Source.—Simeon of Durham, Historia Regum, ed. Arnold, vol. ii., p. 201. (Rolls Series.)

Three poor monks, sent by divine inspiration from the province of Mercia to the province of Northumberland, came to York, and requested Hugh son of Baldric, then sheriff, to find them a guide as far as the place called Monkchester, now named Newcastle. They were brought thither and stayed there for a time, but finding no trace of the ancient community of Christ’s servants there, they passed on to Jarrow, where amid the ruins, that hardly indicated what they had been of old, they found many monastic buildings with churches half destroyed; here they were received by bishop Walcher with the greatest kindness, and supplied by him with necessaries.... These three founded three monasteries in the country of the Northumbrians; one at Durham, by the holy and uncorrupt body of the father Cuthbert, in honour of St. Mary the Virgin; another at York, in honour of the same Mary, mother of God; ... and the third in the place ... now called Whitby.... Indeed, after the savage devastation of the heathen had with fire and sword reduced to ashes the churches and monasteries, Christianity was almost extinct, and scarcely any churches survived, and those covered with twigs and thatch; and for two hundred years no monasteries had been anywhere rebuilt. Faith in religion waxed so faint, and religious services failed so utterly, that the name of monk was unknown to the inhabitants, and they were struck with amazement when they chanced to see any one of monkish garb and life. But when these three men aforesaid began to dwell among them, they too began to change their savage life and manners for the better, and to help them in restoring the holy places, and of themselves to restore and repair the half-ruined churches, and even to build new churches in places where there was none before. And many abandoned the secular life for the warfare of monks, though few of these were natives of the district, many more coming from remote parts of England, drawn by reports to join them heart and soul.