CHESTER-le-Street, the Cuneacastre of the Saxons; a small thoroughfare town between Newcastle and Durham, with a good church and fine spire. In the Saxon times this place was greatly respected on account of the relics of St Cuthbert, deposited here by Bishop Eardulf, for fear of the Danes, who at that time (about 884) ravaged the country. His shrine became afterwards an object of great devotion. King Athelstan, on his expedition to Scotland, paid it a visit, to obtain, by intercession of the saint, success on his arms; bestowed a multitude of gifts on the church; and directed, in case he died in his enterprise, that his body should be interred there. At the same time that this place was honoured with the remains of St Cuthbert, the bishopric of Lindesfarn was removed here, and endowed with all the lands between the Tyne and the Wear, the present county of Durham. It was styled St Cuthbert's patrimony. The inhabitants had great privileges, and always thought themselves exempt from all military duty, except that of defending the body of their saint. Chester-le-Street may be con-
sidered as the parent of the see of Durham: for when the relics were removed there, the see in 995 followed them. Tanner says, that probably a chapter of monks, or rather secular canons, attended the body at this place from its first arrival; but Bishop Beke, in 1286, in honour of the saint, made the church collegiate, and established here a dean and suitable ecclesiastics; and, among other privileges, gave the dean a right of fishing on the Wear, and the tythe of fish.