James Edward Ellam was still living and working in the Yorkshire town of Yarm when he photographed the Cloisters of Durham Cathedral in 1894.

As one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in England and with its links to St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, Durham Cathedral must have been high on James’s list of must-visit locations.

When I saw the subject of this particular stereo for the first time, I was reminded of another of James’s stereos that I had seen during my PhD research project.

It’s possible that he took both stereos during the same visit. Thirty miles from Yarm, Durham was easily reached by train.

It seems that the view of Durham Cathedral from the railway station was also a favourite of his.

I located a lantern slide version of the same scene, marked “Yarm 6” and credited to “J.E. Ellam,” in the collection of Shropshire Museums in Ludlow. How and why it came to be there is not known.

The numbering “Yarm 6” is interesting as it suggests it was part of a lantern slide show, perhaps featuring a sequence of locations close to Yarm such as Durham. 

Returning to “The Cloisters, Durham Cathedral,” James’s stereo makes effective use of the light which enables the viewer to appreciate the wooden ceiling with its three-dimensional decoration.

In the 1920s, the celebrated photographer E.O (Emil Otto) Hoppé (1878-1972) visited the same location and produced a photogravure print which I have seen on various websites.

Hoppé might have enjoyed better weather conditions than James as he managed to capture the shadows of the arched windows falling along the length of the stone corridor.

Tomorrow: “Pulpit Front in Bangor Cathedral.”  

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