Medieval Seals Research Articles

The Conservation of Medieval Seals in the Swedish Riksarkiv

The Conservation of Medieval Seals in the Swedish Riksarkiv

I.—Medieval Seals of the Bishops of Durham

At the dissolution of the Benedictine house of Durham its last prior, Hugh Whitehead, became the first dean of the cathedral church, and its large estates passed almost undiminished to the new dean and chapter, who thus also succeeded to its title-deeds and muniments. These remained in their old home in the treasury of the monks, and afterwards in the cathedral library, until, by the exertions of our late Fellow the Rev. Dr. Greenwell, they were provided with a new resting-place in the rebuilt and refitted chapel of St. Helen, above the great gateway of the monastery. When arranging these documents in their new home Dr. Greenwell made a slip catalogue of the seals attached. This catalogue, collated, annotated, and illustrated by the present writer, has been printed by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In it is a long series of the seals of the bishops of Durham from Ranulf Flambard (A.D. 1099-1128) to Cuthbert Tunstall (A.D. 1530-1559).