By Catherine Monahan In a recent trip to England, I visited Durham Cathedral in hopes of viewing several of the Anglo-Saxon manuscripts found in the Cathedral Library. As the Managing Editor of the Dictionary of Old English, I was looking forward to seeing the actual manuscripts rather than the poor copies which we consult regularly during Read More …
Author: Richard Higgins
Identifying pigments used in manuscripts
‘Team Pigment’ a group of historians and chemists from Durham and Northumbria Universities are currently analysing manuscripts from the 5th to the 15th century in order to ascertain which pigments are dyes were used in the creation of these splendid works. In a previous blog post, the reasons why ‘Team Pigment’ are researching this area Read More …
Why analyse pigments in manuscripts?
In the next few months and years you may see more and more information on pigments available on the Durham Priory Recreated website. Collected by ‘Team Pigment’ – a group of chemists and historians from Durham and Northumbria Universities – this information aims to tell the viewer which exact pigments or dyes were used to Read More …
Just what is a Priory library book then?
The most common question arising about the Durham Priory Library digitisation project is “So how many books are you digitising?” and my response always starts with “roughly …”. There are several reasons for this. One of the largest books, the Bible of Hugh of Puiset, shelfmark DCL MS A.II.1 is, in spite of that shelfmark, Read More …
The manuscript with the most folios numbered 38
Durham Cathedral Manuscript A.II.17 One thing that you quickly get used to digitising manuscripts is that they don’t always have a neat numerical sequence, which makes the whole process of taking photographs page by page (and then linking these all together into the correct sequence) rather more work than it might appear. As you look Read More …
Durham Cathedral Archive – Cartulary 1
Durham Cathedral Archive Cartulary 1 The first of four cartularies produced at Durham Priory in about 1400. The recording of all existing charters in book form as cartularies indicates a sustained campaign at this time to organise the records of the Priory, creating a coherent reference to the property and privileges enjoyed by Durham Priory Read More …
Duns Scotus on the Sentences
Durham Cathedral Library Incunable 21b The fourth but only surviving volume of this 1481 edition of John Duns Scotus’ Quaestiones in quattuor libros Sententiarum was printed in Venice. This is a heavily-used copy, with evidence of having been closely studied by several monks of Durham Priory, then passing out of the library into the collection Read More …
Commentary on the OT books of prophets by St Jerome
Durham Cathedral Library MS B.II.9 A post-Conquest manuscript, written in Normandy and amongst those presented to Durham Priory by William of St Calais. This work contains the commentary on the minor prophetic books of the Old Testament, written by St Jerome at the end of the 4th century. As usual the most useful provenance information Read More …
Works by St Ambrose
Durham Cathedral Library MS B.II.6 A manuscript from the foundation gift of Bishop William of St Calais to his new priory at Durham, containing a group of works by St Ambrose and two by St Augustine. Like so many of these post-Conquest manuscripts, it seems to have been written in Normandy but also shows signs Read More …
Homilies of Paul the Deacon
Durham Cathedral Library MS A.III.29 An English manuscript produced just after the Norman Conquest (probably at Winchester), containing part of an annual cycle of sermons to be preached on the feast days of the church. The first homily would have marked the feast of St Praxedis (21 July), although here it is no more than Read More …