<< Our Photo Pages >> Hedda Stone - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in England in Cambridgeshire
Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 07 June 2017 Page Views: 16267
Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Hedda Stone Alternative Name: Headda Stone, Peterborough CathedralCountry: England County: Cambridgeshire Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Peterborough
Map Ref: TL194987
Latitude: 52.573023N Longitude: 0.239585W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
hallsifer visited on 28th Nov 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Delightful stone in a stunning cathedral. Had to ask at the informational desk if I could see it due to a flower show but the staff are friendly and all too eager to show it to visitors. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding it apparently, and it's not the only stone of it's age in the church - there's a piece of anglo-saxon knotwork built into one of the columns near another informational sign in the south transept.
Marko visited on 13th May 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Visited again and pleased to report that the gates to the Lady Chapel were open - thus allowing unrestricted access to the Hedda Stone.
An information board (elsewhere in the Cathedral) states : 'For centuries the Hedda Stone sat outside and was thought to mark the grave of Abbot Hedda (hence the name) and 83 monks killed by Vikings in 870'
Marko visited on 23rd Oct 2021 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Found it eventualy - but being as access to the Lady Chapel wasn't possible, i was unable to get up close and personal! Had to be viewed through the railings.
Majick123 visited on 20th Sep 2012 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.5 Ambience: 4.25 Access: 4.75
The figures are depicted within an arched colonnade, with 6 figures on each of the long sides of the stone. The ends appear to have been reworked not only removing carved detail but at one end adding a date of 870, considered by Prof. Rosemary Cramp and others to be considerably later than the true date of the sculpture. The ‘roof’ is decorated with four ornamental panels on each slope.
The Headda stone currently sits in the Lady Chapel behind the High Altar in Peterborough Cathedral but is thought likely to have come from the former Anglo-Saxon monastic house that preceded the Norman Cathedral. The stone, in its present position is clearly visible with the side showing Christ, the Virgin and 4 other figures facing out into the chapel; but the other side is very difficult to view as is sits a few centimetres away from curved wrought iron railings at the back of the Lady chapel.
Source: Landscape Research Centre
Page submitted by Thorgrim
Note: 3D modelling the Headda Stone in Peterborough Cathedral, see the comment on our page for details
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