The Crypt, Newcastle Cathedral

I've poked my nose in and around Newcastle's St.Nicholas' Cathedral a few times over the years. On my most recent visit, though, I was determined to seek out the building's crypt. I wandered around for a bit, before finally finding it on the north side of the structure, accessed via a little off-shoot of a corridor then down a few steps. It's a lovely little space, and well worth a visit.

An excellent introduction to the crypt and its history can be found on the cathedral's website here. (it gives a good overview, which I'll not repeat here, and has some nice pics). When I was there, though, I also found this little feature above one of the tiny stained glass windows which can be found to the left of the picture above:

I have tried to ascertain what the heck it is - but none of the sources I have consulted mention it. I can only guess that it is a little air vent to try to prevent the space getting too damp. If you know different, do enlighten me....

Anyway, not only is the supposed 'vent' not mentioned on the official website, but neither is the fact that the crypt used to have an alternative entrance. It is now blocked up, but you can still see where it used to be in the first photo - to the right of the altar. A short flight of steps used to give one access to the neighbouring St.George's Porch to the east - though this entrance wasn't created until the nineteenth century (see below).

The crypt - or, more properly, the Charnel Chapel - was built around 1400, give or take. It was added to store bones of old plots disturbed by the gravedigger, at a time when the churchyard was beginning to get a little overcrowded. However, when the neighbouring St.George's Porch/Chapel was added a few decades later (c.1450), the distinctive round St.Catherine's window was covered, necessitating the creation of a row of small new windows built into the upper reaches of the north wall (above one of which is that troublesome 'vent').

Anyway, the old Charnel Chapel/House was soon forgotten about ... and was rediscovered in 1824. The likes of John Dobson and his gang wanted the little room destroyed, but it was happily retained. At this time the windows in the north wall were closed up, the bones cleared out, and the space divided into two, for some reason. The two tiny rooms had separate entrances: one via the door which we use today, but instead curving out into the churchyard; and the other was the new door to the right of the altar, as mentioned above.

The substantial article in the 1932 edition of Archaeologia Aeliana hints at the coming refurbishment of the old Charnel Chapel/House-cum-crypt - which did indeed take place, and which saw the unblocking of the north wall's tiny windows and the insertion in them of new stained glass. Presumably, at the same time (or not too long thereafter) that intrusive door and staircase to the right of the altar was blocked, and the new, present-day access point laid out to its modern-day design.

And, of course, the recent cathedral-wide refurb has seen the old crypt given a whole new lease of life!