Durham E-Theses The Residences of the Bishop's of Durham: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives SMITH, CAROLINE,ELIZABETH,HARRIE How to cite: SMITH, CAROLINE,ELIZABETH,HARRIE (2016) The Residences of the Bishop's of Durham: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11902/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 The Residences of the Bishops of Durham Archaeological and Historical Perspectives Submitted in full requirement of an MA by Research in Archaeology Caroline E.H Smith Department of Archaeology, Durham University 2 Caroline E.H. Smith. The Residences of the Bishops of Durham: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives Abstract Bishops were amongst the wealthiest and most influential people in medieval England and Wales. They held a dual role as both spiritual leaders and secular lords, and their residences provided the infrastructure from which they enacted their duties. Therefore, understanding these buildings offers unique insights into the lives and duties of these people. In the case of the bishops of Durham, their residences were numerous and diverse, with only a few having received significant scholarly attention. This thesis adopts a multifaceted approach to understanding these buildings. Using sources ranging from episcopal registers and itineraries, archaeological evidence and standing building reports, this thesis aims to be a holistic and wide-ranging study of the episcopal residences of the bishops of Durham with a consideration of how these buildings relate socially to the episcopal role. 3 Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors Professor Chris Gerrard and Dr Pam Graves for their endless guidance, support and patience. I would also like to thank Professor David Rollason and Dr Lynda Rollason for their guidance on the historic material and also for allowing me the opportunity to discuss my research with them. In addition, I would like to thank Dr Michael Stansfield and Dr Alejandra Gutierrez for helping me learn some of the new skills required for this thesis and to all those that helped me negotiate their archives or helped me source material at Durham County Council Historic Environment Record, Archaeological Services University of Durham and Palace Green Library. Lastly, I would like to specially thank my parents and family for their unwavering support over the past year and to E.R. Treasure for endless proof reading, cups of coffee and kind words. 4 Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 3 List of Figures................................................................................................................................ 7 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... 10 List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter One: Introduction .......................................................................................... 13 Research Context ................................................................................................................... 13 Review of Historical Research ................................................................................................ 13 Review of Archaeological Research .................................................................................... 14 Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 16 Why study the residences of the bishops of Durham?........................................................ 16 Research Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................. 17 Thesis Structure ..................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter Two: Sources and Methodology ............................................................. 20 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 20 Archaeological Sources ......................................................................................................... 21 Aerial Photography .............................................................................................................. 21 Artefacts and Ecofacts ......................................................................................................... 22 Excavation Data ................................................................................................................... 23 Geophysical Evidence ......................................................................................................... 24 Standing Building Records .................................................................................................. 25 Maps and Illustrations ......................................................................................................... 26 Historical Sources .................................................................................................................. 27 Bishop’s Registers and acta ................................................................................................ 27 Travellers and diarists – contemporary accounts ................................................................. 28 Contemporary Surveys ........................................................................................................ 30 Antiquarian accounts and secondary literature .................................................................... 30 Chapter Three: The Travels of the Bishop .......................................................... 32 Popularity of Sites and Frequency of Occupation .............................................................. 33 Elite Parallels ....................................................................................................................... 37 Extended Stays and Repeated Stays – What do they mean? ............................................. 43 5 Situation of Sites – Some observations ................................................................................ 44 Discussion........................................................................................................................... 52 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 53 Chapter Four: The Residences .................................................................................. 55 Sites with substantial standing remains .............................................................................. 56 Auckland Castle .................................................................................................................. 56 Seaton Holme – Easington, Co. Durham ............................................................................ 62 Howden Manor – Howden, Humberside ............................................................................ 66 Crayke Castle – Crayke, N. Yorkshire. ............................................................................... 67 Norham Castle – Norham, Northumberland. ...................................................................... 72 Durham Castle – Durham, Co. Durham .............................................................................. 75 Sites with few or no standing remains. ................................................................................ 80 Darlington Manor – Darlington, Co. Durham ..................................................................... 80 Bishop Middleham Castle - Bishop Middleham, Co. Durham ........................................... 83 Stockton Castle – Stockton, Co. Durham ........................................................................... 89 ‘Chapel Walls’ – Wolsingham, Co. Durham ...................................................................... 91 Westgate Castle – Stanhope, Co. Durham .......................................................................... 93 Northallerton Manor – Northallerton, N. Yorkshire. .......................................................... 95 Durham Place – The Strand, London. ................................................................................. 99 Part two – the buildings: form and meaning ...................................................................