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CAUSEYPARKCHAPELASARESTINGPLACEOFSTCUTHBERT?APPRAISALOFHISTORICALANDFIELDEVIDENCE

AREPORTTOTHEHOGGFAMILYOFCAUSEYPARK

BY

THEBERNICIANSTUDIESGROUP

May2017

Photo:JackPennieoftheBernicianStudiesGroupconductingmagnetometrysurveyatthesiteoftheCauseyParkChapel28November2016.


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SUMMARYEvidenceforachapeldedicatedtoStCuthbertatCauseyParkwasbroughtforwardbythehistorianJohnHodgsonin1832,thoughhewasunawareofitspreciselocationorofthecircumstancesinwhichitwasfounded.Hodgson’sevidenceleadsusbackasfarasAD1240,andadocumentamongthechartersofBrinkburnPriorytakesusto1221.Hodgsonalsosuggeststhatthecausewayreferredtoinmedievaldocuments,fromwhichthenameCauseyParkisderived,wasanearlieralignmentoftheGreatNorthRoad.PeterHoggcontactedBridgetGubbinsoftheBernicianStudiesGroupintheautumnof2016onthematterofthechapelatCauseyPark;hislatesisterValerieBeaumonthadpreviouslycontactedProfessorSamTurnerofNewcastleUniversity.Asaresultofthesecontacts,ateamofstaffandstudentsfromtheuniversitycarriedoutfieldwalkingandresistivitysurveyinthefieldknownasLady’sWalk,andtheBernicianStudiesGroupcarriedoutageophysicalsurveybymagnetometryonthesitethoughttobethatofthechapel.Thisreportsummarisestheresultsfromthesethreepiecesofworkandpresentsconclusions.InasetofshortdocumentsbyValerieBeaumontandJohnWhitefortheHoggfamily,theclaimsaremade:

• ThatthechapelwasfoundedtomarkthesiteofastoppingplaceonthejourneymadewiththebodyofStCuthbertbymonksin1069when,inthefaceoftheConqueror’sapproachingarmy,theyfledfromDurhamtothesafetyofLindisfarne.

• Thatin875,whenthemonksofLindisfarnefinallylefttheisland,theytravelledbytheRomanroads,astheydidagainin1069,andthatiswhytheypassedthroughCauseyPark,theGreatNorthRoadbeinginoriginaRoman,orevenaprehistoricroad.

TheBernicianStudiesGrouphascarriedoutathoroughappraisalofthehistoricalevidencearoundthesepoints.Magnetometrysurveyhasconfirmedtheexistenceofabuildingofsomesortatthesiteassumedtobethechapel,butitisnotpossibletoconfirmtheidentityofthebuildingasachapelfromthisthiswork;anarchaeologicalexcavationmightresolvethematter.Thissurveyhasnotconfirmedthepresenceofaroadlinealongsidethebuilding;thiscouldbebecauseploughcultivationhasremovedtracesofmetalling.Evidencefromfieldnames,suppliedbytheHoggfamily,impliesthepresenceofachapelatthesuggestedplace.

• Weconcludethat,thoughthecaseisnotproven,thereisgoodevidencethatthechapelisintheplacewhereithastraditionallybeenthoughttobe.

FieldwalkingbyNewcastleUniversitystudentshasshownlargeamountsofmedievalpotteryinthefieldimmediatelysouthofthechapelsite,thoughresistivitysurveyherefailedtoshowanysub-surfacefeatures.Fieldwalkingreportedin1971inthefieldimmediatelyeastalsoshowedlargeamountsofmedievalpottery.

• Weconcludethatthereislikelytohavebeenamoreextensivemedievalsettlementaroundthechapelsite.Thiscouldbeconfirmedbyfurtherfieldwalkingandgeophysicalinvestigation.


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Thecasemadeforachapelmarkingastoppingplaceonthe1069journeydependsoninformationtakenfromhistorianswritinginthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury.Thesewriterswerefarremovedfromthetimeaboutwhichtheywrote,andtheydependedinturnontheevidenceofmonksinthemonasteryofDurhamwhowroteinthe12thcentury.EvidenceofthejourneysmadebyStCuthbert’speopleaftertheyleftLindisfarnein875comesfromthesesame12th-centuryauthoritiesandalsofromaDurhammanuscriptofthe14thcenturywhichwasbroughttolightin1828.InevaluatingtheclaimsputforwardindocumentswrittenfortheHoggfamily,wehavetoteaseapartthestrandsofhistoricalevidence:fromthecurrentclaims;backtothehistoriansofthe19thcentury;backtotheprimaryauthoritiesofthemedievalera.Wehavedonethiswithsomecareinthisreport.TheJourneyof1069.JamesRaineandJohnHodgsonwroteofthisin1828and1832respectively,andValerieBeaumontdrawsinformationfromHodgson,butnotfromRaine.BothdependedonwritingsbySymeonofDurhamandReginaldofDurhaminthe12thcentury;theseareourmostauthoritativesources.BothSymeonandReginaldnamethethreeovernightstoppingplacesoftheDurham–LindisfarnejourneyasJarrow,BedlingtonandTughall.ValerieBeaumontreliesonEneasMacKenziein1811fortheinformationthatthestoppingplaceswereJarrow,Belinghum(unidentified)andInghala,whichhetakestobeEllingham.BelinghumandInghalamustberejectedontheevidencefromSymeonandReginald.ThereisnobasisforthespeculationthatBelinghumisCauseyPark.TheideathatCauseywasamid-daystoponthejourney,aftertheBedlingtonovernightstop,wasintroducedbyJohnHodgsonin1832;the12th-centuryauthoritiesmakenoreferencetomid-daystops.Whilethisideaisnotimpossible,itisnotproven;itwouldimplyadetourinlandfromwhatfurthersouthhadbeenacoastalroute.Weconclude:

• thatCauseyParkmustberejectedasa1069overnightstoppingplacebecausethiscontradictstheevidenceofourmostauthoritativesourcesfromthe12thcentury;

• thattheideaofamid-daystopatCauseyonthejourneyof1069isunproven.TheJourneysof875TheideathatStCuthbert’speoplewereabletouseRomanroadsin875is,ingeneralterms,sound.JohnWhiteextendsthisto1069tomakethecaseforCauseyParkasbeingontherouteofthatjourneybecausetheA1GreatNorthRoadhadaRoman-eraprecursor.HisargumentrestsonitsintersectionwiththeLearchild–HighRochesterroad.Thisismistaken:theintersectioniswiththeDevil’sCauseway,notanyRoman-eraA1;thisis10milesnorth-westofCauseyPark.ThereisnofirmevidencethattheGreatNorthRoadhadaRoman-eraorigin.

• Weconcludethatnoargumentcanbemadeforachapelin1069,orofastoppingplaceherein875,fromRomanroads.


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RestingPlacesandChapelsJamesRainein1828quotedfroma14-centurymanuscriptintheDurhamarchiveswrittenbyPriorWessingham,inwhichhereferredtothejourneyof875.Churchesandchapelswerebuilt,hewrote,attheplaceswherethesainthadlain.Causeyisnotlistedasoneoftheplaces.ItdoesnotfollowfromthisthatbecausethereisachapeldedicatedtoStCuthbertatCausey,thesaintmusthaverestedhere.

• WeconcludethatthecasepresentedforCauseyParkasachapelof1069restsonacircularargument.

• Theearliestdocumentedevidenceforthechapelisfrom1221inthecartularyof

BrinkburnPriory.


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PREFACE:SCOPEANDSTATUS1234

Intheautumnof2016PeterHoggcontactedBridgetGubbinsoftheBernicianStudiesGroup(BSG)onthematterofamedievalchapeldedicatedtoSt.CuthbertonhislandatCauseyParkFarm.Asaresultofthisapproach,membersofthegroupcarriedoutageophysicalsurveybymagnetometryon28November2016atthelocationunderstoodtobethatofthechapelsite.WearemostgratefultoStephenHoggforthekindhospitalityandassistancehegaveonthatday.PeterandStephenHogg’slatesister,ValerieBeaumont,hadatanearlierdatesoughtadvicefromProfessorSamTurneroftheSchoolofHistory,ClassicsandArchaeologyinNewcastleUniversity.UnderthesupervisionofAlexTurner,archaeologystudentsfromtheSchoolhadconductedageophysicalsurveybyresistivityandasurveybyfieldwalkingcollectingscattersofpotteryfragmentsoffthesurfaceofthelandimmediatelytothesouthinthefieldknownasLady’sWalk.Wehavenowcomparednoteswithouruniversitycolleagues,andwehaveseenthepotteryrecoveredfromfieldwalking,whichiscurrentlyheldwithintheuniversity.ThispresentdocumentbringstogetherinsummaryformthereportswrittenbyBSGanduniversitypersonnelforthesethreeexercises.Weareawarethatthehistoricalsignificanceofchapelisapointatissueinthecontextofplanstore-aligntheA1(GreatNorthRoad),particularlyinrelationtothesuggestionthatthischapelmarksastoppingplaceonajourneymadewiththebodyofSt.Cuthbertintheyear1069.Consequently,BSGhascarriedoutanappraisalofhistoricalevidenceforthechapelandthisisplacedherealongsidethefieldworkasPart2ofthisreport.TheBernicianStudiesGroupisacommunitylifelonglearninggroupwithinterestsinthedevelopmentoflandscapesandterritoriesintheearlymedievalkingdomofBernicia;wehavehadpreviouscontactwithPeterHoggoverwoodlandmatters.WestressthatinourinvestigationsandinpreparingthisdocumentfortheHoggfamily,wehavenotactedinanyformalcapacity,norfromanysenseofadvocacy;wehavenoprofessionalstatuswithintheplanningandconsultationprocesses.Informationwebringforwardandappraisalswemakearepresentedasbeing,tothebestofourknowledge,accurateandwell-sourcedonthebasisofrigorousreviewofhistoricalandarchaeologicalevidenceandofourownworkandtheworkofNewcastleUniversitycolleaguesinthefield.Wepresentthedocumentintwoparts:1:ArchaeologicalFieldInvestigations,withconclusions2:ReviewandAppraisalofHistoricalSources.


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PART1:ARCHAEOLOGICALFIELDINVESTIGATIONSGeophysicalSurveys:Introduction1

Fig1.LocationofFieldInvestigations.BingSatelliteImage.Twogeophysicalsurveyshavebeenconducted,independentlyeachoftheotherandusingtwocomplementarytechniques,resistivityinLady’sWalkandmagnetometryatthesitethoughttobethatofthechapel.Geophysicaltechniques,asappliedinarchaeology,arenon-intrusivewaysoftestingwhatliesbeneaththegroundsurface;resistivityandmagnetometrytypicallyregistertoaboutametredeep.Inafarmlandsetting,suchasthepresentcase,thisisnormallysufficienttotestwhatliesundisturbedbeneaththeploughsoil.Bothdetectvariationswithinsubsoilconditionsanditisinanypatterningwithinthevariationsthatarchaeologicalevidence,shoulditsurvive,becomesapparent.Inbothcases,thesurveyortakesmeasurementsonthegroundatregularintervalsalongandacrossagrid;inboth,numericalvaluesarerecorded(asexplainedbelow)andpointsofequalvaluecanbejoinedbyaline,injustthesamewayaspressureisobarsareplottedonaweathermap.However,modernsoftwarepackagesrenderthenumbersasatonalrangeinagraphicvisualisation,makinginterpretationmucheasier.


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Inresistivitysurvey,apulseofelectriccurrentispassedthroughthegroundbetweentwoprobesandtheinstrumentmeasurestheresistancetotheflowofcurrentwithinthegroundbetweentheinputandthereceivingprobes.Typically,driergroundresistscurrentmorethanwetterground.Thismethodthereforetendstobegoodatdetectingnow-siltedcuttingsmadeintotheground,suchasdrainingditches,orfoundationtrenchesoftimber-builthouses.Magnetometrymeasurestheintensityofmagneticchargeintheearthatthesurveypoint.Itusesthepropertythatmaterialintheearthcarriesamagneticchargederivedfromtheearth’smagneticfield.Fromanormestablishedforthesurveysite,valuesintheintensityofthefieldaboveorbelowthisnormaremeasuredontheverysmallunitoftheNanoTeslarscale.Ferrousmetalandfeaturessuchashearthswheretherehasbeenburningtendtogiverelativelyhighreadings;whereearthandtheferrousparticlesitcontainshavebeendisturbedandreplaced,suchasthecasesofditchedboundariesorbuildingfoundations,thevalueswilltendtodivergefromthenormbecausethealignmentofparticlesinthegroundisnolongerregularwithreferencetotheearth’smagneticfield.Thisisafastsurveytechniquewhenusedinthefieldasitisnotnecessarytoplaceprobes,aswithresistivity;theinstrumenttakesreadingsasthesurveyorwalksalongthesurveyline.Theareainvestigatedtouchesonthreefieldswhosenames,establishedfrommapsinthepossessionoftheHoggfamily,areChapelFieldtotheeastofthelonghedgewhichformsthetownshipboundarybetweenCauseyParkandEshott,andwestoftheboundary,WoodhousetothenorthandLady’sWalktothesouth.ThesiteunderstoodtobethatofthechapelstraddlestheboundarybetweenWoodhouseandLady’sWalk.Thereisadifferenceinlevels,withafall-offofbetweenhalfandonemetrebetweenhighergroundontheeast(Eshott)sideoftheboundaryandthelowergroundonthewest(CauseyPark)side.Thegroundhereisunevenandovergrown,possiblydisturbedbyremovalofstone;thereisnostoneworkvisibleandnoobvioussignsofabuilding.

GeophysicalSurveyResults:Magnetometry56

Weresolved,withthelimiteddaylightofNovember,tosurvey7gridsof10metresx10metreswithhighresolution,whichwethenhopedcouldgiveanoutlineofanypossiblestructure.Wesetout3gridsrunningN-Seachwithanadditionalgridattachedtothewestofthemiddlegridofthesamedimensions.Laterwemovedtothefieldtotheeast,ChapelField,andsurveyed3gridsofthesamedimensionparalleltothefirst3.Insuchaway,wewereabletocovertheentiresite,whichhadpossiblemasonry,(thefirst4grids)plusapossiblepreviousalignmentoftheGreatNorthRoadeastofthefieldboundary.ThebedrockgeologyconsistsofYoredaleGroup-Limestone,Sandstone,SiltstoneandMudstone,sedimentarybedrockformedintheCarboniferousPeriodapproximately313to335millionyearsago,coveredbydepositsofTill-Diamicton,agroupofsedimentslaiddownbythedirectactionofQuaternaryPeriodglacialiceofvariablelithology,usuallysandy,siltyclaywithpebbles,butwhichcancontaingravel-rich,or


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laminatedsandlayersofvariedcolourandconsistency.Thisgivesgenerallygoodconditionsforgeophysics.Thesiteisonfertileagriculturalland,usedformixedfarming,animalhusbandry,mainlycattleandsheep,andcropssuchasbarley,rapeandpotatoes.Itiscommonforlandimprovementstohavetakenplaceoverthelast2centuriesbothtoimprovedrainageandincreasefertilityandfriability.ItwasnotedthatthelandhadbeenimprovedandStephenHoggalsoconfirmedthatmoderndeepploughingforpotatoeshadtakenplaceinrecentyearsparticularlyintheeasternfield,whichwasusedformanyyearsforthiscrop.Thismaywellhaveeliminatedanynear-surfacearchaeologyfromthisarea.FieldMethodGeophysicalsurveyingusingaGeoplotFM256FluxgateGradiometerbeganintheareawiththemasonry.Itwasfeltthatifanythingremainedofthechapelitwaslikelytoatthejunctionofthefieldsclosetothepossibleoldroadalignment.Inaccordancewithourstandardprocedure,20mx20mgridswouldalignalongabaselinerunningN-SandE-W,butasthiswasalimited-areasurvey,weensuredwecoveredmoreofthefeatureintheareaclosetotheedgeofthefieldbyusingsmaller10x10mgrids.Thisrequiredpartialgridsurveyingandsomeextradataeditingtoeliminatetheinterferencefromfencing.TheFM256gradiometerwassetatasensitivityofat0.1Nt.(NanoTeslars).GridsweresurveyedinN-Salignedpasseswitha50cmseparationandatasamplerateof8readingspermetre,giving(8x2x10x10)=1,600readingper10mgrid.Weusedthesamestandardsforallofthesurveyedareas.Thetotalnumberofgridssurveyedwas74gridsof10mx10minthefieldstothewest3gridsof10mx10minthefieldtotheeastThetotalareasurveyedwas700sqmetres,notincludingrepeatedwork.SurveywascarriedoutontheMon28/11/2016.Gridsweresurveyedincontiguousareasofeachfieldinanattempttolocateallofthepossiblechapel.Wehadcompleteaccesstothewholesite.Allofthesurveydataareincludedintherawdataplotsbelow(Fig2).Plotsareshownas,respectivelyRawDataandEdited(tocorrecthighinterferencefromtheedge),clippedandameangridtraverseapplied.SurveyFindingsTheinitialsurveyconfirmsthatthejumbleofmasonrycoversanareaapproximately16metresfromeasttowestandapproximately5metresfromnorthtosouth.Slightlywiderattheeastthanthewesternend.Lessstoneinthecentralareaindicatesthatthisisastructureratherthanapileofrocks.TheeasttowestalignmentisnotinitselfproofthatanystructurewasofChristianorigin,butthedimensionsareconsistentwiththoseofanearlychapel.Againstthisinference,there


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seemtobenocarvedstonesvisible,thoughValerieBeaumonthasreportedearlierobservationsofdressedstone.ThesurveyhasnotconfirmedtheearlieralignmentoftheGreatNorthRoadbydetectionofanyroadmetalling.Thiscouldbebecauseploughingforpotatogrowinghasremovedanytraces.Evidencethattheroadlineranalongthepresentboundaryhedge,andhencethepositionofthisbuildingalongtheroad,restsonthecommentsmadebythehistorianJohnHodgsonin1832(Seepart2Paragraph6,below).

Fig2.Magnetometrysurveyplot:rawdata(left);Processeddataclippedto+-30withzeromeantraverseforallgridswithLMSonandnothresholdsapplied(right).SummaryofresultsGeophysicalresultsinthefirstareaunderinvestigationprovedfruitful.Intheareaofmasonrydepositsonthewestsideofthenorth-southfieldboundary,thepossibleoutlineofastructurecouldbediscerned.Theinnerareacouldbeidentified,thuseliminatingtheideathatitwasmerelyfieldclearancedepositsasthesearenormallypiledcentrallyandrandomlyratherthanaroundaclearedarea.Theidentityofthisstructure,whetherachapelorafarmbuilding,cannotbedeterminedfromthemagnetometrysurvey.InChapelField,wehadhopedtopickupthelineoftheGreatNorthRoad.Thiswasnotsuccessful;itmayberelatedtotheploughingmentionedaboveortothelimitedscopeofthesurvey.

GeophysicalSurveyResults:Resistivity11 AgeophysicalsurveybyresistivitywascarriedoutunderthedirectionofAlexTurner

aspartoftheNewcastleUniversitysiteinvestigations.Itwasdesignedtotestforfeaturessurvivinginthesubsoilwithintheareasurveyedbyfieldwalking


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(Paragraphs12-16below).Arectangularareaof60metresby40metreswassetout.Inthedepictionofthesurveyresults(Fig3,below),therearesignsofbandingacrossthefield,onthesamealignmentasitsnorthboundary;thesearepossiblytheresultofcultivation.Therearesomeimpreciselydefinedareasoflowerresistance(darker)towardstheeastsideofthesurveyarea,andalsoinabandjustwestofcentre,andamongthemtwosmallareasofverylowreadings(blackblobsonFig3).Theareasoflowerresistancemightindicatehumanactivity,butthisisnotcertain;thereisnotenoughclarityforanyfirminterpretationoftheseresults.

Fig3.ResistivitySurveyinLady’sWalk


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FieldWalkingSurveyResults121314

Fourundergraduatestudents,BernardaBocvon,RossCairnie,ElliotJonesandZaraWalwyn,carriedoutanalysesofthematerialrecoveredinfieldwalkinginLady’sWalk,immediatelysouthofthepresumedchapelsite,andinMay2016theypreparedreportsascourseworkunderthetuitionofDrJamesGerrard.Thefollowingsummaryisderivedfromthesereports.MethodFieldwalkingisarapid,non-intensivereconnaissancetechniquewherebythefieldworkers,walkingsystematicallyacrossanarea,collectandrecordthepositionsofmaterialvisibleonthegroundsurface.Themethodismostappropriateonlandthathasbeencultivated,beforethecropthathasbeenplantedhasgrowntoobscuretheviewofthegroundsurface.Materialonthesurface,suchasfragmentsofpottery,stoneimplementsorwasteflakes,ormetalfragments,isasampleofthatwhichiscontainedwithinthedepthofploughsoil.Thenormalworkingassumptionisthatthismaterialhasgotintothesoileitherbecauseithasbeendeliberatelybroughtontothefield(perhapsalongwithdomesticwastespreadonthefieldduringthe18thor19thcentury),orbecauseploughinghascutintosurfaceandnear-surfacearchaeologicaldeposits,turningoverthematerial.Inthelattercase,arelativelydenseconcentrationoffindswithinaparticularareamayindicateoccupationdepositsandstructuresnolongersurvivingatgroundlevel.Itmightalsobethatmaterialisimportedbynaturalprocessesofsoilmovement,butthisisnotthoughtlikelyattheCauseyParksite.Fieldwalkingofthissortmightbefollowedupbythemoreintensivemethodofexcavatingsmallsamplepitsinthetopsoilforfullerrecoveryandthepossibilityofmoreprecisenumericalanalysis.Inthiscase,therehasbeennofurtherinvestigationofthissort.Thisreportisthereforefromsurfaceobservationalone.Thefieldwasdividedintoagridof8x8squaresof20metresx20metres,withfindsbringbaggedbygridsquare(Fig4).Findsweresmallfragments,asnormalwithasurfacecollection;bone,glassandplasticarenoted,butthepredominantmaterialispotterysherdsandthisisthematerialreportedindetailinstudents’reports.4261sherdsarerecorded,withatotalweightof30.26kg.Studentshaverecordedbyfabrictype,notingcolour,textureand,wherepresent,glaze.Whiletheproposedclassificationsarenotmutuallyconsistent,itisclearthatmostofthetotalcollectionisofcoarseearthenwaresinbuffinbuffororange/redcolouredfabrics,andsomegreywaresandsomeinaharderpurplefabric.Relativelysmallnumbersofsherdswithblue-and-whileorcreamglazesareofthepost-medievalperiod,butbyfarthegreatestnumberofsherdsareofthemedievalera.Ofthetwostudentswhoofferedopinionsonchronology,onecalculatesthepercentageofmedievalwaresat78%.Theotherstudentsuggeststoowideadaterangeof12th–19thcenturiesforredwares,whichconstitute29.5%ofthetotalbysherdcountand32.8%byweight,forittobepossibletoderiveconfidentlyapercentageforthemedievalera;butevenwithoutthese(manyofwhichcouldbemedieval,tojudgebythephotographshowninthestudent’sreport),medievalwarestotalmorethanhalfbysherdcountand


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weight.Thisstudentrelatedthefindstorecognisedceramictypesidentifiedfromarchaeologicalexcavationswithinnorth-eastEngland,identifyingGrimstonWares(C11-14),ScottishWhiteGrittyWares(MidC12–15),LateMedievalTransitionalWares(C14-16)andMidlandPurpleWares(C13–18),withtin-glazedearthenwares(lateC16–earlyC18)(SeeFig5forsomeexamples).CreamWareandWhite-washedstonewareemergeinC18.Whilethisclassificationschememightbemodifiedbyamoreexperiencedpotteryanalyst,itislikelytoaccurateinbroadterms.Thepotteryfindsaredistributedthroughoutthegrid(exceptforsquareE8,forwhichnonearerecorded:thereisperhapssomeflawinthebaggingsystemhere),withsherdcountsvaryingbetweenalowof21insquareA2andahighof366insquareB7.Fig4showsthefullsherdcountpersquare.Inbroadterms,thedensestconcentrationsaretowardsthemiddleandcentre-westpartsofthegriddedarea,withthelowestconcentrations,of50orfewersherds,alongthemostnortherlyrow,Row1,partsofRow2and,atthesouthend,Rows7and8.

Fig4.Fieldwalkinggridwithnumbersofsherdsrecoveredpersquare.


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Fig5.Potteryfromfieldwalking:GrimstonMedieval(left);LateMedievalTransitional(right)ConclusionInsummary,thefieldwalkinghasrecoveredalargeamountofpottery,mostofitofmedievaldate,withsomerun-onintothepost-medievalera.Thisgivesastrongsuggestionthattherehasbeenoccupationhereduringthemedievalperiod.Thenumbersofmedievalsherdsrecoveredandthefactofafocalareaofconcentrationmeanthatthereispotentialhereforfollow-upsurveyatamoreintensiveleveltotestformedievaloccupation.Asanextstage,asetofone-metresquaretestpitsmightbehand-dugthroughthetopsoil,withallearthsievedforfullartefactrecovery.Amorerefineddensityplotderivingfromthismightsetthetermsofreferenceformagnetometrysurveytochecktheinconclusiveresultsoftheresistivitysurveyandtotestforthepossibilityofearth-cutfeaturesremainingundisturbedbeneaththeploughsoil.

ConclusionsfromFieldwork1718

ThehistoricalevidenceforachapelatCauseyParkistreatedinPart2below;weshouldnoteherethatnoneofthisevidencegivesapreciselocation,andsobeforeconclusionscanbedrawnfromfieldwork,wemustposethisquestion:whyisthissiteatthejunctionofthreefieldboundariesthoughttobethatofthemedievalchapel?Firstthereisaconfusiontoberesolved.Countyarchaeologicalrecords(theHistoricEnvironmentRecord–HER)list‘achapelorhermitageatHelm’(HER11347),withgridreferenceNZ18459619.Thiscorrespondstothesiteofthegeophysicalsurveys.RecordHER11403refersto‘StCuthbert’sChapel’,describedas‘chapelatCauseyPark’,andnogridreferenceisgivenforthis.ValerieBeaumont,awareofbothoftheserecords,suggestedthatthetworefertothesamesite,namelythechapelatCauseyPark,andoffersanexplanationastohowtheconfusionhasarisen.(SeeHoggfamilydocuments1c,asinPart2below.)ThisisaneminentlysensiblesuggestionanditisnownotedonbothoftheHERrecords:wearedealingwithjustonesite.AnOrdnanceSurveyrecordfrom1957(citedonHER11403)notesthat‘localenquiriesrevealednoknowledgeofthischapeloranysignificantfieldnames.’But


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thesiteofthemagnetometrysurveyisundoubtedlythatofastructureofsomesort.Evenbeforethiswork,ValerieBeaumonthadobservedthat‘therearemanystoneslyinginthehedgerowsnearby,orjustunderneaththesurfaceinthehollow,andsurroundingthehollow;most/manyofthesestonesshowchiseltypesofmarks/‘dressed’faces’.(Document1c,ascitedabove.)TheidentificationofthisasthechapelsitecomesfromwithintheHoggfamily;asValerieBeaumontexpressesit:‘we,asafamily,havingownedthefarmfor150years,knowwherethechapelsiteis’,andshesupportstheidentificationbyreferencetofieldnames,Lady’sWalkField,WoodhouseField,andChapelField(ascitedinparagraph4above),thethreefieldsatwhoseintersectionthesitelies.Weknowalsothatthereisawidercontextaroundthissite.ThisisestablishedfromthefindingsoftheNewcastleUniversitystudents’fieldwalkinginthefieldtothesouth,alongwithsome100sherdsofmedievalpotteryfromfieldwalking,firstreportedin1971,inChapelField,totheeastofthenorth-southboundary,within20metresofthepresumedchapelsite(listedasHER11362).Althoughtheresistivitysurveydidnotshowclearevidenceofsubsoil-cutfeatures,thedensityofsurfacefindsofpotteryinLady’sWalkmakesthecaseformoreintensiveinvestigationhere.AddedtothisisthestatementfromValerieBeaumontthathergrandfather,PercyHogg,‘isreportedasstatingthatfoundations/stonesareevidentwhenploughinginallthreefields,andthisisstilltruetoday’.Twostrongconclusionsarisefromtheevidenceofthefieldwork:

• thatthereislikelytobeamedievalsettlementhereabouts,withinthesefields.Itsextentanditsstatusarenotknown;griddedfieldwalkingacrossallthreefields,withtestpittingtofollowup,wouldprobablyresolvetheextent,atleastapproximately;magnetometrysurveyoverthefullextentsuggestedinthiswaywouldtestforevidenceoflay-outandstructures.

• thatwithinthiswiderarea,attheintersectionofthethreefields,arethe

remainsofastonebuildingofsuchaqualityastoincludedressedstone.Thegeophysicalsurveyshavenotprovedthatthisisthechapelknownfromhistoricaldocumentation;itwouldbeunlikelythatitcouldbesoprovenfromsuchsurveytechniques.Thefamily’sidentification,expressedbyValerieBeaumont,ofthisasthechapelsiteissupportedbycircumstantialevidence.Itmightbepossibletoconfirmthisbyexcavation;thiswoulddependonwhatremainsbeneaththesurface.


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PART2:REVIEWANDAPPRAISALOFHISTORICALSOURCESHoggFamilyDocuments1 InaportfolioofshortdocumentswrittenbyandfortheHoggfamily,andsuppliedto

usbyPeterHogg,theclaimismadethatthechapelofSt.CuthbertonCauseyParkFarmmarksthesiteofastoppingplaceonthesecondnightofajourneyofDecember1069,whenmembersoftheCommunityofStCuthbertinDurhamfledwiththebodyoftheirsaintfromtheadvancingarmyofWilliamtheConquerortothesafetyoftheislandofLindisfarne,theoriginalhomeofStCuthbert’smonasticcommunityabandonedin875.Ifcorrect,thiswouldlendaparticularstatustothechapelsite.Ourprincipalpurposehereistoreviewthisclaim,andthesecondarypurposeistoreviewotherstatementsmadeinthesedocuments.Thesearelistedas1a–finthelistingofsourcesbelow;forconvenience,wewillrefertotheseas‘Hoggfamilydocuments’.

HistoriographicContext23

Hoggfamilydocumentsuseasauthorityforsomeoftheirstatementstheworkofhistoriansactiveinthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury,butreferencingisnotalwaysexplicitandthefirsttaskhasbeentoestablishfromwherethesedocumentshavederivedinformation.1ccitesMacKenzie&Dent1811andWhellan1855.Itisapparentin1cthatsomeinformationderivesfromHodgson1832,thoughitisnotcitedexplicitly;infact,thisistheprimaryauthorityforthe1069claim.Hodgsonhimself(Part2,Volume2,p.131),whileaddingopinionofhisown,alsotakesmaterial,eitherindirectquotationorinsummaryform,fromRaine1828.WehavetotakeaccountofwhatHodgsonhastakenfromRaineinordertosituatebothintheirappropriatehistoriographiccontexts.Asfaraswecantell,HoggfamilydocumentshavenotmadeuseofRaine1828,andnorofRaine1852,andconsequentlytheyarenotawareofwhatisoriginaltoHodgsonandwhatderivedfromRaine.Whellan1855isadirectoryanditaddsnomoreinformationrelevanttothecase(thoughitrecordsthepurchaseofthelandbyJohnHoggin1854).MacKenzie&Dent,RaineandHodgsonareallsecondarysources,writtenlongaftertheeventstheydescribe,andtheydependonmanuscriptauthoritiesofthemedievalperiod.OfparticularsignificanceforusinRaine1828isthathequotesfromamanuscriptofPriorWessingtonofDurham,fromtheearly14thcentury;HodgsonsummarisesonthispointfromRaine;Hoggfamilydocuments(1dande)introducematterwhichseemstodependonHodgson,thoughitisnotreferenced;1bthenpicksthisupfrom1dande.Ourprimaryauthorities,thosefromwhichRaineandHodgsonbothderivedtheirinformation,aremanuscriptsfromtwo12th-centuryDurhamwriters,bothmonksofDurhamPriory,ReginaldinDeAdmirandis,composedatsometimeinthesecondhalfofthatcentury,andSymeonintheLibellus,writtenby1109.(Theseareshorttitlesusedforconvenience;seethesourcelistingbelowforfulltitles.)Raine1828drawsonReginaldforhisaccountofthe1069flight.Reginald’stextisavailabletousintwoprintededitionsoftheLatinfromthe19thcentury.Rainehimself,forSurteesSocietypublicationsin1835,useda12thcenturymanuscriptin


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Durham,whichhejudgedtobewrittenonlyalittlelaterthanReginald’soriginal(thisnolongersurvives);ThomasArnold,fortheRollsSeriesin1882,usedamanuscriptoftheHarleycollectionintheBritishMuseum(andnowintheBritishLibrary).Forourpurposes,weneedRaine’sedition,forArnold’stexthaslessdetailofthe1069flight.FortheLibellusofSymeon,whichalsogivesinformationfrom1069,wenowhavethebenefitofamoderncriticaleditionof2000byProfessorDavidRollasonofDurhamUniversity,withtext,translationandcommentary,andwithvariantreadingsofthetextgiveninfootnotes.Inadditiontotheseauthorities,wehavedrawnalsoonanotherDurhamtext,theHistoriadeSanctoCuthberto,compiled,intheviewofitsmostrecenteditor,inthe11thcentury.Thistooisnowavailableinamoderncriticaleditionof2002byTedJohnsonSouth.ThisgivesnoinformationonCauseyParkorthe1069journey,butwehaveuseditinsupportofanargumentabouttheroutetaken.Fullbibliographicdetailsarelistedattheend.Insummary,therearethreelayersinthehistoriography,andwemustteasetheseapartinappraisalofclaimsabouttheCauseyParkchapel.Theseare:

1:Hoggfamilydocumentsinthetop,mostrecentlayerThesedependupon–

2:Historiansandantiquariansofthe18th-20thcentury,themiddlelayerWhoeditedandinterpreted–

3:Primarytextualauthoritiesofthemedievalera,thebaselayer.Inevaluatinganyclaiminlayer1atthetop,wehavetoworkdowntothebaselayer3forourmostauthoritativeinformation.Wehave,therefore,attheendlistedsourcesaccordingtothesethreelayers,withamoreextendedmiddlesetthanusedinHoggfamilydocuments.Alsoincludedinthebaselayerofprimaryauthoritiesaretwomonasticcartulariesinprintededitions,Newminster,editedbyJTFowler,andBrinkburn,editedbyWilliamPage.Newminsterisusedtodrawananalogy.

TheMedievalChapelanditsLocation5

EvidenceforthepresenceofamedievalchapeldedicatedtoStCuthbertatLaChause,CauseyPark,iswellestablished.Hodgson1832,(Part2Vol2,pages131-2)citesprimarytextualauthorities.InHoggfamilydocuments(1aandc),ValerieBeaumontbringsforwardanumberofreferences,thoughwithoutattribution.Keypointsrelevanttothepresentenquiry,establishedfromHodgsonare:

i) ThechapelofStCuthbertsuperleCausewasinthesecondyearofthereignofHenryVI(thatis1423-24)intheadvowsonofHenryPercyofAtholandhiswifeElizabeth,proprietorsofthebaronyofMitford.(Page164)

ii) In1240LaChausewasheldinalmsfromthebaronyofMitfordbyJosephtheChaplain.(Page163)

ThecartularyofBrinkburnPriory(pages61-61)recordsjudgementmadeonaclaimbroughtinthecourtoftheArchdeaconofNorthumberlandin1221inrelationtothechapelofCausey(deCalceto)anditschaplainAndrewinrelationtotithespayabletothemotherchurchofFelton.Hodgsondoesnotrefertothis;hemightnothavebeen


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awareofit.Thisistheearliestdocumentedreferencetothechapelhere,anditsassociationwithFeltonplacesitunderthepatronageoftheBertramfamilywhoheldthebaronyofMitford.Howearlythechapelwasfoundedisnotknownfromprimaryhistoricalsourcematerial;ourkeytaskhereistoevaluatetheopinionexpressedbyValerieBeaumont(HoggFamilyDocuments1a)whenshewrites‘webelievethatthechapelwasbuiltfollowingtheflightofthemonkswiththerelicsofStCuthbertin1069’.ValerieBeaumontalsowrites(1a)thatCauseyParkisnamedafteracausewaywhich,shesuggests,mighthaveoriginatedasaprehistorictrackway(andanearlieralignmentofwhatisnowtheA1GreatNorthRoad),formingaparishboundarypassingthroughafieldcalled‘theBigg’,northofthechapelsite.ShesupportsthisbyreferencetoadocumentofIIHenryVI(1423-4)whichreferstoachapelofStCuthbertsuperlecause.Inthis,shefollowsHodgson1832,131-2whoreferredtothisdocumentandwhowrote‘CauseyParkhasitsnamefromanancientpavedway,whichranalongitseasternboundary,andonthelineofthepresentgreatnorthroad.Formerlyithadachapelwithinitsprecincts’.Hodgson,however,wasunabletolocatethesiteofthesiteofthechapel:‘whereitstood,orhoworforwhatpurposeIwasendowed,Ihavefoundnodistinctaccount’.ButValerieBeaumonthasbroughtforwardnewinformationonthispointintheformofasetoffieldnamesknowntothefamilyasevidenceofitslocation(seePart1above,Paragraph4).

TheJourneyof1069anditsStoppingPlaces78

IntwooftheHoggfamilydocuments(1aandc),ValerieBeaumonttreatsthismatter.Wecansummarisehercasethus:In1a:‘WebelievethatthechapelwasbuiltfollowingtheflightofthemonkswiththerelicsofSt.Cuthbertin1069…IhavefoundadateofSunday13December1069whenthemonkswouldhavepassedbyontheirwayfromBedlingtonwheretheystayedthenightbefore.Thechapelmayhaveexistedbefore1069,ifStCuthberthadpreachedthereinhislifetime–butthe1069datehasbeencitedasthereasonforbuilding/settingupthechapel.ThemonksstayedthenextnightinEllinghamontheirjourneyandachapeldedicatedtoStMarywasbuiltthereinHughPudsey’s(dePuiset)timeasbishopofDurham(1153-1195).’ThisseemstoimplythatCauseyParkwasamid-daystop.Although,inthisinformalemail,shehasnotcitedanysource,itisevidentthatshetakestheideaofamid-daystopfromHodgson1832;butinreferringtoEllinghamasthenextovernightstop,sheisnotfollowingHodgson,butreliesonMacKenzie&Dent1811.Wepickupbothofthesebelowfromparagraph9below.HerunsourcedsuggestionthatCuthbertmighthavepreachedthereinhislifetimehasnosupportinanyoftheearliestauthoritiesfromthefirsthalfofthe8thcentury,theseare:theAnonymousLifeofStCuthbertwrittenbyamonkofLindisfarneatsometimebetween698and705;Bede’sLifeofCuthbertinProse,writtenin720;Bede’sEcclesiasticalHistoryof731.AllwerewrittenwithinlivingmemoryofCuthbert.In1c:ValerieBeaumontreliesonMacKenzie&Dent1811forthestatementthataround875,‘KingGudredofNorthumberlandandKingAlfredgranted,asajointact,


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thatwhereverStCuthbert’sremainsshouldrest,thereshouldbeaninviolablesanctuary’.Shethenaddsthethought‘probablyforthisreason,wherevertheremainsofStCuthbertrested,chapelsandchurcheswerebuilt’,citingsomeexamples.Ifwetracethisthroughtoourbaselevelofprimarytextualauthorities,weseethatthiscannotbecorrect.TheprimaryevidenceonthispointisSymeon’sLibellus,book2chapter13inwhichthesaint,appearinginavisiontoAbbotEadred,gaveinstructionsontermstobeputtokingGuthred,amongstthemutecclesiammeamtutumprofugislocumrefugiiconstituatutquicunquequalibetdecausaadmeumcorpusconfugerit,pacem…habeat(thatheshouldconstitutemychurchasasafeplaceofrefugeforfugitivessothatwhoeverfleestomybodyforwhatevercausemayhavepeace).TheHistoriadeSanctoCuthbertoinSection13alsoreferstotherefuge.TheideathatKingsGuthredandAlfredactedtogetherinthismatterismistakenandseemstoarisefromconflatingsection13oftheHistoriawiththeAlfredmaterialofsections14-19.ThecontextofthisnegotiationbetweenGuthredandStCuthbert’speopleistheirhavingestablishedtheepiscopalseeandthesaint’stomb-shrineatthechurchofChester-le-Street.Thisisthemeaningof‘mychurch’:thechurchatChester-le-StreetwhereStCuthbert’sbodywasenshrined;itisnotageneralisedreferencetoanyoreverychurchorchapelassociatedwithStCuthbert,asMacKenzie&DentleadValerieBeaumonttosuppose.(Seethereferenceto875below,andtheconnectionbetweenrestingplacesandchapelsatparagraphs18-21.)FromValerieBeaumontwemustworkbacktohersource,MacKenzie&Dent1811,andtoHodgson1832whomsheseemstohaveusedforthecauseway(paragraph6above),thoughnotforthestoppingplaces;Hodgson,asnotedalready(paragraph2),derivesinformationfromRaine1828.WebeginwithHodgson1832,page132.Afterreferencetotheancientpavedwayandcitingmedievalauthoritiesforthechapel(asinparagraph5),Hodgsonventurestheopinion,anditissimplyanopinionunsupportedbyevidence,that‘probablythisplacewashonouredwithachapelonaccountofthemonksofDurhamhavingrestedthereintheirflightfromthatplace,withthebodyofSt.Cuthbert,toHolyIslandin1069’.Inalongfootnoteatthispoint(footnotem),hereferstooneofourprimaryauthorities,Symeon,fortheinformationthatthepartyrestedthefirstnightatJarrow,thesecondatBedlington,thethirdatTughall,arrivingatHolyIslandonthefourth.HethenintroducesinformationfromRaine1828(towhichweshallreturninparagraph21)andfinallyroundsoffthefootnotebyconcluding‘IwillsupposethatthechapelofSt.CuthberthadbeenbuiltsuperleCauseyinhonourofourgreatsainthavinghaltedthereonthethirdday’sflightfromDurham’.ThisintroducestheideathatCauseyParkwasamid-daystop.Backinhismaintext,hebuildssupportforthisbyreferencetoachapelofSt.CuthbertatOffertonasaconvenientmid-daystophalfwaybetweenDurhamandJarrow;henotesBedlington’sstatusaspatrimonialproperty,atleast11milesfromCauseyPark;and,observingthatthemonksinflightwerecarrying‘notonlythebodyofStCuthbert,butalsoagreatstoreofriches,relicsandornaments…itseemsprobableenoughthatthiswastheirfirstrestingplaceonthedayinwhichtheytravelledfromBedlingtontoTughall’.Aswehaveseen,HodgsonhastheauthorityofSymeonofDurhamforthenighttimestops;hehasnoauthorityfromSymeon,norfromReginald,andnordoeshetakethe


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ideafromhiscontemporary,JamesRaine,foranymid-daystopsorforCauseyParkasarestingplace.Thelanguageofhistext,‘probably’and‘Iwillsupposethat’,isthecluethatthisisanideaofhisown.HodgsonisthefirstofourauthoritiestorefertoCauseyPark,thisin1832,anditisfromhimthatValerieBeaumontmakesherclaim.JamesRainetreatsthe1069flightonpages62-65ofhis1828studyofStCuthbert.Hebeginsbyinvitingustopuzzleoveraconundrum:‘inacasewhichmightappeartorequireexpedition,itseems,atfirstsight,strange,thattheprogressofthefugitiveswassoslow’;buthethenexplainsthatthejourneywasmadeinmidDecember.HeusesashisprimaryauthoritythetextofReginald’sDeAdmirandis.Inhisowneditionofthistextprintedin1835,atthepointatwhichReginaldnamesLindisfarneasthedestinationofthejourney,Raineaddsafootnote(fn2,page30)toindicateanoteinsertedinthemarginofthemanuscriptinthesamehandwritingasthatofthemainbodyofthetext:PrimodieinG[iruum],secondoinBetlig[tun],tertioinvillainlocoquaeTughalldicitur.Inthis,Raineexpandstwoabbreviations(withinthesquarebrackets)toread‘onthefirstdayinJarrow,onthesecondinBedlington,onthethirdinthevillwhichiscalledTughall’.Inhis1852studyofNorthDurham,RaineagainnamesJarrow,BedlingtonandTughallasthestoppingplaces,addingthesuggestionthatthechapelatTughall‘wasbuiltuponthespotwherethesainthadrestedforthenight’(pages72and336).WecantestthevalidityofRaine’sexpansionsofthetwoabbreviations(Tughallneedednoexpansion)byacross-referencetoSymeon’sLibellusinthecriticaleditionbyDavidRollason.RollasonhasestablishedthatSymeonwrotethisworkbetween1104and1109.Evenattheupperlimit,thisisstilljustaboutwithinlivingmemoryoftheeventsof1069.HetakesashisprincipalwitnessofSymeon’stextamanuscriptwritteninDurham,ManuscriptC(oneofthree12thcenturymanuscriptsofthistext)before1115,andcorrectedbySymeonhimself(seeIntroduction,pagesxvii–xliv).Thetext,inBook3Chapter15,referringtothestoppingplacesreads:etprimanocteinecclesiasanctiPauliinGyruum,secundainBetlingtun,terciainlocoquiTughaladiciturmansit.(AndonthefirstnightherestedinthechurchofSt.PaulinJarrow,onthesecondinBedlington,onthethirdintheplacecalledTughall.)RollasonnotesthatManuscriptF(anotherofthe12th-centurymanuscripts)readsBethlingtuninplaceofManuscriptC’sBetlingtun,aminordifferenceinspelling.ThisconfirmsRaine’sextensionofthetwonames.WehavetheauthorityoftheHistoriadeSanctoCuthberto,insection13,fortheinformationthatJarrowcameintothepossessionofStCuthbert’schurchaspartofagrantofallthelandsbetweentheriversTyneandWearmadebyKingGuthredinthe880s,and,insection21,thatBedlingtonanditsdependenciescameintotheholdingsbyapurchasemadebyCutheard,whowasbishopbetween901and915.Ourprimaryauthorities,SymeonandReginald,agreeinnamingJarrow,BedlingtonandTughallastheovernightstoppingplaces.Despitethis,MacKenzie&Dentin1811wrote(page402)‘theyrestedthefirstnightatGyrum,orJarrow,thesecondatBelinghum,thethirdatInghala,nowEllingham’.Theycitenoprimaryauthorities,though,ingeneralterms,theirnarrativefollowsthatofSymeonandReginald.Nordotheyciteearlierhistorians,butitispossiblethattheytookthisdetailfromWilliam


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Hutchinson,authorofAViewofNorthumberlandpublishedin1776(volume2page149).Ifso,weneedtoaskfromwheredidHutchinsontakethesenames.HewasawareoftheTudor-eraantiquarianJohnLeland,whoseCollectaneabeenrecentlyre-publishedwithanewprefaceandindexbyThomasHearnin1774.Butthiscannothavebeenhissource,forallLelandwroteofthe1069flightwaspraetimoreGul.Mag.CorpusCuthbertiLindisfar:transferunt,etpauloDunelmumreducunt(outoffearofWilliamtheGreattheytransportthebodyofCuthberttoLindisfarne,andafterashorttimetheybringitbacktoDurham)(1774,Vol.2,331);therearenodetailsofthejourney.WehavebeenunabletodiscoverHutchinson’sorMacKenzieandDent’sauthorityforBelinghumorInghala,butwhatisforsureisthatitisatvariancewiththeprimaryauthoritiesofthe12thcentury.ValerieBeaumontreliesonMacKenzie&Dentforherdefinitionoftherouteanditsstoppingplaces.Shethenproposes(source1c)that‘thechapelsiteatCauseyParkis,webelieve,theBelinghumsite.Belinghumcouldbethenameofthedesertedvillage’(thisislocatedclosetothechapelsite;).‘PerhapsitcouldevenbeaversionofBurgham(justtothenorthofCauseyPark–withadocumenteddesertedmedievalvillage)’.Thereisnogoodargumentfromplacenamesforanyofthesesuggestions:NeitherBelinghumnorInghala,ofHutchinsonandMacKenzie&Dent,areacknowledgedinthemostauthoritativeNorthumberlandplacenamestudybyAlanMawerin1920,norinanyotherstudy,asfarasweknow;thereisnoevidencetolinktheotherwiseunknownBelinghumwithCausey,wherewehavethenamesLaChauseandLeCausefrommedievalsources(Paragraph5,above);andnoonomasticevidenceonhowBurghamcouldbederivedfromBelinghum.GiventheevidencefrombothSymeonandReginald,ourtwoprimaryauthorities,wemustrejectMacKenzie&Dent’sInghalaandtheirreadingofBelinghuminsteadofBet(h)lingtun,andwemustrejectValerieBeaumont’sproposalthatCauseyParkisBelinghumandthesecondovernightstoppingplace.ThethreeovernightstoppingplacesontheflighttoLindisfarneofDecember1069wereJarrow,BedlingtonandTughall.Our12th-centuryauthoritiesgivenodetailoftheroutetakenonthereturnjourneytoDurhamin1070:wehavenobasisonwhichtospeculate,despiteJohnWhite’sstatementinHoggFamilyDocuments1d(inwhichhemistakenlygivesthedateofreturnas1104).ThisstillleavesopenthepossibilitythatCauseyParkwasamid-daystoponthethirdday,asHodgsonsuggests.Thereisnofirmevidenceonthisfromourprimaryauthorities(asnotedinparagraph10).Ifthiswereso,HodgsonhasthepartyontheGreatNorthRoad,abouttocrosstheRiverCoquetatFelton.YethisownsuggestionofOffertonasthefirstmid-daystophastakenthepartyontoanorth-easterlycourse,awayfromtheGreatNorthRoad.EithertheyturnedofftheGreatNorthRoad(hereaformerRomanRoad)atSt.Cuthbert’schurchinChester-le-Street,sixmilesnorthofDurham,ortheyheadednorth-eastdirectfromDurham.Jarrowisadown-river,estuarinecrossingoftheTyne,withacoastalrouteonwardstowardsBedlington,some3mileseastoftheGreatNorthRoad.WhereafterBedlingtonandwhywouldHodgsonhavethemcomebackontothisroad,fortheCauseyParkhalt?ItmightbemoreplausibletosupposethatthepartykepttowardsthecoastandacrossingoftheCoquetdownstreamatWarkworthwhereweknow,ontheauthority


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oftheHistoriadeSanctoCuthberto(section8),thattheLindisfarnemonasteryheldanestate,Werceworthecumsuisappendiciis(Warkworthanditsdependencies)asagiftfromKingCeolwulfwhenheresignedthekingshiptoenterthemonastery.Thiswasintheyear737.Tughall,thefinalstoppingplace,isonlyamileinlandfromthesea,andsome3-4mileseastoftheGreatNorthRoad.InastudyoftheLindisfarne-Durhamholdings,EricCambridgein1989pickedupacommentfromtheHistoriadeSanctoCuthberto(section5)thatSt.CuthbertacquiredapropertyatCrayke,some10milesnorthofYork,‘sothatheshouldhaveamansiotherewheneverheshouldgotothecityofYork,orreturnfromit’.(Wecanthinkofamansioasbeingamotel.)Hegoesontoshowhowthepositioningofthemansiones(thepluralformoftheword)onorclosetotheRomanroadbetweenYorkandChester-le-Streetprovidesasetofstagingpostsavailabletopersonneltravellingonmonasterybusiness.NorthoftheRiverTyne,beyondtheGateshead–Newcastlecrossingpoint,wehavenoRomanroadtoguideus,butBedlington,WarkworthandBamburgh,whereweknowfromBede’sEcclesiasticalHistory(Book3Chapter17)thatBishopAidanhadaresidence(intheearliestdaysofthemonastery,before651),continuetheroutenorthtoLindisfarneonacoastalalignmentfromtheRiverTynecrossingatJarrow,asourauthoritiesattestforthe1069journey.InCambridge’s1989study,inwhichheshowedamapofroutewaysusedbySt.Cuthbert’speoplebybringingtogetherthepositionsofthemansionesandthefindspotsofAngliansculpture,thelineoftheGreatNorthRoadthroughNorthumberlandisnotableforitsabsence.ValerieBeaumontmadeapersuasiveargumentonroadalignments(source1b)fromherdetailedknowledgeoflocaltopography.TheeastboundaryofCauseyParktownshipisanow-supersededalignmentoftheGreatNorthRoad,withCauseyParkchapelalongside.Theboundarytakesanupwards‘V’kinkinitsalignment,pointingnorth-easttowardsthefarmatHelm.This,shesuggests,isthebeginningofaroadbranchingofffromthemainroadandtowardsEshottCastle.NearBroomhill(3milesnorth-eastofEshottCastle),theformerAlnwick–Morpethlocalauthorityboundaryhasasouth-westfacing‘V’towardsShawandEshottCastle.Sheproposesthatthesejoinup.Thisisavaluableinsight,meritingcloseexaminationinthefield.FromBroomhill,anoldroadlineleadingdirectlynorthtoWarkworthstillsurvivesasafootpath.ThisproposalgivesusaroadlinefromCauseyParktoWarkworth,andthiswouldanswerthecaseforthe1069crossingoftheRiverCoquethavingbeenatWarkworth,thoughacrossingoftheRiverCoquetatFeltonwouldseemmorelikelyifCauseyParkhadbeenthemid-daystop.AroutethroughEllingtonandWiddrington,orevenhuggingthecoastlinealongDruridgeBaytowardsAmble,wouldhavebettergeographicalrationaleiftheCoquetcrossingwasatWarkworth.Ourconclusionsonthestoppingplacesofthe1069journeyare:

i) ThesuggestionthatCauseyParkisanovernightstoppingplaceisatoddswithourprimaryauthoritiesofthe12thcentury,andithasnosupportfromour19th-centuryhistorians:itmustberejected.

ii) TheideaofCauseyParkasamid-daystoponthethirddaycomesfromHodgson’sunsupportedsuggestionin1832.Whileitcannotbedisproven,thereisnofirmevidenceforit.ThecaseprobablydependsonwhetherthepartycrossedtheCoquetatWarkworthoratFelton.


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RomanRoadsandthe875WanderingsofSt.Cuthbert’sCommunity1819

Wedealnowwiththequestion,raisedinHoggFamilyDocuments1dande,ofwhetherCauseyParkwasastoppingplaceonanyotherjourneyswiththebodyofSt.Cuthbert.Theonlyonesforwhichthereissecurehistoricalevidence,andwhichinvolvedtravelnorthoftheRiverTyne,arethewanderingsintheperiodbetweentheCommunityabandoningtheirhomeonLindisfarnein875andtheestablishmentofthebishopricandthesaint’sshrineinChester-le-Streetin883.JohnWhiteintroducesthisinHoggfamilydocuments1d.HemakessomeobservationsonRomanroads,suggestingthattheseweretheroutesusedbySt.Cuthbert’speople.Hedoesnotseemtobesuggestingan875originforCauseyParkchapel,butheexpressestheviewthat‘anoriginalRomanroadshadowingtheA1butwestofitgoesthroughyourland’inordertoexplainwhyCauseyParkfeaturesinthe1069journey,thatis,thatthepartywasusingaRomanprecursoroftheGreatNorthRoad.ValerieBeaumontpicksthisupinHoggfamilydocuments1binherdiscussionofroadalignments(wehavereferredtosomepartofthisinparagraph16)whenshewritesoftheCauseyParktownshipboundaryasbeing‘theoldCeltic/Roman/MedievalA1Road’.Theprimaryauthoritiesforthe875wanderingsfromLindisfarne,acrosstotheCumbriancoast,theSolway,andeventuallytoChester-le-StreetareSymeon’sLibellus(Book2Chapters6and10-13)and(withlessdetail)theHistoriadeSanctoCuthberto(section20).IrefertotheseinParagraph20below,afterdealingwiththematteroftheRomanroads.JohnWhiteseeksarouteforStCuthbert’speoplein885toreachCumbria.HereferstoaRoman-eraprecursoroftheA1as‘itgoesthroughyourlandandthatamajorspurisaroundthereleadingfromAlvanaorLearchildasitwascalled,toHighRochester’,andthencetoHadrian’sWallandaroutewest.ThisLearchild–HighRochesterroadisindeedaRomanroad,number88inthestandardreferencestudyandgazetteerofRomanroadsinBritainbyIvanMargary,butitisnota‘majorspur’fromaRoman-eraA1precursoraroundCauseyPark.TheroadjunctionatLearchildissome10milesnorth-westofCauseyPark,andthejunctionisnotwithaRoman-eraA1,butwiththeroadknownastheDevil’sCauseway(Margarynumber87).ThisrunsfromaroundPortgate(theDereStreetcrossingthroughHadrian’sWall,nearCorbridge),tothesouthbankoftheRiverTweedatSpital.HenryMacLaughlansurveyedthisinthemid-19thcenturyandpublishedhisfindingsin1854.IfthealignmentoftheroadfromHighRochesterasitapproachesLearchildwereprojectedontowardstheGreatNorthRoad,theywouldintersectnearly5milesfurthereastatAlnwick.JohnWhite’sgeneralcase,thatRomanroadswereavailabletoSt.Cuthbert’speople,issound,butnothisparticularargumentforassociatingCauseyParkwiththeLearchild–HighRochesterroad.NoristherestrongevidenceforaRoman-eraprecursoroftheGreatNorthRoadnorthoftheTynecrossingatNewcastle(theendpointofMargaryNumber80)andonthroughNorthumberland,despitetheassumptionsofValerieBeaumontandJohnWhiteindocuments1band1d.ThetimingandcircumstancesaroundtheemergenceoftheGreatNorthRoadarenotwellunderstood;fortunately,argumentaroundCauseyParkchapeldoesnotdepend,inonewayortheother,onaRoman-eraprecursor.


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Toreturntothetravelsof875–883.Symeonpresentsapitifulspectacleas‘theytravelledthroughallpartsofNorthumbriaalwayswithoutafixedhome,andlikesheepfleeingfromthejawsofwolves’(Book2Chapter10).YetSymeongivesnodetailsonhowtheyreachedthewestcoast,noronhowtheyworkedtheirwaybacktoChester-le-Street:wecannottraceanyroutesfromSymeon.JamesRaine,onpage71ofthe1852studyofNorthDurhammakesawrycommentthat‘iftraditionmaybebelieved,therearefewplacesinthenorthofEnglandorthesouthofScotlandthatwerenothonouredbythesaint’,andthat‘conjecture…would,withouttheaidoftradition,feelitselfjustifiedinbelieving,thatineachoftheseplaces,themonkshadforawhilelingeredduringtheirbanishmentfromhome’.Buthecontinuesimmediatelytoproposeconfirmationoftraditionandconjecturebyreferencetoasourcehehadfirstintroducedinhis1828study.ThisisamanuscriptintheDurhamCathedralholdings(Biii30)writtenbyPriorWessingtonintheearly14thcenturywithreferencetothe875wanderings.Thepriorwroteubidictiepiscopusetabbas…aliquandoquietatemhabebant,pluresecclesiaeetcapellaeinhonoreSanctiCuthbertiposteriussunterectae(whereverthesaidbishopandabbot[thatisBishopEardwulfandAbbotEadred,theleadersofSt.Cuthbert’sparty]hadfoundshelter,manychurchesandchapelswereafterwardsbuiltinhishonour).Hethengavethelistingofplaces,andJamesRainetranscribedthese.MostwereinCumbria;sixarenamedinNorthumberland:Norham,Carham,Bedlington,Elsdon,HaydonBridge,Beltingham.PriorWessingtonistheearliestauthorityforthestatementthatchurchesandchapelswerebuiltwherethesainthadrested;Raineintroducedthisintohistoricalscholarshipin1828;HodgsontooktheideafromRainein1832.WecannotturnthisaroundandarguefromWessingtonthatwhereachapelexists,thesaintmusthaverested;thatwouldbeacircularargument.Hodgsonwaspushingtowardsthisreasoninginwriting‘probablythisplace[CauseyPark]washonouredwithachapelonaccountofthemonksofDurhamhavingrestedthere…withthebodyofSt.Cuthbert’(1832,page132;andseeparagraph9above);ValerieBeaumont(Hoggfamilypapers1c)didlikewisewhenshewrotethat‘wherevertheremainsofSt.Cuthbertrested,chapelsandchurcheswerebuilt’andthenwentontowrite‘thechapelatCauseyParkwasbuiltbecausewebelievethesitewasusedasarestingplaceforSt.Cuthbert’sremains’.OurconclusionsonRomanroadsandthe875wanderingsare:

i) NomedievalauthoritiesgiveevidenceforachapelatCauseyParkinthiscontext;PriorWessington’slistingisevidenceagainst.

ii) ThecaseforachapelatCauseyParkarguedfromRomanroadsismistaken.


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OverallConclusion,1069and87523 OuroverallconclusionisthatthecaseforachapelatCauseyParkderivingfrom

travelsof1069or875hasnoevidencefromprimaryauthoritiestosupportit.Itdependsonthecircularargumentthat,becausethereisgoodauthoritythatchapelswerebuiltwhereSt.Cuthbert’sbodyhadrested,itthereforefollowsthatwherethereisachapel,therehemusthaverested.Thisisinvalidreasoning.Theearliestevidencewehaveforthechapelandachaplainisfrom1221.

Addendum:Ifnotarestingplace,thenwhy?24 Thisfinalnoteanticipatesacriticismthatmaybebroughtagainstthearguments

givenhere:thatifwequestionthecaseforCauseyasa1069stoppingplace,weshouldoffersomeotherexplanationfortheCauseyParkchapel.Thereisnofounder’sdocumentsurvivinginwhichwecanreadanexplanation,andsowhatfollowsisnecessarilynomorethanapossibility.ThechapelcouldhavebeencreatedasanactofpersonalorfamilypietyfromwithintheBertramfamily,whoheldthelordship.Ifso,thiswouldhavebeenacharitableactsimilarinprinciple,thoughsmallerinscale,toBaronBertram’sendowmentofBrinkburnPriory,orthatofhisneighbourBaronRanulfdeMerlayofMorpethwhoendowedNewminsterAbbey.Inbothofthesecases,unlikethatoftheCauseychapel,thefounders’documentsarepreservedinthecollectionsofchartersofthetwohouses,Newminster,aseditedbyJTFowlerin1878,andBrinkburn,aseditedbyWilliamPagein1893,No.1.ThereweremanysuchendowmentsmadeinEngland.AcontextandmotivatinginfluenceforsuchanactofcharityfromwithintheBertramfamilycouldhavebeenthereturnofsomeofStCuthbert’speople(thoughwithouttheremainsofthesainthimself)toNorthumberlandwiththefoundingoftheprioryonHolyIsland,asanoff-shootofthemainDurhammonastery,inthe12thcentury.Thissuggestedorigincannotbeproven,butitispossibleanditwouldnotbeinconsistentwithsuchhistoricalevidenceaswehave.


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SOURCELISTING1:HoggFamilyDocuments

1aValerieBeaumontemailtoDrSamTurnerofNewcastleUniversity.Undated.1bValerieBeaumontemailtoKatyDerham.9May20051cValerieBeaumontApplicationforScheduledAncientMonumentStatusforStCuthbert’sChapelSiteatCauseyPark,Northumberland.Undated.1dLetterfromJohnWhite.Addresseenotnamed.Undated.1eJohnWhiteChapelingroundsofCauseyPark.Undated.Appendstheletter1d.1fTheChapelofStCuthbertatCauseyPark,Morpeth,Northumberland.StephenHogg(thoughunsigned);summarystatementderivedfrominformationin1a–1e.Undated.

2:AntiquariansandHistoriansC18-20CambridgeE1989.‘WhySettleatChester-le-Street?’inGBonner,CStancliffe,DRollason

(eds)StCuthbert,hisCultandCommunitytoAD1200,368-386.BoydellPress.HodgsonJ1832.AHistoryofNorthumberland.NewcastleuponTyne.HutchinsonW1776.AViewofNorthumberlandwithanExcursiontotheAbbeyofMailross

inScotland.2vols.Newcastle.LelandJ1774.JohannisLelandiAntiquariiDeRebusBritannicisCollectaneacumThomae

HearniiPraefationeNotisetIndiceadEditionemPrimam.6vols.LondonMacLaughlanH1854.TheEasternBranchofWatlingStreet.Margary,ID1967.RomanRoadsinBritain.Revisededition.JohnBakerMacKenzieJandDentJ1811.AHistoricalandDescriptiveViewoftheCountyof

NorthumberlandandoftheTownandCountyofNewcastleuponTynewithBerwickuponTweedandotherCelebratedPlacesintheScottishBorder.2vols.

MawerA1920.ThePlace-NamesofNorthumberlandandDurham.CambridgeUniversityPress.

RaineJ1828.StCuthbert:withanaccountofthestateinwhichhisremainswerefoundupontheopeningofhistombinDurhamCathedralintheyearMDCCCXXVII.Durham.

RaineJ1852.TheHistoryandAntiquitiesofNorthDurham,assub-dividedintotheshiresofNorham,IslandandBedlington,whichfromtheSaxonperioduntil1844constitutedparcelsoftheCountyPalatineofDurham,butarenowunitedtotheCountyofNorthumberland.DurhamandLondon.

WhellanW1855.History,TopographyandDirectoryofNorthumberland.London.3:MedievalAuthoritiesAnonymous:LifeofCuthbert(698x705).EditionandtranslationinB.Colgrave,TwoLivesof

StCuthbert.CambridgeUniversityPress,1940.Anonymous:HistoriadeSanctoCuthberto(C11).Editionandtranslation,TJohnsonSouth,

HistoriadeSanctoCuthberto.Brewer,2002.Bede:EcclesiasticalHistory(731).EditionandtranslationB.ColgraveandR.Mynors,Bede’s

EcclesiasticalHistory.OxfordUniversityPress,1969.Bede:LifeofCuthbert(720).EditionandtranslationinB.Colgrave,TwoLivesofStCuthbert.

CambridgeUniversityPress,1940.


26

ReginaldofDurham(1165x1175).ReginaldiMonachiDunelmensisLibellusdeAdmirandisBeatiCuthberti.EditedJ.Raine.SurteesSocietyPublications,Vol1,1835.

SymeonofDurham(1103x1109).EditionandTranslationD.Rollason,LibellusdeExordioatqueProcursuIstius,hocestDunelmensisEcclesie.OxfordUniversityPress,2000.

BrinkburnPrioryCartulary,editedW.Page.SurteesSocietyPublications,Vol90,1893.NewminsterAbbeyCartulary,editedT.J.Fowler,SurteesSocietyPublications,Vol66,1878.CREDITSDocumentauthor:ColmO’BrienforBSG.

Section1isderivedfromareportonthemagnetometrysurveybyJackPennieandGeoffTaylorofBSG;reportsonpotteryfromfieldwalkingbyfourNewcastleUniversityarchaeologystudents,BernardaBocvon,RossCairnie,ElliotJonesandZaraWalwyn,underthetuitionofDrJamesGerrard;andfrominformationontheresistivitysurveybyAlexTurnerofNewcastleUniversity.

Reportreview:membersofBSG.Academicdirection:MaxAdamsandColmO’BrienforBSGBSGProjectFacilitation:BridgetGubbins.