seven times roond Penshaw Hill.
Whisht ! lads, haad yer gobbs An' aa'll tell yer boot the worm."
The news of this myest aaful worm An' his queer gannins on
Seun crossed the seas, an gat te' the ears Of brave and bold Sir John.
So hyem he cam an' catched the beast An' cut him in twe halves,
An' that seun stopped his eatin' bairns An' sheep an' lambs and calves.
So noo ye knaa hoo aal the folks On byeth sides o' the Wear
Lost lots o sheep and lots o sleep An' lived in mortal fear.
So lets hev one te brave Sir John That kept the bairns frae harm,
Saved coos an' calves by myekin' halves
O' the famous Lambton worm.
Noo lads Aa'll had me gob
That's aal Aa knaa aboot the story
Of Sir John's clivvor job
Wi' the aaful Lambton worm. "
There are two other worm legends associated with the North East, they are the Sockburn worm, which inhabited the Tees valley, near Darlington and the Laidley Worm of Bamburgh on the Northumberland coast.
WASHINGTON - AN AMERICAN CONNECTION
To the north of Lambton within the new borough of Sunderland is the attractive new town of Washington. The town is divided into sixteen districts or `villages' each with its own number and name. Eight of the districts are built on the sites of existing villages, of which the most historic is Washington itself. Washington village, is the site of Washington Old Hall, now a National Trust property. The Hall is important in that it was once the home of the ancestors of George Washington, the first president of the United States. The connection dates from 1180 A.D when William De Hartburn (Hartburn near Stockton on Tees), bought the manor of Washington from Hugh Pudsey, Bishop of Durham and changed his name to William De Washington. William became the first member of the family which ultimately gave its name to the capital city of the U.S.A. Washington, District of Columbia therefore acquired its name from Washington County of Durham. It is amusing to speculate that if history had taken a different course, the seat of the American president could perhaps have been called Hartburn D.C.
South of the Washington village of Rickleton, close to the edge of the motorway near Chester le Street is a rather undistinguished little place called Picktree, once the home to two quite different characters from local folklore. One was a mysterious little Goblin called the `Picktree Brag' who used to get up to all kinds of mischief in the area, the other was a local landlady called Elsie Marley, known to children and adults alike as the subject of a well known folk song;
Alice Marley was the wife of the innkeeper at Picktree and was by all accounts very popular with her customers !. In her later years this unfortunate lady was confined to bed with a terrible illness, and became completely delirious. After escaping unnoticed from her sick bed one night, poor `Elsie' went running across a field nearby. She haplessly fell into a disused coalpit and drowned. Sadly the inn where Elsie worked has long since gone.
BERNARD GILPIN THE APOSTLE OF HOUGHTON LE SPRING
Houghton le Spring, is a former mining town in the borough of Sunderland, four miles to the east of Lumley and Chester le Street. Like Chester le Street, the name Houghton le Spring contains the Norman-French element `le', which also occurs in the name of nearby Hetton le Hole. The history of Houghton le Spring is centred around the attractive Norman church of St Michael and All Angels, within which we find the tomb of Bernard Gilpin (1517-1583), who was known as `the Apostle of the North'. Gilpin, a member of an important Westmorland family, was the great nephew of Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham (1530-1559) and in 1552 this bishop appointed Bernard as vicar to the historic parish of Norton on Tees. Later Gilpin was appointed Archdeacon of Durham and in 1557 he became the rector at Houghton le Spring, then one of the largest parishes in England. Despite his important status, Gilpin was a generous man who always had the interests of his parishoners at heart. On all Sundays between Michaelmass and Easter he declared his rectory an `open house' and gave free dinners to all who visited, whether they were rich or poor.
Most residents of Houghton today commemorate Bernard Gilpin's generosity in the roasting of the Ox at the annual `Houghton Feast', a fair which he is said to have inaugurated. The tradition is that an Ox was once donated by Gilpin, to be roasted and distributed amongst the members of his parish. Houghton Fair is now a more modern fairground attraction, which takes place on the first Friday of each October. Gilpin was a scholarly man, and was keen to see that the humble and poor received a good education. He even sent some of his brightest young parishoners to university at his own expense. With the financial help of a Londoner named John Heath (who owned land at Kepier near Durham), Gilpin founded the Kepier Grammar School at Houghton le Spring in 1557 and this considerably helped to improve the educational standards of the district. Among the famous students to attend Kepier school in later centuries was Robert Surtees (1779-1834), the great Durham historian. Bernard Gilpin's good works extended beyond his parish and he is perhaps best known for his journeys into the rough border country of Northumberland , where he evangelized among the Northumbrian people in the same way as St Aidan and St Cuthbert many centuries before. Spreading the word of God was not an easy task for Gilpin in the North East of England, during a period of time when the local people were often ignorant and violent in nature. Indeed a sixteenth century Bishop of Carlisle observed of Durham and Northumberland; `
Described as `tall and lean in person, with a hawk like nose and of charming and tactful manners' Bernard Gilpin was perhaps an ideal match for such a race of people and his efforts were met with some success. Even the roughest of Border folk, looked upon Gilpin with awe and respect. Bernard's long and adventurous life came to a tragic and rather unexpected end on the 4th of March 1583, when he was unfortunately knocked down by an oxen in the market place at Durham. He was aged sixty six. If it had not been for the fact that Gilpin lived in an age of religous controversy (with which he refused to be involved), this `Apostle of the North' could well have been venerated as one of Northumbria's most famous saints.
Read more about North East history in the Timeline
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