St Cuthbert's Church is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

in Durham,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It was opened on 31 May 1827 to replace two previous chapels, one run by the secular clergy and the other by the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

. It is also the home of the

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

Catholic Chaplaincy and Catholic Society. From 2012 to 2016 the parish was entrusted, along with the chaplaincy, to the

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

, and its congregation has since maintained the Dominicans' influence.History
from StCuthberts-Durham.org retrieved 20 February 2014 The church is a protected building, being part of the Elvet Green Conservation Area.Durham: St Cuthbert's RC Church safe for generations to come
from ''Independent Catholic News'' retrieved 20 February 2014 It is named for St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, the 7th century bishop, healer and patron of

Northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...

History

Distribution of English Recusant Catholics, 1715-1720

Although the establishment of the church goes back to 1827, the building has served a community of Durham and

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

Catholics that is continuous from the beginning of Catholic persecution at the

English Reformation The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. These events were part of the wider European Protestant Reformation, a religious and poli ...

. While the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

became the official and only public Church for many centuries, English Catholic communities remained in the North – St Cuthbert's was founded by such a Catholic community in Durham. In 1569, Durham was the theatre for the Rising of the North. Promoted by the Catholic Percys and Nevilles, respectively the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, Northern English nobles rose against

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

to bring the Catholic Church back to England in a rebellion that climaxed with the

Catholic Mass The Mass is the central liturgical service of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, in which bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. As defined by the Church at the Council of Trent, in the Mass, "the same Christ ...

revived and celebrated at

Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...

. The following year, the priest who celebrated at this Mass, Thomas Plumtree, was drawn and quartered in the market place. Plumtree was beatified by

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

in 1886, and St Cuthbert's maintains

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...

s of his arm and hand.

Catholics in Old Elvet, Durham

By the early 17th century, there were

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

priests serving the Catholic community based at 33 and later 45 Old Elvet, operating a chapel that was later destroyed by a mob celebrating the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

of 1688 which ousted the Catholic

King James II James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

. From the 1660s to the late 18th century, Catholic landed gentry, of which there were many in the Durham/Northumberland region, began to buy up property in Old Elvet region in order to be close to the concealed Catholic worship. Votive Masses are still said at St Cuthbert's for the noble Catholic families. One Such family, the Salvins of nearby

Croxdale Croxdale is a village in the civil parish of Croxdale and Hett, situated about south of Durham City, in County Durham , England and on the A167 road, formerly part of the Great North Road. It is on the route of the East Coast Main Line and at on ...

, remain patrons of the congregation and can trace their patronage back to the 16th century. The Salvin coat of arms can be seen among those of other northern Catholic families on the wooden

rood-screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...

behind the

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...

. The 18th century saw degrees of toleration gained, except for the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Franci ...

. The Catholic Relief Act of 1791 saw the legality of Catholic public worship, and a permanent chapel was built in Elvet along with a residence for a

Vicar Apostolic A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

, a Catholic

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, for Northern England. Interior St

Catholic Emancipation and Erection of the Current Building

The Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1790 to 1821 was Bishop William Gibson, who lived and regularly celebrated Mass there. The current building was built in 1827, two years before the Catholic Emancipation of 1829, which saw a restoration of civil and religious rights. The church was designed by Ignatius Bonomi, and while made to reflect the English gothic style, was built relatively level with other Old Elvet buildings and without a tower in order for the Catholics to remain somewhat discreet. In 1869, the tower was added to the church and in 1910 it was finally consecrated on 20 July.

Modern History

From 2012 to 2016, the

Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province. History With the gradual abolition of the legal restricti ...

entrusted the parish to the

who would also provide Catholic chaplains to

with Fr Benjamin Earl, O.P. as prior, parish priest and chaplain. In 2013, a seven-month £300,000 refurbishment program was initiated and was completed in February 2014. Since 2012, St Cuthbert's has seen growth, especially in the student body. The incorporation of Dominican customs and liturgy – much of which has been maintained after the Dominicans left, is helped by the current parish priest, Fr Andrew Downie.

Parish

St Cuthbert's is one of the largest Catholic parishes in the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. It has a parish choir and a student choir. They sing a variety of repertoire, including Gregorian chant, Taizé, polyphony and Anglican music. Holy Mass is offered on Sundays and weekdays at the following times: * 10:00am (Parish Sung Mass) * 6:30pm (Term time, student Sung Mass with reception) * 12:15 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday * 7:00pm Wednesday (chanted, followed by student dinner).Churches
at Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle retrieved 20 February 2014 Morning and evening prayer is said through the week, and on Tuesday mornings, the Catholic Society chants Dominican Lauds and hosts breakfast.

Gallery

File:St Cuthbert's Church tower, Durham.jpg, Church tower File:St Cuthbert's Church lady chapel window, Durham by Lawrence OP.jpg, In the lady chapel File:St Cuthbert's Church Venerable Bede window, Durham by Lawrence OP.jpg, Venerable Bede by

Harry Clarke Henry Patrick Clarke (17 March 1889 – 6 January 1931) was an Irish stained-glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement. His work was influenced by both the Art Nouveau and ...

File:St. Cuthbert's Durham medieval chasuble.jpg, 15th century, medieval orphrey on a chasuble in active use at St. Cuthbert's.

References

External links

St Cuthbert's Church site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Cuthbert's Church, Durham Grade II listed churches in County Durham

Saint Cuthbert Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nor ...

Dominican churches in the United Kingdom Roman Catholic churches completed in 1827 Roman Catholic churches in County Durham Grade II listed Roman Catholic churches in England Gothic Revival church buildings in England Gothic Revival architecture in County Durham 1827 establishments in England University and college chapels in the United Kingdom 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom