Saint Cuthbert’s Banner

The first mention of Saint Cuthbert’s banner was in 1097 AD when Edgar, son of Malcolm Canmore, supported by Edgar Aethling with an Anglo-Norman army, carried it into Scotland to reclaim the throne from Donaldbane, Canmore`s brother. Malcolm III, Canmore, appears to have been present at the foundation of the cathedral of Durham .His son David was married to the daughter of the last Anglo-Danish earl of Northumbria Waltheof, and as such claimed the land south to the Tees.
There is no mention of what this banner was like.

It was not mentioned in the Battle of the Standard 1138 AD, where the banners of St John of Beverley and Saint Peter of York were displayed to rally the English troops, although the battle was fought on land belonging to St Cuthbert, near Northallerton.

There is a record of Edward I, The Hammer of the Scots, giving a grant for two lights to be carried before the banner when in procession on Feast Days. It seems to have been carried in his campaigns, it may have been at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle. It seems likely that Bishop Bek would have it with him at Falkirk.

When David Bruce King of Scotland invaded in 1346 AD Prior Fossor of Durham had a vision telling him to take the corporeal cloth ( the cloth used to cover the host during the Mass) of Saint Cuthbert and place it on a spear and take it to the Maidens Bower near the Flass vale outside Durham. There a battle was fought, (now called the battle of Neville’s Cross) and the Scots decisively defeated and David captured.
The cloth was made into a proper banner.

It was then in demand, particularly in battles against the Scots.
It was carried at the battle of Flodden 1513AD.
It was also a symbol of the North.
It was carried at the Pilgrimage of Grace, when local people protested against the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

After the Reformation it was burned by the wife of Dean Whittingham, the puritan Dean of Durham, whom Elizabeth I and her adviser William Cecil, Lord Burgleigh, had placed in Durham to counter the catholic inclinations of the north. She was a sister in law of the Swiss protestant reformer Jean Calvin.

Banner description from The Rites of Durham.

“The banner cloth was a yerde brode,and five quarters deape, and the nether part of it was indented in five parts, and frenged, and maid fast withall about with read silke and gold. And also the said banner cloth was maid of read velvett, of both sydes most sumptuously imbrodered and wrought with flowers of grene silke and gold. And in the mydes of the said banner cloth was the sayde holie Relique and Corporax cloth inclosed and placed therein, which Corporax cloth was covered over with white velvett, half a yerd square every way, having a red crosse of read velvett on both sydes over the same holie Relique, most artificiallie and cunynglie compiled and framed, being fynely fringed about the edge and scirts with frenge of read silke and golde, and three Litle fyne silver bells fast to the scirts of the said banner cloth, like unto sackring bells, and, so sumptuouslie finished and absolutelye perfitted, was dedicated to holie Saint Cuthbert, of intent and purpose that the same should be alwaies after presented and carried to any battell, as occasion should serve; and which was (never) caryed or showed at any battell, but, by the especiall grace of God Almightie and the mediacione of holie Saint Cuthbert, it browghte home the victorie.” The Rites of Durham.”