Gilbert Scott Screen
Upon entering the Quire from the west side of the cathedral you will pass through the Gilbert Scott Screen.
The Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) had a great passion for repairing churches in need of some care and attention. He carried out an extensive refurbishment of Durham’s interiors to bring it back to its former glory.
History
- To improve the Nave view, in 1870 Scott designed a marble and alabaster screen to mark the entrance of the Quire.
- When it was unveiled in 1876, visitors applauded. Since then some find it at odds with the rest of the cathedral’s Romanesque design.
Things to look for
It's all in the detail
- Scott incorporated design details that celebrated Durham’s identity and the story of the cathedral.
- Centered in the peak of the middle arch is a copy of the cross found in St Cuthbert’s coffin. At the very top of the screen is the Celtic Cross as a reference to St Aidan (590-651) first bishop of Lindisfarne, who brought Christianity to the region, along with St Oswald (604-641).
- The black marble columns are made of limestone full of fossils. This 325 million years old material is only found in the limestone quarry at Frosterley, about 20 miles west of Durham. There are other columns like this around the cathedral.
Interesting facts
Pilgrim's emblem
- The central line above the mosaic is decorated with alabaster scallop shells, a symbol of pilgrimage within the Christian faith.
- It originates with pilgrims journeying to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, to visit the tomb of the Apostle St James the Great. The priests at the shrine would give the pilgrims a scallop shell from the nearby coastline as proof that they had reached their destination. Over time, the scallops become associated not just with Compostela but with all pilgrimages.
- The shells also had a practical use too, as bowls for food and drink and for protecting pilgrims from criminals. When thieves saw the shell, they would leave them alone since robbing pilgrims was considered an awful crime.
- The shells are now a welcoming emblem into many pilgrimage sites.
Follow the guided tour
You’re in: The Quire You’re at: Gilbert Scott Screen Next stop: The Lightfoot Memorial
- Turn around and walk back down the Quire
- Opposite Bishop Hatfield's tomb you will see another carved memorial with a figure on it
- This is Bishop Lightfoot's memorial