This peaceful village with its links to history and literature has attracted writers and artists as visitors and residents for centuries. No less a writer than Sir Walter Scott set his Bride of Lammermoor in the fictitious castle of Wolf's Crag modelled on Fast Castle.
A quick Introduction, the Early Writers (late 12th - early 13th Century) and the more recent Writers
This peaceful village with its links to history and literature has attracted writers and artists as visitors and residents for centuries. No less a writer than Sir Walter Scott set his Bride of Lammermoor in the fictitious castle of Wolf's Crag modelled on Fast Castle.
This is a guide to those writers who lived in Coldingham and were influenced by the area in some of their works. Where possible, the sites where they lived have been identified and a guide to a walk around the village is included in the pdf booklet which you can download.
The houses where they lived are private residences and, as such, are not accessible to the public.
The works of these authors are, in many cases, out of print but most can be read on line at several websites such as google books and websites such as archive.org, openlibrary.org and bookdownloadlibrary.com
Copies can be searched for at several book sites such as abebooks.com where reprints and originals are available.
Acknowledgments: Text by Michael Fenty, Map by Maureen Maynard, Information here taken from the Second Edition (September 2021)
The Priory of Coldingham would, no doubt, have had a scriptorium where monks would have diligently copied texts and existing documents perhaps with illuminated capitals as a are seen in the Lindisfarne Gospels. Two were more than mere scribes and contributed original works of hagiography, biography and history.
Geoffrey or Gaufre who was the sacrist and, later, the prior of Coldingham wrote a history of Durham Cathedral which, at that time, had jurisdiction over the Priory. Geoffrey died around 1215 and his work ends abruptly at that time. The history was later added to by subsequent writers. Historiae Dunelmensis Scriptores Tres, Gaufridus de Coldingham, Robertus de Graystanes et Willielmus de Chambre He is also is credited with hagiographies of St. Bartholomew of Farne, a hermit who lived in St Cuthbert's cell and of Godric of Finchale a traveller, pilgrim, and holy man though this work is usually attributed to his contemporary, Reginald.
Reginald was possibly a native of Coldingham. . As a monk at the Priory, he was commissioned by Prior Thomas of Durham (1156 - 1162) and by Prior Ailred of Rievaux, aware of his literary ability, to visit the hermit Godric at Finchale, near Durham, with a view to writing an account of the hermit's life. As Godric was dying, Reginald took care of him and recorded his memories, his life story and songs he had composed.He catalogued four songs of St Godric's. They are the oldest songs in English for which the original musical settings survive. Reginald describes the circumstances in which Godric learnt the first song. In a vision, the Virgin Mary appeared to Godric with, at her side, "two maidens of surpassing beauty clad in shining white raiments." They pledged to come to his aid in times of need; and the Virgin herself taught Godric a song of consolation to overcome grief or temptation ("Saintë Marië Virginë").
The novel Godric (1981) by Frederick Buechner is a fictional retelling of the hermit's life and travels. It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize thus Reginald's influence extended even to the 20th century.
Later, Reginald compiled a Life of St Cuthbert and a Life of St Ebba as well as an account of her brother, King Oswald of Northumbria
The original MS. of St Ebba is in the Bodleian Library. Many of the works of these writers has been published by the Surtees Society of Durham
The writers page(s) in the booklet will be shown as an image. Remember you can download the full booklet as a pdf or view the entire booklet as a series of images. Ideally suited for smaller devices such as a mobiles.
Two options here. View the booklet as a pdf of as a series of images, (ideal for a smaller device - such as a mobile)
Pages 15-18 in the booklet has a guide to a walk round our historic village passing the places associated with authors who have stayed for a time, be it short or long, in Coldingham. To assist you There is also a sketched map showing the location of the properties
The houses mentioned are private dwellings so are not accessible to the public but following the trail and identifying each makes for a pleasant walk which can be varied to suit abilities and inclinations.