The origins of Finchale, pronounced ‘Finkle’, reach back to the early 12th century with the establishment by St Godric of a hermitage, a short distance upstream of the site of the present remains.
Life of St Godric
Godric was born in Norfolk, in 1065. After an early career as a sailor and merchant, which might have involved incursions into piracy, he visited the island of Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland. Inspired by the monks there, and in particular by the life of St Cuthbert, Godric made a series of pilgrimages to Jerusalem and holy shrines elsewhere in the Christian world.
Returning to England as a monk, he was granted, in 1110, by the Bishop of Durham, a plot of land for his hermitage, where he spent the rest of his long life, in prayer and dispensing wisdom to the many pilgrims who came to seek his advice. Like many early and mediaeval Christian saints, and unlike his contemporary, Thomas Becket, Godric was never formally canonised by the Catholic Church, but became a saint by popular acclaim.
He is one of the subjects in Charles Kingsley’s book, The Hermits (1869), while a more modern, fictional account of his life, Godric (1981), by American writer, Frederick Buechner, was short listed for the Pulitzer Prize.
History of Finchale Priory
During Godric’s lifetime, his hermitage became such a place of pilgrimage that he had a stone chapel built on the present site of the monastery, dedicated to the Holy Sepulchre and St John the Baptist. In 1196, Bishop Hugh Pudsey of Durham granted permission for the building of the Priory, though disputes delayed the start of construction until 1237.
The Priory was extended during the following decades and at various stages until the 15th century. During much of this time it served as a rest facility for the monks of Durham Cathedral. It is possible that the Priory suffered damage as a result of raids from Scotland, as did many similar institutions in the north-east of England, though the evidence is not strong. The greatest destruction came with the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1535.
The Priory Ruins
Like Durham Cathedral, its illustrious downstream neighbour, Finchale Priory stands above a loop of the River Wear. It is, however, far less prominent. Indeed, even as one approaches it along a well-signposted minor road that runs east from the A167, it remains hidden until the final few hundred metres’ descent to Finchale Farm. Though entry to the Priory, which is owned by English Heritage, is free of charge, the ruins stand on private land and there is a fee for parking. Though the site adjoins a caravan park, this remains largely out-of-sight and does not detract from the peacefulness of the setting.
The first thing one notices about the Priory is its extent. Only the foundations of the earliest, 12th century monastic buildings remain to be seen. In contrast, the walls of the later additions are tall and the overall impression is of an almost maze-like intricacy.
The Nave, which encloses the original Chapel of St John the Baptist, and probable tomb of St Godric, is long and narrow. Its windows, overlooking the river, are well weathered, but retain something of their carved outlines. The South Transept leads into the Chapel of Our Lady, the Chapter House, Cloister Garth and the more domestic areas, such as kitchen, larder and monks’ quarters.
There is plenty of green space around the site, which is ideal for a family picnic, or passing an hour-or-two in enjoyment of the ambient tranquillity. There is a small tea room just outside the entrance at which one can buy a map showing the locations of the various parts of the Priory and indicating the centuries in which they were built.
Riverside Walks
The tranquillity extends to the riverside. A footbridge leads across to the eastern bank of the Wear, above which rise steep, thickly wooded slopes. Upstream, a narrow footpath hugs the water’s edge, overhung by tall, sandstone crags. The track continues for half-a-mile until blocked by a wooden fence, which necessitates a return by the same route.
The footpath downstream, through Cocken Wood, is less congested, and leads through oak, sycamore, beech, holly, hawthorn and mature yew for half-a-mile. It then rises to the edge of the wood before following a high level return, with glimpses of the river and occasional views, though somewhat restricted, of the Priory. On reaching a road, the path descends a series of steps to re-join the riverbank at the footbridge.
Anthony Toole - I was born and brought up in the English Lake District, where I have walked and climbed for most of my life. I was educated as a scientist ...
