Durham Liber Vitae
Encyclopedia
The Durham Liber Vitae is a confraternity book
produced in north-eastern England in the Middle Ages. It records the names of visitors to the church of the bishopric of Durham, and its predecessor sees at Lindisfarne
and Chester-le-Street
. In England it is the oldest book of this type, although it is paralleled by later English confraternity books, most notably the New Minster Liber Vitae.
The 9th-century core constitutes folios 15—45, with folio 47. It is generally believed by scholars that it was produced in the church of Lindisfarne
, though Monkwearmouth-Jarrow
monasteries have also been suggested. This had been composed c. 840. It has been damaged over time, and the original binding is now lost. It consisted of parchment sheets on which were written lists of names, followed by blank sections for future additions.
The book was at Durham by the later 11th century, as indicated by the list of Durham monks on folio 45 from the episcopate of Ranulf Flambard
. Later additions to the early core were made to folios 24r, 36r, 44v and 45r.
The Liber Vitae is currently in the British Library, where it is classified as BL, MS Cotton Domitian vii. The manuscript itself is 205 x 142 mm.
Confraternity book
A confraternity book is a medieval memorial book that records the names of people who have entered into a state of brotherhood with a church in some way, often by visiting it in the capacity of a pilgrim.-Confraternity books:...
produced in north-eastern England in the Middle Ages. It records the names of visitors to the church of the bishopric of Durham, and its predecessor sees at Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
and Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
. In England it is the oldest book of this type, although it is paralleled by later English confraternity books, most notably the New Minster Liber Vitae.
Original Anglo-Saxon Liber Vitae
The text was originally of the 9th century, but was continually supplemented thereafter by entries made in the 10th century and later.The 9th-century core constitutes folios 15—45, with folio 47. It is generally believed by scholars that it was produced in the church of Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
, though Monkwearmouth-Jarrow
Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey
Wearmouth-Jarrow is a twin-foundation English monastery, located on the River Wear in Sunderland and the River Tyne at Jarrow respectively, in the Kingdom of Northumbria . Its formal name is The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Wearmouth-Jarrow...
monasteries have also been suggested. This had been composed c. 840. It has been damaged over time, and the original binding is now lost. It consisted of parchment sheets on which were written lists of names, followed by blank sections for future additions.
The book was at Durham by the later 11th century, as indicated by the list of Durham monks on folio 45 from the episcopate of Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard was a medieval Norman Bishop of Durham and an influential government minister of King William Rufus of England...
. Later additions to the early core were made to folios 24r, 36r, 44v and 45r.
High and Later Middle Ages
It was reorganised in the third quarter of the 12th century, and it is likely that many of the names originally there did not survive. The form it attained at that point appears to be the one it kept until the 15th century, although it was continually updated with new entries. After 1300 very few names were added to the original core.The Liber Vitae is currently in the British Library, where it is classified as BL, MS Cotton Domitian vii. The manuscript itself is 205 x 142 mm.