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Window showing St Cuthbert
© Jarrold Publishing, Chapter of Durham
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Where is St Cuthbert buried? |
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Plumber stated that “the adherence of membranous covering or layer still discernible on the bones is strong evidence of the fact that the body had been in a mummified state long after death”. Exposing the body in the vestry from 1537 until 1542 could have caused the tissue to turn to dust.
It was Plumber’s objective belief that there was great difficulty in believing that the Benedictines could have found a skeleton which so matched the particulars known about Cuthbert. In his article he outlined four reasons for believing the skeleton to be that of Cuthbert.
1. He found the skull to be of the ‘dolicho-cephalic’ type, while Benedictines were of the round-headed or ‘branchycephalic’ type.
2. The height of between 5’8 and 5’9 agrees with the stature given in Bede.
3. The age of about 50 (certainly not less than 45 and not more than 60) again agrees with Bede.
4. Most importantly, he stated, there was indubitably evidence of a similar disease from which Cuthbert is known to have suffered. |
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Finally, he suggested that the absence of the left tibia might be connected with the incident of the broken leg in 1537.
Detail from window
© Jarrold Publishing, Chapter of Durham |
So, all the evidence seems to point to the presence of Cuthbert’s body lying in the Feretory of Durham Cathedral. Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no doubt that the spirit of Cuthbert remains in Durham, along with that of his near contemporary Bede. Durham is still a place of pilgrimage; still a holy place to people of faith and still draws even people without a conscious faith to be still and wonder.
Words: Lilian Groves - Durham Cathedral
Your comments
1 Lawrence Jones from County Durham - 7 January 2004
"Lilian Groves has highlighted a question that could be easily resolved. There are Benedictines alive today who are privy to the secret concerning the whereabouts of St Cuthbert’s body. Surely in this year of the 900th anniversary of the translation of St Cuthbert to the present shrine, the fathers of the English Benedictine Congregation and the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral can get together and resolve this question once and for all by arranging for an archaeological investigation of the place indicated by the ‘Benedictine secret’.
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"I believe that the time is ripe for an investigation of this ‘secret’ because we are all mature enough in these days of ecumenical cooperation not to wish to score points over one another. I for one just want the issue resolved once and for all. It is not a question of one side losing face if they are proved wrong. No, we all love St Cuthbert and we all want him honoured in the place where he is truly buried without any more question marks hanging over the issue.
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"The claims that St Cuthbert is buried in the present tomb behind the high altar are very convincing and yet there is just one niggling doubt – the existence of the ‘Benedictine secret.’ Until that secret is explored there will always be a doubt among Catholics.
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"It is my hope that this question will be resolved during this 900th anniversary year.
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