I think one of the early Surtees Society Volumes was devoted to some of the records of mediaeval sanctuary at Durham Cathedral. In the 1970s Doug Smith (now President of Sunderland Antiquarian Society) brought out a very interesting little booklet (published for him by Frank Graham) on "Sanctuary at Durham". It will now be long out of print but it is well worth keeping a look-out for it in second-hand bookshops, market stalls, Family History Fairs, etc, as it is a mine of information about the procedures as well as about some (though by no means all) of the seekers after sanctuary. It is not always appreciated that Sanctuary in the Cathedral was only the final stage of a series of Sanctuary rights which began when a few miles out from the Cathedral itself - there were crosses on the main roads leading to Durham which marked the limits of sanctuary, Neville's Cross, the only survivor being the most famous (It is also associated with the Battle of Neville's Cross, and probably takes its present name from events that day, but it was there for centuries before that). A fairly minimal right of sanctuary was gained by being "inside" the limits of those crosses, and a greater one once the Cathedral precincts were entered, but gaining access to the interior of he Cathedral building meant reaching the highest level of Sanctuary. There were similar sanctuary rights connected with other major churches etc, Hexham Abbey, for instance, having had its own rules. On another topic,he three detached parts of Co Durham within Northumberland had their origins as three separate estates - known in Anglian days as "shires", even though Islandshire and Norhamshire are adjacent to each other. Bedlingtonshire is well separated from the other two. One theory I once heard is that because the boundary between the main part of Co Durham and Northumberland goes along the Tyne and, in its more western parts along the Derwent, the old parish of Ryton, which originally included all Co Durham north of the Derwent - ie one might expect it top have been part of Northumberland - is perhaps another "detached part" but one which lies adjacent to the main part and is not therefore obviously detached. Personally I doubt that because there seems to be no reason for it. I can rationalise Islandshire as being the "homeland" of the church of Durham, Norhamshire as being a possession of the Bishop which he would not want to give up as it was the hinterland of his castle at Norham, whereby he played his part in defending the border, and Bedlingtonshire was the first resting-place of St Cuthbert's bones, but why Ryton? Holy Island, or Lindisfarne, has been mentioned. Yes, it really is a gem - I can just remember going there for holidays not long after the War, when there was no causeway, and it was necessary to hire a rust-covered Taxi from the pub at Beal to cross the sands. The most exciting part of the ride was when the driver forded the "Low", or stream which runs between the mainland and the island even at low tide. He used to shout out to his passengers to "lift your feet up!", just before about a foot of sea-water came in through the floor-boards (I said it was a long time ago!). In those days when the tide came in the island was a law unto itself and anything went - the pubs were open all night if need be as there was no Police presence on the island. Nowadays it gives the impression of being over-run with tourists during the day in the summer time, but in winter or when the tides are not convenient it quickly regains its old atmosphere. The Abbey ruins, the church and those glorious deserted acres of sand-dunes are all marvellous - as is the castle (best seen from outside and from a distance, I'd say) and that isolated little garden behind stone walls, across a muddy track from the castle, now restored to what Gertrude Jeykell laid out about a century ago, is another of its little hidden gems. I'd better not say any more about it, or you will all want to go there and that would spoil it! Best wishes, Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU (0191 417 9546) Professional Genealogist - Northumberland and Co Durham.