Roman Tombstone, Hexham Abbey
In the south transept stands the Roman tombstone of Flavinus, shown mounted on his horse overcoming a prostrate Ancient Briton. At nine feet tall it is the largest Roman memorial stone found in Britain and likely originated from the Roman site at Corbridge nearby, from where St Wilfrid's men recycled much stonework to build the Abbey in the late 7th century. The stone was discovered in 1881 during repair work under the floor of the Abbey church.
www.hexhamabbey.org.uk/top-10-things-see/flavinus-tombstone
Hexham Abbey started life as a Benedictine monastery founded by St Wilfrid in 674, building his church from recycled Roman stonework. The building would have been significantly smaller than that which we see today though a small part of it remains in the Abbey's famous Anglo Saxon crypt, a four-chambered space (one of the most ancient Christian structures still in use in Britain) concealed beneath the present nave. Most of the present church however is the result of 13th century rebuilding in the Early English style.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537 the Abbey church was retained for use as the town's parish church of St Andrew, which it has remained ever since. Most of the monastic buildings and the medieval nave were abandoned and quarried away around this time, leaving just the choir and transepts in use. The Victorian period saw major restoration of the church which included the rebuilding of the eastern bay of the choir in 1858, whilst ongoing work to improve the state of the abbey culminated in the early years of the 20th century with the rebuilding of the ruined nave (reusing the original foundations and lower parts of the walls) to the designs of Temple Moore, which was consecrated in 1908.
The Abbey is a delight to explore and retains much of interest from the medieval period, including many original furnishings and a surprisingly rich collection of 15th century paintings on wood, incorporated into the choir screen and stalls, and yet further in the two chantry chapels flanking the high altar. One of the chapels, the chantry of Prior Leschman, is famous for its primitive stone carvings. The oldest item in the church however is the 'Frith Stool' in the centre of the choir, an ancient bishop's throne from St Wilfrid's time which would have been in use when the previous church was briefly designated as a cathedral.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexham_Abbey
Hexham Abbey is a church I'd wanted to see for many years and finally getting to see it was no disappointment. I was also made very welcome here by everyone I met and would happily return. The church is currently closed to the public for renovation (Jan-March 2019) but is normally open and welcoming on a daily basis.
Roman Tombstone, Hexham Abbey
In the south transept stands the Roman tombstone of Flavinus, shown mounted on his horse overcoming a prostrate Ancient Briton. At nine feet tall it is the largest Roman memorial stone found in Britain and likely originated from the Roman site at Corbridge nearby, from where St Wilfrid's men recycled much stonework to build the Abbey in the late 7th century. The stone was discovered in 1881 during repair work under the floor of the Abbey church.
www.hexhamabbey.org.uk/top-10-things-see/flavinus-tombstone
Hexham Abbey started life as a Benedictine monastery founded by St Wilfrid in 674, building his church from recycled Roman stonework. The building would have been significantly smaller than that which we see today though a small part of it remains in the Abbey's famous Anglo Saxon crypt, a four-chambered space (one of the most ancient Christian structures still in use in Britain) concealed beneath the present nave. Most of the present church however is the result of 13th century rebuilding in the Early English style.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537 the Abbey church was retained for use as the town's parish church of St Andrew, which it has remained ever since. Most of the monastic buildings and the medieval nave were abandoned and quarried away around this time, leaving just the choir and transepts in use. The Victorian period saw major restoration of the church which included the rebuilding of the eastern bay of the choir in 1858, whilst ongoing work to improve the state of the abbey culminated in the early years of the 20th century with the rebuilding of the ruined nave (reusing the original foundations and lower parts of the walls) to the designs of Temple Moore, which was consecrated in 1908.
The Abbey is a delight to explore and retains much of interest from the medieval period, including many original furnishings and a surprisingly rich collection of 15th century paintings on wood, incorporated into the choir screen and stalls, and yet further in the two chantry chapels flanking the high altar. One of the chapels, the chantry of Prior Leschman, is famous for its primitive stone carvings. The oldest item in the church however is the 'Frith Stool' in the centre of the choir, an ancient bishop's throne from St Wilfrid's time which would have been in use when the previous church was briefly designated as a cathedral.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexham_Abbey
Hexham Abbey is a church I'd wanted to see for many years and finally getting to see it was no disappointment. I was also made very welcome here by everyone I met and would happily return. The church is currently closed to the public for renovation (Jan-March 2019) but is normally open and welcoming on a daily basis.