William was buried in a re-used Roman sarcophagus at the east end of the nave, in a ceremony presided over by Hugh du Puiset, the bishop of Durham. Wrapped in a brown shroud and with his mitre on his head, he is laid to rest by three kneeling canons, wearing white choir robes with ermine tippets. Behind stand (from left to right) another canon (in red), two abbots (with monastic tonsures and croziers), a mitred bishop and two laymen. One of the abbots holds an open book, while the bishop stretches out his right arm to sprinkle holy water on the corpse. The aspergillum is visible between the two abbots.
