This Durham Cathedral Knocker greeting card shows the sanctuary knocker from the northern door of the cathedral. The original dates back to 1172 and is now kept inside the Cathedral, however, a replica was created and placed on the outside door in 1977. Its original use was to allow a person who had committed a crime (or possibly just been accused of one) to knock and gain sanctuary inside the Cathedral. You couldn’t stay in the church or Cathedral forever though because the time was limited to about 37 days. As soon as your time was up if you had not been able to resolve the issue the diocese would help you to leave safely usually into exile. The creature shown is usually quoted as being a lion which represents a guardian with strength and power. Legal sanctuary in a church was abolished in England in 1624.
What size are the greeting cards?
This Durham Sanctuary Knocker Greeting Card measures 150 x 150 mm, is made from 300 gsm card stock and is blank inside. The front of the card features a print of an original artwork by Mara Louvain of Alchemi Art. All our cards come with a plain white envelope and are packaged in a recyclable cello bag.
What type of card are they printed on?
Because we care about the environment all our cards are printed here in the UK with FSC Certified sustainable paper stock for the card and envelope.
How can I get my order?
You can have your order posted to you or you can collect it in person. Shipping is via Royal Mail. If you’d prefer to collect in person our Upcoming events are listed on our homepage. So all you need to do is decide which one you would like to visit. Just let us know in the ‘order notes’ section during checkout.
What is a cyanotype?
I love working with the old Victorian photographic processes and one of my favourites is the cyanotype which has a distinctive blue and white colour. If you would like to learn more about the process then check out these articles here on the website. Cyanotype Art and the Cyanotype Process. How to make a cyanotype tutorial. Inspired by Anna Atkins.
What does FSC mean on a greeting card?
FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council which is an organisation dedicated to the sustainable management of forests and woodlands. They also manage and operate the ‘check tree’ certification worldwide which shows that wood-based products have been created from sustainable sources. If you would like to know more about FSC Certification then check out the Forest Stewardship Council Website.
