The spirit of St Cuthbert and the spirit of place: Durham Cathedral in Benjamin Myers's Cuddy

Benjamin Myers's novel Cuddy explores the enduring influence of St. Cuthbert, a revered Anglo-Saxon saint, on Durham Cathedral and its surroundings, illustrating how his legacy shapes both the material and immaterial heritage of the site. The narrative, spanning from the Middle Ages to the present, employs diverse voices and styles to highlight Cuthbert's dual role as a genuine and metaphorical 'spirit of place.' This concept, rooted in ancient Roman beliefs, blends geographical and human contributions to define a location's unique identity. The study argues that Myers's work preserves traces of supernatural meaning while secularizing the ancient notion, emphasizing the interdependence between tangible structures like the cathedral and intangible cultural elements tied to Cuthbert's legacy.

Kucała, B. (2025). The spirit of St Cuthbert and the spirit of place: Durham Cathedral in Benjamin Myers’s Cuddy. Orbis Litterarum, 81(4), 297–309. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/oli.70012