38. HERMITAGES
The county of Durham was unusually rich in
hermitages. From very early days, owing perhaps to the example set by St. Cuthbert, (fn. 1) religious
persons of both sexes frequently chose the solitary
life, and established themselves in some more or
less retired spot where they lived either quite
alone or with one or more attendants.
At the beginning of the twelfth century there
dwelt at Wolsingham a well-known hermit
named Elric (or Ethelric) with whom St. Godric
lived for about two years, practising the ascetic
life. (fn. 2) After Elric's death Godric settled at
Finchale under the auspices of Bishop Flambard. (fn. 3)
There he lived for many years, and built an
oratory and a little house. He cultivated the
ground and fished in the river, supporting himself by his own labour. (fn. 4) For a time his sister
Burcwen joined him, and lived in a little cell
which he built for her near his own; but she
fell sick and died in a hospital in Durham. (fn. 5)
After a time St. Godric placed himself under
the control of the prior of Durham, (fn. 6) who at
every festival used to send one of his monks to
Finchale, there to celebrate Mass for the hermit. (fn. 7)
Many legends are told of St. Godric, and he was
regarded with great awe by the country people.
He built a chapel, which he dedicated to the
honour of St. John the Baptist, in which he
often slept, (fn. 8) and where he ultimately died and
was buried. (fn. 9) In his old age he was attended by
servants, (fn. 10) and for the last eight years of his life
was confined entirely to his bed. (fn. 11)
There existed in St. Godric's time, and possibly long before, a hermitage called Yareshale
(or Yarehaulgh) on the River Derwent near
Ebchester, which was granted by the bishop to
a religious who came to ask St. Godric's advice
on the matter. It was probably built on the
site of St. Ebba's monastery, which was well
adapted for such a retreat. (fn. 12) Its history is rather
difficult to follow. Bishop Pudsey, between
1163 and 1188, granted to Sherburn Hospital,
as part of its endowment, 'the place of anchorets'
on the Derwent near Ebchester, (fn. 13) and in 1183
Robert of Yolton held 'the land on the Derwent, which was the hermit's,' and paid a rent
of 2s. for it, (fn. 14) but soon afterwards (fn. 15) Geoffrey son
of Richard (the second lord of Horden) granted
to St. Mary and the House of Yareshale (Yarehaluh) two oxgangs of land in his vill of Horden,
with common of pasture and 13 'weihts' (fn. 16)
of corn of Durham measure. (fn. 17) This grant was
confirmed by his son Geoffrey (between 1212
and 1214) to ' Brother John and his successors '
in ' the House of the Blessed Mary of Yareshale
(Jharhale).' (fn. 18) In 'le convenit' (1231) Bishop
le Poor stipulates that, in return for certain concessions he has made to the Durham monks,
'the place which is called Yareshale (Yreshale),
with all its appurtenances,' shall remain for ever
in the ordination of the bishops of Durham, 'ita
quod providebimus qualiter elemosina futuris
temporibus durabit.' (fn. 19) St. Mary's of Yareshale
is mentioned as being, in the time of Bishop
Langley (1406-37), the private chapel of one of
that bishop's suffragans, in which ordinations
were occasionally held. (fn. 20)
At the end of the north alley of the choir in
Durham Cathedral was a porch called the
'Anchorage,' containing a rood and an altar for
a monk to say daily mass. In ancient times it
was inhabited by an anchoret. The entrance
was up a stair adjoining the north door of
St. Cuthbert's feretory. (fn. 21)
Mr. John Cade, the well-known antiquary,
writing in 1789; says that there was at that time
'a plat called the Anchorage,' near the churchyard of St. Oswald's, Durham, which appears to
have been the cell of some anchoret or recluse
even prior to the foundation of St. Oswald's
church. (fn. 22)
On 28 September, 1312, the bishop of Durham collated 'John, called Godesman,' to the
hermitage of St. Cuthbert on the Tyne, near
the bishop's park. (fn. 23)
Writing of Heighley Hall, Winston, Surtees
says—
A chapel or hermitage, which is mentioned in some
early inquest, stood low down in the holme, shaded
by a thick overhanging wood.
. . . The last remains of the hermitage were lately
removed in forming a new hedge; the masonry was
excellent and the windows ornamented. The piscina
is preserved in Mr. Deighton's garden wall at
Winston. (fn. 24)
This is a remarkable statement, because in 1315
Bishop Kellaw, when granting a quitclaim for
the rent of this ground, speaks of it as 'certain
waste lands and wood in Heighley (Hegheley)
in Winston called Hermitage' as if the cell or
chapel was even then nothing more than a
memory. (fn. 25)
In 1340 Bishop Bury granted a licence to
select a site in Gateshead churchyard for an
anchoress' cell; (fn. 26) and in 1373 Bishop Hatfield
granted to William Shepherd, a hermit, a piece
of waste land, 80 ft. by 40 ft., for a messuage.
William in return was to pay 1d. a year for
life. (fn. 27)
A few years later (20 May, 1387) a similar
grant was made to a hermit of the name of
Robert Lambe. Bishop Fordham gave him an
acre of waste land in Eighton for the building of
a hermitage and a chapel in honour of the Holy
Trinity, on condition of his offering prayers for
the bishop, his predecessors, and successors. (fn. 28)
There was an anchorage near Pounteys Bridge,
as well as the chapel there. In December, 1426,
John, prior of Durham, collated William Byndelawes of Burdon in Lonsdale, hermit, to this hermitage, then vacant and in his collation. (fn. 29)
In the fifteenth century the notices of hermits
are not so frequent, but they still continued to
exist. In February, 1434-5, Robert Perules,
' hermit of the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen of
Barmore,' in the parish of Gainford, lost his
chapel, his house which stood by it, and all their
contents, by fire, everything being totally destroyed. Bishop Langley granted an indulgence
of forty days to all contributing to the repair of
the chapel and the support of the hermit. (fn. 30)
In 1493 John Auckland, prior of Durham,
by means of a very curious document 'created'
a hermit; i.e. conferred the rank or degree of
hermit upon one John Man, a Yorkshireman,
who desired to escape from the world and to
assume the profession of an anchoret. (fn. 31)
It seems probable that there was at one time
an anchoret, male or female, at Chester-leStreet. In the Chantry Certificate of 1548 (fn. 32)
there is a mention of 'the Anker's House.'
There was then no 'incumbent,' and from the
quantity of lead on the roof the building would
appear to have been but small. In 1627 an
almshouse at Chester-le-Street in which dwelt
certain poor widows, was known as 'the
Anchorage.' (fn. 33)