Surtees Society
Encyclopedia
The Surtees Society is a learned society
based at Durham
in northern England
. The society was established on 27 May 1834 by James Raine, following the death (11 February) of renowned County Durham
antiquarian
Robert Surtees
. James Raine and other former friends of Surtees created the society to honour his memory and carry on his legacy, with the focus on publishing documents relating to the region between the river Humber and Firth of Forth
in the east and the River Mersey
and the River Clyde
in the west, the region that had once constituted the kingdom of Northumbria.
The Surtees Society was constituted on 27 May 1834 at a meeting held at Durham and Raine was appointed its first secretary. From this time he devoted great energy and industry to the interests of the society, editing for it seventeen volumes, and establishing it on a permanent basis. It proved the pioneer of many similar societies, which adopted its rules and methods.
Between 1855 and 1895 the society's secretary was Raine's son, James Raine the younger. To date the society has published 210 volumes, mainly concerning the counties of Durham and Northumberland
. Included among the works published are those covering the documents of monasteries, including Finchale Priory
, Coldingham Priory
, Fountains Abbey
, Hexham Priory, Whitby Abbey
, and Brinkburn Priory
. Other records include wills and inventories from Yorkshire, obituaries from Durham Cathedral, heraldric
visitations, documents from various archbishops of York
and bishops of Durham, and records from the cities of York and Durham. The society has also published editions of the Lindisfarne Gospels
and the Lindisfarne Psalter.
Learned society
A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...
based at Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
in northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
. The society was established on 27 May 1834 by James Raine, following the death (11 February) of renowned County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
Robert Surtees
Robert Surtees (antiquarian)
Robert Surtees was a celebrated English historian and antiquary of his native County Durham. Surtees was born in Durham, and educated at Kepier School, Houghton-le-Spring, and later at Christ Church, Oxford. Although a student of law he never practised as a lawyer...
. James Raine and other former friends of Surtees created the society to honour his memory and carry on his legacy, with the focus on publishing documents relating to the region between the river Humber and Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
in the east and the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
and the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
in the west, the region that had once constituted the kingdom of Northumbria.
The Surtees Society was constituted on 27 May 1834 at a meeting held at Durham and Raine was appointed its first secretary. From this time he devoted great energy and industry to the interests of the society, editing for it seventeen volumes, and establishing it on a permanent basis. It proved the pioneer of many similar societies, which adopted its rules and methods.
Between 1855 and 1895 the society's secretary was Raine's son, James Raine the younger. To date the society has published 210 volumes, mainly concerning the counties of Durham and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. Included among the works published are those covering the documents of monasteries, including Finchale Priory
Finchale Priory
Finchale Priory was a 13th century Benedictine priory. The remains are sited by the River Wear, four miles from Durham. It is a Grade I listed building.-Current Situation:...
, Coldingham Priory
Coldingham Priory
Coldingham Priory was a house of Benedictine monks. It lies on the south-east coast of Scotland, in the village of Coldingham, Berwickshire. Coldingham Priory was founded in the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor King Edgar of Scotland had granted the land of...
, Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey is near to Aldfield, approximately two miles southwest of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. It is a ruined Cistercian monastery, founded in 1132. Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian houses in England. It is a Grade I listed building and owned by the...
, Hexham Priory, Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry VIII...
, and Brinkburn Priory
Brinkburn Priory
Brinkburn Priory lies on a bend of the River Coquet, some east of Rothbury, Northumberland, England.-Early history:It was founded by William Bertram, Baron of Mitford, in the reign of Henry I as an Augustinian priory...
. Other records include wills and inventories from Yorkshire, obituaries from Durham Cathedral, heraldric
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
visitations, documents from various archbishops of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
and bishops of Durham, and records from the cities of York and Durham. The society has also published editions of the Lindisfarne Gospels
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated Latin manuscript of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the British Library...
and the Lindisfarne Psalter.