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In medieval times Durham Cathedral was one of the greatest centres of pilgrimage in England and the chief reason for pilgrimage was the rich and glorious shrine of St.Cuthbert.

Today the simple grey stone tomb inscribed ‘Cuthbertus’ is all that remains of the shrine but prior to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century, the whole area around the tomb was an elaborately decorated shrine described as one of the richest monuments in England. Once decorated with an

"ingeniously made structure of costly green marble and gilded with gold "

the shrine was bestowed with an incredible number of gifts and jewels including contributions from kings, queens, churchmen and wealthy nobles. These gifts were stored in beautifully decorated wainscot lockers which were situated on the north and south sides of the feretory. The lockers which also contained relics associated with St Cuthbert and other saints were opened for viewing on special occasions such as the feast day of St Cuthbert. The magnificent shrine of St Cuthbert was destroyed in the sixteenth century along with many others throughout the land by the order of King Henry VIII. The men who opened St Cuthbert’s tomb found a number of precious jewels and a wand of gold which were all confiscated by the crown.

St Cuthbert’s tomb and feretory are hidden from the choir and the nave to the west, by the magnificent fourteenth century Neville Screen which was at one time decorated with 107 alabaster figures. The screen was donated to the cathedral by John the fifth Lord Neville (died 1388) and is constructed from Caen limestone originating from a French quarry many hundred miles away.The massive screen was constructed in London and shipped north to Newcastle from where it was carried across land by cart to Durham. John Neville’s tomb lies in the south aisle of the Nave where he is accompanied by his wife Matilda. The tomb of John’s father Ralph Neville is also in the cathedral. It was Ralph who successfully led the English into victory over the Scots at the Battle of Nevilles Cross just outside Durham in 1346. As an honour for the victory he became the first layman to be allowed burial in the cathedral.

The south aisle of the cathedral choir contains the Tomb of Bishop Thomas Hatfield (1345-1381) who was bishop at the time of the aforementioned battle. His tomb is covered by his alabaster effigy which lies snugly tucked under a decorated arch formed by a short stairway leading to the Bishop’s Throne or ‘Cathedra’ directly above. The Bishop’s throne at Durham is the highest in Christendom. To the west of the choir we stand directly beneath the Central Tower which was built in the fifteenth century. An earlier tower had been destroyed by lightning in 1429. The entrance to the cathedral tower is in the South Transept where we find the sixteenth century decorated Cathedral Clock. During the Civil War when 4000 Scottish prisoners were held in the cathedral following the Battle of Dunbar (1650) nearly all the woodwork in the great church was destroyed by the Scottish prisoners for firewood. The clock was spared, seemingly because it has a carving of the sacred Scottish thistle upon it