Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

J2A Pilgrimage 2010

Northumbria, UK

nd th July 2 to July 14

1 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Goals of the Pilgrimage

 Discovering God in new and different ways, and in unexpected places.

 Developing an understanding of the church’s Celtic roots.

 Expand the pilgrim’s horizons by visiting a different country. (We are two countries separated by a common language).

 Having fun and realizing that church things can be fun.

2 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Christianity in the British Isles and the Celtic or Old English Church

The Celts are an ancient people whose origins are shrouded in obscurity. They may have first emerged as a distinct linguistic group in the area of the Black Sea about 1,000 BC. They spread westward and northward to cover most of Europe. It is not known when they arrived in Britain but were well established by 100 BC, when Rome began expanding into Western Europe. The first important contact between Rome and the British Celts was Julius Caesar’s Where The Celtics Lived visits in 55 and 54 BC. The Romans invaded in AD 43 and eventually occupied all of England except Cornwall, the lowlands of Scotland up to where Glasgow and Edinburgh now are, and most of Wales. (Note: England, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall did not exist then). Eventually, in the North, they pulled back to Hadrian’s Wall. The Celts lived in small rural communities and worshipped a variety of Gods closely associated with their daily life. They were pagans and virtually nothing is known about their religious practices. There was a caste of priests called Druids who appear to have maintained the histories and lore of the tribes, as well as having important religious A Celtic Hut functions. What is known about them comes from Roman sources, which are very biased against them. They used them as one of the reasons for attacking the Celts and taking over their lands. Christianity came to Britain through the Romans. When is not known, but the first British martyr was St. Alban was killed in 209. Christianity appears to have been fairly widely spread as St Patrick was a Romano-Britain whose father and grandfather were deacons in the Christian church. St Patrick went to Ireland in 433. It is unlikely that he was the first missionary, but he is the one remembered as

3 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Christianizing the country. Ireland had not been Romanized (it had never been invaded) and so he was working in a traditional Celtic land. In 410 the Emperor told the Britain that no troops were available to send to help them defend the Island from the Picts, Angles and Saxons. The troops were all needed on the continent to defend the empire from Germanic invaders. The result was the Roman-British state disintegrated under the attacks and was steadily replaced. It was not a centralized invasion (like the Romans), but a series of attacks by relatively small groups that came to stay and flourish. By the end of the sixth century most of England was under Anglo-Saxon control. Wales, Scotland and Cornwall remained Celtic. The Anglo-Saxons fought amongst themselves to create larger kingdoms and by around 600 or so there were about seven major kingdoms. In this maelstrom the Roman-British culture was completely replaced by a Germanic one. Paganism returned and Christianity disappeared. This had started to change in 563 when St Columba left Ireland and founded a monastery on Iona, a small island of the west coast of Scotland. The next step was St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, landing in Kent in 597. As far as Northumbria was concerned the two key people were St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert. Both Early English and the Roman Churches preached and taught the same main tenets (as far as we can tell) of Christianity, but there were some interesting differences. These influence the English Church to this day. The differences between the two St. Aidan approaches flow directly from the peoples and civilizations that they established. The Roman Church took on the attributes of the Roman Empire when it became its official religion. The Emperor dominated the Roman Empire, and the laws (and tax demands) flowed to the regions via an efficient (for the time) administration based on urban life; i.e. on cities. The Roman Christian Church was very similar. The Dioceses were based on cities and towns. Bishops, who carried out the wishes of the Cardinals and Pope, ran them. Ireland was the only western European Christian country not invaded by the Romans. It was still an agricultural, rural Celtic Society that was ruled by a myriad of squabbling small (petty?) kings. There were few if any towns and no cities. The Christian leaders were abbots who ran monasteries and evangelized

4 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

the surrounding countryside. It was a decentralized approach that fed off the personalities of the abbots, a very different approach. The interaction of the Celtic viewpoint and the way of life with Christian teachings was interesting. Celtic life and lore was riddled with triads (three closely related things or sayings), which made acceptance of a triune God simple. It was just another triad, but more important. Their approach was more down-to- earth or “earthier”, as befits a people deeply involved with nature. The Celtic soul and stories of the saints attest to this. The monks had a strong “calling” and would go anywhere they felt God was telling them to go, no matter how dangerous, difficult or uncomfortable. That was (as the book says) “How the Irish Saved Civilization”. One major point, a lot of the monks were Anglo-Saxon. That is why the Celtic Church is also referred to as the Old English Church. In both cases later historians provided these names. The abbots and monks would walk about the countryside preaching, blessing and converting anyone; ordinary people, kings and queens. It was not a very tidy process, and definitely not A Celtic High Cross “administratively sound”. This led to a confrontation between the two branches of the church. The king of Northumberland followed the traditions of Lindisfarne, and his Queen came from the south, which followed the Roman calendar. They both celebrated Easter, but on different dates a week apart: untidy and difficult. St. Hilda of Whitby organized a meeting to straighten things out and the better-organized Roman church carried the day. After this the influence of Iona and Lindisfarne and the Celtic/Old English church waned. However it never totally disappeared and many its characteristics of tolerance, humanity and warmth appear in the Anglican Church.

5 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ A Brief History of St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert

St. Aidan Oswald, a member of the Northumbrian royal family, spent several years on Iona after his family had been chased out of Northumbria. When he returned and became King he asked for a monk to come and be Bishop of Northumbria and Christianize it. St. Aidan talked himself into the job when he pointed out the shortcomings of the selected candidate. He left Iona and founded a monastery on Lindisfarne (now known as the Holy Isle) a promontory on the east coast of Northumbria. It can only be reached during low tide as the sea sweeps the over the road during high tide. St. Aidan spent most of his time evangelizing the Northumbrians. He established Christianity so successfully that no matter what happened, and a lot did, the faith always remained.

St. Cuthbert Mythology has it that one night when he was a Shepherd (or protecting the sheep from raiders) in the border hills Cuthbert saw a star ascend from Lindisfarne into heaven. He was sure that it was the soul of St. Aidan who had just died. The next morning Cuthbert rode to the monastery at Old Melrose and became a novice. He rose through the ranks there and at Ripon until he became abbot. He was then persuaded to go to Lindisfarne as prior and later became bishop. He was much loved and continued St. Aidan’s work in building up the church. Like many monks at that time he was at heart a hermit; so he resigned and went to live as a hermit on Farne Island, which is just south of Lindisfarne.

After a number of years and several attempts the King of Northumbria persuaded him to return to Lindisfarne, where a few years later he died. He was buried on the island. Then in 749 AD the Vikings raided Lindisfarne and kept returning to devastate the area. The monks took their most treasured possession, Cuthbert’s body, and fled. They had no plan or idea where to go so for several years they wandered around. Finally a church was built for them at, what is now, Durham. The spectacular Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage site) was built by Normans in the 12th century. Because it was St. Cuthbert’s burial place it quickly became an important pilgrimage site.

6 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Where are we going?

Northumbria in the North East of England.

But, where is that compared to Middletown?

B

A

A is New York and B is Seahouses

In terms of Latitude:

Place Latitude On same latitude New York 40 47 N Madrid, Naples London 51 32 N Labrador, Moose Jaw Seahouses 55 25 N Moscow

Seahouses is about 1,200 miles north of New York.

7 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Where are we going?

Land in Edinburgh

Stay in Seahouses here

Stay in Durham here

Stay in York

Leave from Manchester

8 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

J2A Pilgrimage 2010

Basic Itinerary

Date & Place Activity Day 6/27 Sun Christ Pilgrim commissioning service Church 7/2 Fri Travel Leave Christ Church at 6:30 PM. Be there at 6:00 PM.Flight to Edinburgh takes off at 10:20 PM. 7/3 Sat Seahouses Land 10:15 AM. Bus to Seahouses, Visit Tantallon Castle. Buy groceries. Settle in. 7/4 Sun Seahouses AM Eucharist at local Church. PM Boat trip around the Farne Islands 7/5 Mon Seahouses Ancroft Vicars Pele, Lindisfarne Holy Isle High tide 12:45PM. Evening Prayer on Island 7/6 Tues Seahouses Service on Little Farne Island 8:30 AM, Old Bewick Church, Alnwick castle 7/7 Wed Seahouses AM Walk up Yeavering Bell. PM Warkwork Castle and Hermitage. 7/8 Thurs Seahouses Scotland: Border abbeys, Border Rievers Tower 7/9 Fri Seahouses , Beach walk to Dunstanburgh castle. Clean up. 7/10 Sat Durham Bus to Durham via Bede’s world. Check in Durham Castle. Evensong 7/11 Sun Durham Eucharist in Cathedral. Explore Durham. 7/12 Mon York AM: Durham Cathedral. PM: Bus to York. 7/13Tues York Tour York Minster. Free time. Evensong in Minster. Dinner. Pack 7/14 Wed Travel 7:00 AM start. Fly home. Arrive at Church about 4:00 PM.

Every Evening After Dinner: Discuss the day’s activities; outline tomorrow’s program and background. Compline. 9 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

J2A Pilgrimage 2008

Expanded Itinerary

Day 1 Friday July 2nd

 Fly to Edinburgh

Leave Christ Church 6:30 PM, be there at 6:00PM

Sleep on flight, we hope!

Arrive at Edinburgh Saturday morning

10 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 2 Saturday July 3rd

Morning

Land Edinburgh 10:15 AM

Breakfast, at least coffee and bathrooms.

 Visit Tantallon Castle

Tantallon’s origins date back to 1358 and the First Earl of Douglas. It became the haven of the “Red Douglas’s”. Whenever they had upset the King, which they did relatively frequently, they retired behind its 12-foot walls and waited things out. This was fine before effective cannons: they changed everything! In 1650 Oliver Cromwell (The Lord Protector of England and the man responsible for beheading Charles 1) was busily conquering Scotland, and forces based in Tantallon were very effectively attacking his lines of communication. It took 3,000 troops and most of Cromwell’s artillery to root out the 100 men based in the castle. What we see today is a shadow of the former castle and a result of Cromwell’s visit, plus the effect of the weather.

 Have lunch

11 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 2 Saturday July 3rd continued

Afternoon

 Go grocery shopping

 Go to Seahouses Hostel and settle in

It is owned and run by the Diocese of Durham and Newcastle, and shares a lot with the Parish Church, St. Paul’s.

The Hostel

Seahouses Harbor

12 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 3 Sunday July 4th

Morning

 Service at St. Paul’s Church at 10:00 AM followed by the coffee hour with Parish

 Lunch in the hostel

Afternoon

 Boat trip to the Farne Islands

We will land on the island, Inner Farne, where St. Cuthbert had his hermitage. There is a chapel built in his honor. It is defended by artic terns defending their nesting places and young. They will nest close to the paths. I believe that St. Cuthbert had a good relationship with them. The tradition is he did with all animals and birds.

13 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

th Day 3 Sunday July 4 cont.

Today the Farne Islands are the most famous sea bird sanctuary in the British Isles, as well as having a large colony of seals.

There are 3 to 4 thousand Atlantic or Grey seals in the Sanctuary.

A seal pup

There are thousands of nesting sea birds on the islands. The main ones are Puffins (on left), Guillemots, Shags, Kittiwakes and Artic Terns.

There is a belief (from where we do not know) that you won’t go to heaven until you have seen a Puffin.

A puffin

A baby Artic Tern

14 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ th Day 4 Monday July 5

 Ancroft Vicars Pele

This is a strange looking Church. The large tower is where the Vicar lived. It is a 13th century defensible tower of three stories. Entry was only possible through the church with a narrow spiral staircase giving access to the upper floors. The Vicar locked himself in with the church valuables in defense from the “Border Rievers” looking to rob the church. Life was not easy for local vicars back then.

Ancroft Vicars Pele  Lindisfarne, Holy Isle Lindisfarne is a special place. It is what the Irish call “at thin place”: a place where God is close to the world and can be experienced. It appears to have been so since time immemorial, and was in Celtic times, Medieval times and still is today. This is why pilgrims and tourists still flock there.

A map of Lindisfarne

15 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

th Day 4 Monday July 5 continued

Twice a day Lindisfarne is cut off from the mainland, as the tide rises, the sea sweeps over the causeway. Today we have to cross to the island after 11:30 AM and leave before 8:20 PM. This does not present a problem, as we will attend Evening Prayer at 5:30PM.

The Pilgrims Way

St. Aidan established his monastery on Lindisfarne in AD 639, having been invited by the local King, Oswald. Being a Celt or Anglo-Saxon, he built it of wood, wattle etc, Nothing exists today although it is believed that the Parish Church, St. Mary’s, is built on the same spot. The monastery flourished under St, Aidan, St Cuthbert and their successors, They Christianized the north of what became England.

16 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 4 Monday July 5th cont.

Then in AD 793, out of nowhere, the Vikings arrived. Lindisfarne was the first place they raided. It was defenseless. After many attacks the monks left and took the most precious possession, St. Cuthbert’s body, with them. After several adventures it was buried in the area that became Durham Cathedral. The monks of Durham re- established the religious community on Lindisfarne in the 12th century. The ruins of the Benedictine Priory they built are what we see today. A community of monks lived here until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The Benedictine Priory

The Parish Church of St. Mary was built between 1120 and 1145. It is probably built on the site of an earlier church. The original Norman architecture survives in the three arches of the northern aisle. Services are held here two or three times a day.

17 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 5 Tuesday July 6th

 Service on Little Farne Island We have been invited to join the local priests at a service in St. Cuthbert’s Chapel on Little Farne Island At 8:30 AM. The boat leaves at 8: 00 AM. A very British Breakfast follows

 Old Bewick Church and Alnwick Castle

On the way to Alnwick is Old Bewick, if you take the right route. Down a narrow road is the delightful Holy Trinity Church, founded in 1107. Little remains from this time as it was extensively renovated in the 19th century. There are some interesting gravestones.

Alnwick Castle has been associated with the Percy family since the earliest days. The castle as we see it today was started in the 12th century. It has been the home, off and on, of the Percy family since then. Today the 12th Duke of Northumberland lives there. During its existence the castle has had two main functions: to protect the English side of the border,

18 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 5 Tuesday July 6th continued

to punish the Scots if necessary, and as an administrative center. Over the years the Percy family have been great collectors and many collections had to be sold when the family hit hard times, which as devout Roman Catholics they frequently did. But as always they rebounded and the art in the castle is astounding.

It will not take long to understand why Alnwick has been used in so many films and TV shows. Perhaps the best known, and most recent, were the early Harry Potter films. The inner bailey was where Quidditch was played.

The Inner Bailey: The Quidditch Field

King Arthur and Excalibur

19 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ th Day 6 Wednesday July 7

Morning

 A walk up Yeavering Bell

As we look out at a green field it is difficult to understand that this is the site of one of he most important archeological discoveries in the UK of the 20th century, It is the site of Ad Gefrin where Paulinus baptized King Edwin and his followers. Across the road is Yeavering Bell.

20 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 6 Wednesday July 7th cont.

At 1182 feet Yeavering Bell achieves the technical status of a mountain. It is crowned with the largest “hill fort” in Northumbria and covers almost14 acres. There are remains of over 100 circular houses, so it was more like a “hill city”: a demonstration of the power and wealth of the builders. It was probably built the Celts nearly 3,000 years ago.

Aerial view showing the circular stone wall

21 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 5 Wednesday July 7th continued

Afternoon

 Warkworth Castle and Hermitage

Warkworth Castle is on raised ground in a loop of the River Coquet. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the mid 12th century. The castle is mostly associated with the Percy family, who acquired it in 1332. The Percy family was one of the most powerful in the country, controlling much of Northern England. Despite Warkworth Castle having a major castle nearby at Alnwick, they frequently resided at Warkworth and made big improvements to it, most notably with the addition of the great keep in the late 14th century. The keep is one of the finest in the country, with an advanced design that would have provided impressive accommodation as well as a status symbol worthy of such a powerful family. The Percy's power struggles, and their Catholic religion, brought them into frequent conflict with the monarchy A failed uprising of the Northern Earls against Queen Elizabeth 1 led to the execution of the 7th earl in 1572, and to the pillaging of the castle.

22 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 5 Wednesday July 7th continued

 Warkworth Hermitage

Warkworth Hermitage is an unusual relic situated on the North bank of the River Coquet in Northumberland, England, close to Warkworth castle. The Hermitage consists of an outer portion built of stone, and an inner portion hewn from the steep rock above the river. This inner part comprises a chapel and a smaller chamber, both having altars. The chapel was built as a chantry, and occupied by a series of clergy from 1489 to 1536.

23 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

7 Thursday July 8th

 The Border Abbeys of Scotland

King David I established the Border Abbeys 12th century to help him control the area and develop it economically. They all suffered greatly in the border wars between England and Scotland. They were sacked and burnt a number of times, the last being by Henry VIII (King from 1509 to 1547). First stop is Kelso. This was the largest of the abbeys along the Tweed and the richest. It was close to the crown with two kings being crowned and at least one prince buried there. It was built between 1128 and 1243. There is not much remaining today, but what there is, is close to the center of the town. While in Kelso we will visit The Kelso Pottery. The owner and his wife are skilled potters steeped in Celtic lore. Next we will visit Jedburgh, which was founded 1138. The site appears to have been a church since 830 and possibly back in the 700’s. For the community of Augustinian Canons who lived here, the site must have been a mixed blessing. Jedburgh was on one of the main

Jedburgh Abbey Church 24 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 7 Thursday July 8th continued

routes into Scotland used by the English, and the Abbey was attacked many times. It was even fortified by a French army in 1548 that was holding it for the Scots. The Reformation in the 1560s heralded its final decline. It was used as the local church until 1875. Through the middle ages, Religious houses led the way in growing plants for eating and medicinal uses. The present cloister garden is designed to show a typical Scottish monastery garden of about 1500.

Sir Walter Scott is one of the most famous romantic authors (“Ivanhoe”, “Rob Roy” among many others). He wrote about the country he lived in and loved, Scotland and in particular the border lands.

Scotts View: his favorite view

25 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 7 Thursday July 8th continued

The three hills are the Eildon Hills. They have held tremendous significance to the peoples of the area since the Stone Age. To the right in the picture you can see the River Tweed. Inside the bend on the opposite bank is the site of the original Melrose Abbey where St. Cuthbert received his early training. The site is not open to the public.

In 1136 the Cistercians built a “new” Melrose Abbey, which became extremely wealthy being one of the largest sheep farmers in Europe with 15,000 sheep. England’s desire to dominate Scotland led to the border wars and the destruction of the abbeys. Melrose is famous for the burial, and discovery, of Robert Bruce’s heart. It is in a small silver case. Robert Bruce was the “George Washington” of Scotland.

Melrose Abbey

26 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 7 Thursday July 8th continued

Bruce’s defeat of the English at the battle of Bannockburn (1314) he established Scotland’s independence. After Bannockburn came the border wars that degenerated into a different far less pleasant life, incessant border raiding: the era of “Border Rievers”. For over 350 years the Borderlands rang to the clash of steel and the thunder of hooves. Robbery and blackmail were everyday professions; raiding, arson, kidnapping, murder and extortion were “Border Rievers” an accepted part of the social system. The tribal leaders from their towers, the broken men and outlaws of the mosses, the ordinary peasants of the valleys, in their own phrase, “shook loose the Border”. They gave the words blackmail and bereaved to the English language. Smailholm Tower is a typical “Rievers” tower and was probably built during the first half of the 15th century. It is built on a high bleak crag and is easily defendable. Hopefully raiders would not bother to go up to the tower and they could be kept out if they came. Not very comfortable living Smailholm Tower

27 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 8 Friday July 9th Morning

 Walk along the coast to Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle from Crastor

The walk starts in Low-Newton-by-the Sea and goes south along the shore. It is a wonderful beach leading to the North Sea. It is one of the great strolls along a beach in England. There are spectacular views of the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. The castle appears to have been built to impress travelers with Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster’s wealth and importance as they rode to the king’s castle at Bamburgh. The two were not on good terms! Whatever the reason, the ruins look great. It was started in 1313, and fell into disuse and decay in the 16th century.

28 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 8 Friday July 9th Afternoon

Afternoon

Have lunch during walk.

Clean and tidy the hostel.

Cook out?

29 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 9 Saturday July 10th

 Drive to Durham Visiting Bede’s World

Who was Bede, and why was he important?

“Servant of Christ and priest of the Monastery of Saints Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth and Jarrow”, is how Bede described himself. Today we know the Venerable Bede as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People”, which he completed in 731 AD. This work is the primary source for understanding the beginnings of the English people and the coming of Christianity to England. It is the first work in history to use the AD dating system. Bede entered St Paul’s Monastery at Jarrow when he was 7, and spent the rest of his life there. He was probably the most renowned scholar in Europe, with a wide range of interests. He died in 735 and his body is buried in Durham Cathedral.

Bede’s World is constructed on the site of the monastery where Bede lived and it celebrates his life and times. It consists of:

o The Age of Bede Exhibition, a stunning new museum, which exhibits the finds from excavations of the site of St Paul’s monastery. They set in context the Anglo-Saxon Northumbria Bede lived in. o The Gyrwe Anglo-Saxon demonstration farm that aims is to recreate the landscape familiar to Bede. The buildings, animals and crops are as close as possible to those of the 7th and 8th centuries. o The monastic site. The layout of the Anglo-Saxon buildings can be seen, as well as the ruins of a later Norman monastery.

o St Paul’s Church, the parish church of Jarrow. The chancel is a direct survival from the 7th century church. Cemented in the wall is a stone slab which records in a Latin inscription the dedication of the church on 23 April AD 685.

30 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

th Day 9 Saturday July 10 continued

 Durham Castle

Durham Castle is now part of Durham University and used as student lodgings. We shall be staying there. The castle was built as the Episcopal Palace for the Prince Bishops of Durham. They were unique in England being a combination of Bishop and soldier, and were originally appointed to act for the King to control the unruly borderlands of England and Scotland. They ruled the Palatinate of Durham as an independent state, at least The Castle Entrance initially. In 1832 the Bishop gave the castle, along with part of his income, to found England’s third university. It was begun in 1072 and is a fine Norman building, at least the parts that were not rebuilt in Victorian times. This is the courtyard and the area we will sleep in. The keep was rebuilt in the 19th century on the footprint of the original Norman one.

31 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 9 Saturday July 10th continued

 Durham Cathedral

Evensong or Evening prayers

Map of Durham showing the River Weir, Cathedral, and Castle

The first church, and later the cathedral, was founded to house St. Cuthbert’s remains in a safe place. The cathedral is on top of a massive rock and surrounded on three sides by the River Weir. St. Cuthbert’s coffin was brought here in 995 AD, over 300 years after he died. The town grew up around the church. Later the Normans built the cathedral and castle in the 11th century. Today the castle and cathedral area is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

32 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 10 Sunday July 11th

 Durham Cathedral and town

Holy Eucharist at 11:15 AM. Followed by lunch and exploring the town (i.e. Free Time).

The magnificent nave of the Cathedral

33 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 11 Monday July 12th

Morning

 Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral is unique. It is the finest example of early Norman architecture in England. The main building was started in1093, and finished in 40 years. It was built just as the Gothic style (which we will see in York) was being developed. Thus while being basically Norman (massive pillars and rounded arches), some early gothic arches (pointed tops) were used. Very little work was done after the main phase. Thus it is nearly all one period and style. It was originally part of a monastery and made a cathedral by Henry VIII when he dissolved the monasteries.

The Cathedral in Winter

We will have a guided tour of the Cathedral, which will include visiting St. Cuthbert’s shrine and Bede’s tomb.

34 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 11 Monday July 12th

Afternoon

 Drive to York

 York Minster and City

Evening Prayers and Explore City

The Minster or Cathedral and Metropolical Church of St. Peter in York

35 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ Day 11 Monday July 12th Continued

York, under the name Eboraceum, was a Roman military center. Some remains can be seen in the Minster’s undercroft. In the year 306 Constantine was declared Caesar by his troops here. He went on to make Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire. On Easter Eve 627 the Northumbrian King, Edwin, accepted Christianity and was baptized in a small wooden oratory built for the occasion. In 867 the Vikings captured York, or Jorvik as it was called. Later in the 10th century the Saxons reclaimed it. Then in 1066 Harold, the last Saxon King of England, defeated his brother (Tostig) and an army from Norway at Stamford Bridge, just outside York. He then rushed down south to lose his crown and life to William, Duke of Normandy, at Hastings. The Normans had arrived. Work started on the Minster around 1220. It was not finished until 1472, although it was used for services while it was being built. It is a Gothic Cathedral.

York is “the Capital of the North” and for centuries England’s second city. The industrial revolution passed it by which accounts for its medieval character.

The “Shambles”, a Medieval-shopping street

36 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ Day 12 Tuesday July 13th

 York Minister

The Choir and High Alter

It is believed that Christianity arrived at York around 300AD during the Roman occupation. The first Church, a wooden one, was builti n 627 AD. Over the years several churches, and later Cathedrals, were built and damaged or replaced until in 1220 AD the magnificent Gothic Cathedral we will see today was started. It was completed in 1472 AD (it took about 250 years to build), and is the 2nd largest Gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. We will have a guided tour of the Minster. After which will be lunch and free time, to shop, walk the city walls which are basically intact, or whatever. Some old streets and stores still exist. For good reason one is called “The Shambles” (see picture on previous page).

After Evensong (5:15 PM) our farewell meal will be a traditional English dinner,

37 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Day 13 Wednesday July 14th

 Fly to Newark

Leave York by bus 7:00 AM

Arrive Manchester Airport 9:00 AM

Take Off 11:30 AM English time

Land Newark 2:25 PM US time

Arrive Christ Church 4:00 PM

38 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Useful Information

The Weather

The weather will be:

 Reasonably hot  Chilly  Sunny  Wet  Overcast  Partly cloudy on different days or all the same day.

In a word the weather will probably be Variable.

As a guide the averages for July in the Northeast of England are:

Maximum Minimum Hours of Temperature Temperature Sunshine NE England 68F 54F 6 New York 82F 66F 10

How does this affect the planned program?

The plan assumes that the weather will cooperate! Anything that has not been pre-booked (and paid for) is flexible and can be adjusted according to conditions. However it is Britain and a little bit (or a lot) of rain will not keep us sitting around in a hostel. We will venture forth, and probably get wet. It’s part of living in the country.

It will be an adventure. We will have fun.

39 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

What does this mean for clothes?

 It is not the Jersey shore. It is much cooler. The average July minimum temperature in New York is close to the average maximum in NE England!

 Plan for “changeable weather”

 Think in terms of layers to be added or removed as the weather changes

 You will need sweaters and tee shirts

 You will need a packable (in a back pack) waterproof jacket or poncho.

Clothes Washing Facilities

The Seahouses hostel has clothes washers and driers. We have to pay to use them.

Durham has no facilities.

The Ace Hotel has facilities but we are only there for two nights and then go home.

England is 5 hours earlier than here; 9:00 AM is 2:00 PM.

40 Christ Church, Middletown, NJ

Historical Time Line:

Some Dates, Events and People

Event or Person Date

The Celts arrive BC 550 The Romans arrive AD 43 The Romans leave AD 410 The Angles and Saxons start to invade AD 440 to 450 St. Augustine sent by Pope AD 597 St Aidan goes to Lindisfarne AD 639 St Cuthbert goes to Lindisfarne AD 657 The Venerable Bede AD 672 to 735 Viking raids start AD 793 St Cuthbert’s body buried at Durham AD 995 Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror AD 1066 Canterbury Cathedral started AD 1070 Durham Cathedral started AD 1093 Scottish Border Abbey’s founded AD 1130 to 1180 Magna Charter signed AD 1215 York Minster started AD 1220 Border wars start AD 1380 Henry VIII AD 1509 to 1547 Acts of Supremacy, established the Church of England AD 1534 Dissolution of the Monasteries AD 1536 First book of Common Prayer AD 1549 Queen Elizabeth 1 AD 1558 to 1603 King James 1 AD 1603 to 1625 Crowns joined. Border wars end. AD 1603 King James Bible published AD 1611 Pilgrim Fathers sail to America AD 1620 English Civil War AD 1642 to 1660 The Great Plague AD 1665 to 1666

41