No. 215 - THE PENNY MAGAZINE - Aug. 8, 1835

THE BISHOP'S THRONE IN DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Wood Cut Engraving (File size 48k)

AMONG the objects of interest in Durham Cathedral, the bishop's throne deserves to be noticed as one of the richest and most elegant works of the kind in this country. It may, indeed, be regarded as a record of the very exalted opinion which the bishop by whom it was erected entertained of the power and dignity of his mitre; and, as if to inculcate upon his own heart a lesson of humility under the almost regal distinctions of the state to which he had attained, he built this splended throne over the vault prepared by himself for the reception of his mortal remains after death. The person who thus edified the world by the spectacle of his humility and his pride in such near alliance with each other was Bishop Hatfield, who died in 1381, and who is stated to have erected the throne about the year 1370. It was repaired, in 1700, by Bishop Crewe, and was new painted and gilt, in 1772, by Bishop Egerton. For the following description of the throne and monument we are indebted to the account prepared, it is believed, by Sir Henry Englefield, to accompany the plates, from drawing by Carter, published by the Society of Antiquaries, in 1801, to illustrate the cathedral of Durham.

The basement-story of the throne serves as a canopy for the altar-tomb of the bishop. The whole front of this story, though in a solid style, as intended to bear the throne and its canopy above, is so richly decorated with sculpture, painting, and gilding, as to have a most elegant and noble effect. It is profusely adorned with shields of arms, and the ground of the work is of the rich panels in low relief anciently called "diaper." The crockets and finials of the niches and pinnacles are extremely handsome. A flight of steps on the left, covered by the sloping wall, leads to the top of the tomb, which is so wide as to give ample room for the bishop and his officers to sit in safety. The seats are panelled in front with quatre-foils. The bishop's seat projects in a hexagonal form. This seat has above it a hexagonal canopy, of the richest and most elegant design, which is surmounted by a canopied niche, probably at some former time filled by a statue. Two smaller niches, also with canopies, appear on each side. The buttresses and pillars which support these canopies, and the pinnacles and flying arches which rise above them, are of so light and airy a design, that it seems scarcely possible that they should have been executed in stone, yet are they connected with so much art as to have remained in perfect preservation to this day.

A very mean wooden rail runs in front of the bishop's seat and up the flight of steps. The original defence was probably by brass columns supporting slender rails, on which hung curtains with rich embrodiery. Many examples of this sort of decoration may be found in the illuminations of old missals.

The interesting alabaster-tomb and recumbent status of Bishop Hatfield, underneath the throne, are still in excellent preservation. Even the beautiful status, which was the most liable to injury, has only slightly suffered in the more prominent and delicate parts. It represents the prelate habited in his episcopal dress, richly adorned with sculpture, painting, and gilding, in imitation of embroidery. The outer garment is the "chasuble," in its ancient ample form, and much ornamented. On his hands are the episcopal gloves, embroidered on the backs. Beneath the chasuble is the linen alb, or surplice, and under that appears another garment, or tunic, on which three shields of arms are richly embroidered. On the central shield are the arms of England, and the bishop's own coat on the two lateral ones. "The honour of bearing the arms of England in this manner," says the work which we quote, "seems a proof of the high estimation in which this magnanimous prelate was held by his sovereign, and perhaps may have been granted to him in consequence of the distinguished part he bore in the signal victory of Neville's Cross."

The bishop's feet are covered with richly-embroidered shoes, and on his head is the mitre, in its ancient low form. The workmanship of the whole status is in the very best style of that period when the art of sculpture had, in this country, attained a state of advancement on which we must even now look back with respect.

A short notice of the great prelate who has been so frequently mentioned in the above account, may very suitably conclude this account of his throne and tomb. Little is known of him previously to his elevation to the see, except that he was a prebendary of Lincoln and York, and secretary and keeper of the privy seal to King Edward III., by whom he was highly esteemed. Before this time the popes had for many years exercised the authority of appointing the bishops to the sees of England without even consulting the king. This was viewed with equal dislike by the king, the nobles, and the parliament; and ultimately several statutes were enacted restoring to the churches and convents their ancient privilege of election. This was the state of things when Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham, died in 1345. The king was exceedingly desirous that his favourite Hatfield should succeed him in the rich see; but he had great fear that the convent would not elect him if the matter were left in their hands, and therefore took the very extraordinary measure of applying to the pope to appoint him. The pope, who had become uneasy at the measures of the parliament, was delighted at an application which implied an acknowledgment of the power which he was quite as anxious to preserve as the parliament to take away. He at once complied; and when objections were made against Hatfield by some of the cardinals as a man of light behaviour and laical manners, he said that if King Edward had made interest to get an ass appointed to the bishopric, he would certainly at such a time have gratified him. The matter did not attract much attention in England at the moment, as national affairs of the most exciting description then entirely engrossed the public mind. It is very possible that Hatfield's clerical abilities were not of the first eminence; but the favour of Edward was so generally bestowed on men of merit that it does not seem necessary that we should infer, from the objection of the cardinals, that any serious stain attached to his conduct, or that his talents did not qualify him for the situation--not less laical than clerical--of Bishop and Count Palatine of Durham.

The situation afforded him an opportunity of rendering his sovereign important service, for when, in 1346, David, king of Scotland, invaded England with a powerful army in the absence of the king, who was besieging Calais, Bishop Hatfield unfurled the banner of his province, and, with other prelates of the north and many nobles, marched against the invaders, who were defeated, and their king taken prisoner. Bishop Hatfield on this occasion commanded in person, jointly with Lord Percy, one of the four divisions of the English army. Eight years afterwards he was one of the commissioners appointed to treat with the Scots for the ransom of their captive king; and we next find him attending Edward when he went to France at the head of a large army in 1355.

Among the many acts for the benefit of his see and convent for which the prelacy of Hatfield was distinguished, we can only mention that Trinity College, Oxford, owes its foundation to him. It was, in consequence, originally called "Durham College," and was at first intended for such monks of Durham as should wish to study there. Before his time, the bishops of Durham had no house in London in which they might reside when summoned to parliament. Bishop Hatfield therefore built a fine palace in the Strand and called it Durham House (lately Durham Yard), bequeathing it for ever to his successors in the bishopric*. It remained their town residence until the time of Henry VIII., who obtained possession of it by a sort of exchange. Edward VI. gave it to the Princess Elizabeth for her use during life. Mary, however, restored it to Bishop Tonstal; but Elizabeth resumed it when she succeeded to the crown, and granted the use of it to Sir Walter Raleigh; and subsequently it was let out on a building lease, with the reservation of 200l. a-year out-rent, which the bishop still receives. The Adelphi buildings now occupy the site.

After a life distinguished chiefly by munificient and charitable actions, the bishop died at his manor of Alford, near London, on the 7th of May, 1384. He is described as a person of venerable appearance, tall, and grey-headed, and "portly in his gait and carriage." The records of his time give large accounts of his charities to the poor, his great hospitality, and good house-keeping, and of the sums he spent in buildings and repairs during the time he held the bishopric .

* There are other accounts which attribute the erection of Durham House to Anthony de Beck, who was bishop in the reign of Edward I.

There is a long account of this bishop in 'Hutchinson's History of Durham,' from which, and 'Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary,' this account of him is taken.