Danes. The
number and violence of these incursions so increased that the whole
country lay practically at their mercy. Becoming alarmed for their own
safety and that of their holy relics, the monks of Lindisfarne fled,
taking with them the body of their saint, and all their sacred vessels
and books. This occurred in A.D. 875.

Here commenced that long wandering which eventually ended in the
founding of the Cathedral Church of Durham, where the bones of S.
Cuthbert found their final resting-place.

Bishop Eardulph and his monks, with their sacred charge, travelled for
seven years, over a great portion of the north of England and part of
the south of Scotland. Many churches dedicated to S. Cuthbert in the
north are thought to mark their resting-places. From a list of these
given by Prior Wessington the probable route of the wanderers can be
approximately, made out as follows:--First to Elsdon and down the Rede
to Haydon Bridge. Up the South Tyne to Beltinghame, and then following
the route of the Roman Wall to Bewcastle. Turning south to Salkeld, and
thence by Eden Hall and Plumbland into Lancashire, towards the river
Derwent. Here they came to a determination to cross to Ireland, and took
ship from the mouth of the Derwent. Very soon a violent storm arose, the
vessel became unmanageable and was nearly filled with water, which,
according to Symeon, immediately turned into blood. A return was
inevitable. It was during this attempt that the famous copy of the
Gospels, known as the Durham Book, was washed overboard into the sea.
This book is, perhaps, the most beautiful example of Anglo-Saxon writing
and illumination extant, and is surpassed only by the celebrated Irish
MS., the Book of Kells. It was shortly afterwards found on the coast in
a comparatively uninjured condition; and is now preserved in the British
Museum. The wandering monks next turned northwards as far as Witherne,
on the Galloway coast, and then returned to England, through
Westmoreland and across Stainmoor into Teesdale, staying for a time at
a village, which no doubt owes it present name Cotherstone to this
circumstance. Leaving here and crossing the hills, through Marske,
Forcett and Barton, they arrived at the abbey of Craike, near
Easingwold, where they were kindly treated by the abbot, and remained
about four months. On resuming their journey the monks removed the body
of S. Cuthbert to Cuncachester, or, as we now know it, Chester-le-Street,
a form