Durham Cathedral

Durham cathedral, England. Durham cathedral, England.

Durham Cathedral in northern England, founded in AD 1093, houses a fascinating collection of medieval and later embroideries, including some early medieval examples of decorative needlework. These are a stole, maniple and girdle that date to the early tenth century.

The garments were probably given to the shrine of St. Cuthbert at nearby Chester-le-Street by King Athelstan, son of Edward the Elder, whose capital was at Winchester, when he paid a visit to the shrine in AD 934. 

There are also various late medieval copes in the collection, and a seventeenth century cope dating to the time that King Charles I visited Durham (in 1633). There is furthermore the more recent ceremonial cope worn by the Bishop of Durham when he stands to the right of the monarch at his or her coronation. The embroideries and garments form part of the Open Treasure project of Durham Cathedral that is inaugurated in 2016.

See the St. Cuthbert embroideries

Digital source (retrieved 25 May 2016)

Durham Cathedral website (retrieved 25 May 2016)

Open Treasure project of Durham Cathedral (retrieved 25 May 2016)

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 25 May 2016)

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Last modified on Sunday, 13 November 2016 19:57