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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Mary Magdalene (Hart) - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in England in County Durham

Submitted by Anne T on Wednesday, 12 February 2020  Page Views: 1142

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 2.744 km away from the location you searched for.
County: County Durham Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Hartlepool  Nearest Village: Hart
Map Ref: NZ4704835105
Latitude: 54.708769N  Longitude: 1.271328W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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Anne T visited on 5th Feb 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 St Mary Magdalene, Hart: From the exterior of the building, I did not expect to 'walk back in time' into this splendid parish church. Such a sense of history, and what fragments of sculptured stones - a real treat. The church was only open for an hour on Wednesdays, between 3pm and 4pm at this time of year, essentially for quiet prayer, but the time flew, and we kept the church warden longer than intended. I would have loved to have spent another hour here, just enjoying the atmosphere.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face A of AS Corpus Hart 07, part of an incomplete cross head dated to the second quarter of the ninth century. This face includes the figure of a Lamb, facing to the right, with all four feet on the ground, and showing part of a halo. "Facing the Lamb is a figure with a similar nimbus and a book clasped between its front paws. The book has a single sunken roundel placed centrally. The creature's ... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Early Christian Sculptured Stone in County Durham

Tucked away next to the village primary/first school, only the tower of this church can be seen from the parking area between the school and the church, but head into the churchyard, and what appears to be a church largely restored in the late 19th century appears. However, step into the south porch and into the nave, you enter a largely Anglo Saxon and Norman interior.

The village of Hart was a "notable Saxon settlement, being the administrative centre of Heortnesse, which stretched from the River Tees to Castle Eden in the 7th Century". The church guide tells us that there is evidence for a wooden building on this site from the 7th century, being replaced by stone by the Normans in the 11th/12th century.

The church is recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 27084 and Historic England List Entry No. 1249898 (Church of St Mary Magdalene), with more information on the church's own website: Hart Church History.

Inside the church are a number of stones built into the west end of the nave and the south aisle. Stored under pews at the eastern end of the nave and the south aisle are a number of Anglo Saxon cross fragments and some later architectural fragments. The polished limestone top of the altar includes five inscribed consecration crosses carved into its surface.

Some original Anglo Saxon stonework also remains in the chancel arch and over the arches of the north aisle. On the external south wall of the sanctuary is a carved representation of St George and the Dragon. Within the south porch are six carved heads.

Nearby, opposite the school, is part of the c1300 wall of the manor house belonging to the Brus and Clifford families.

The church guide tells us that a local witch, Alison Laws, was buried in the churchyard in the 16th century, along with a 'fornacatrix', Ellen Thompson, and Old Mother Midnight of Elwick in 1941. We were told by the very informative and interesting church warden who opened the church for us that the very ornate 15th century font was attacked by a previous vicar who took exception to the imagery on it, hence the large crack all around its bowl!
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St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face A (top) and D (side/bottom of photo) of AS Corpus Hart 01, part of the upper part of a cross shaft dated to the mid tenth century. The Corpus describes face A as: "(i) A neatly laid out six-strand plain plait (left hand side) (ii) A man on horseback facing left. He holds a spear in his hand, and his hair is knotted behind. The horse's head and neck are raised; its ear is pricked up (right ha... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face C (top) and Face D (chiselled away) of AS Corpus Hart 02, part of a cross shaft dated to the late ninth/early tenth century. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : For some reason, only one of my photos of AS Corpus Hart 02, face A, came out, and that blurred. I include it here to show the ring knot formed from "three rings threaded with U bends". (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : The chancel arch, described by Poinds in his Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and County Durham page 181. It is particularly interesting as part of the original A-S can still be seen from both the nave and the chancel, and apparently this is centred on the original Anglo Saxon Nave. Above this arch is what is now a window, but measures 60ins high by 24ins wide and is thoug... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : I just had to include this photograph of the ornate, 15th century font, which we were told was 'attacked' with a hammer by a previous vicar who took exception to the images on it, hence a large crack round the top bowl! However, it is still in use today. The church leaflet tells us: "It is carved in local limestone and the bowl depicts a resurrection scene, emblems of the four Evangelists and fig... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Side D of AS Corpus Hart 01, showing one trail of tangled vine scroll with looped stems terminating in small, pointed leaves. Half way through, we asked permission to turn the stones over to look at the carvings on the reverse side, but we ran out of time and I didn't get to see the reverse, broad side of this fragment which also has a worn human figure alongside an animal.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : This is AS Corpus Hart 04, side C, part of a cross shaft dating to the last quarter of the ninth to first quarter of the 10th century. Fragments measures 33.5cms high by 25cms wide and 15.25cms deep.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : This is AS Corpus Hart 04, sides A (front) and B (top). Part of a cross shaft dating to the last quarter of the ninth to first quarter of the 10th century. Fragments measures 33.5cms high by 25cms wide and 15.25cms deep.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : In the external south wall of the south porch, on its eastern side, there are the faint outlines of a sundial. The red arrow shows its location.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Close up of the fragment of cross shaft in the external eastern wall of the south porch. Dated to the eleventh century. Recorded as AS Corpus Hart 06 and in Guy Poinds' Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and County Durham (page 186, para 2).

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Sections of two baluster shafts, recorded as AS Corpus Hart 10, dating to the early eighth century. Also described by Poinds in his Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and County Durham, page 185 (items 12 and 13). Decoration includes flat band moulding with grooves with sharply chamfered edges. Both shafts have a lathe hole in the top, indicating they have been turned.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Recorded by AS Corpus as Hart 12, this sundial is 'presumed to be pre-Conquest'. Built into the interior west wall of the south aisle. It is also described by Poinds in his Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and Durham, page 185. Poindsgive the dimensions as 13.5ins/34cms high by 17ins/43cms wide. It has raised lines forming a semicircle which "divide the day into eight segm...

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : The original Norman font is tucked to the west of the south door into the church, in 'Children's Corner'. The church leaflet tells us: "a large square Norman font, carved from a single piece of stone, with corner columns and cushion capitals".

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : The figure of St George on the external south wall of the chancel. The church leaflet tells us: "The figure of a knight spearing a dragon decorates the (external) south wall of the chancel. The knight is generally thought to be St George, although he is depicted as a foot soldier”.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : In the different corners of the tower (externally), Poinds (Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and County Durham), page 186, described grave covers which have been incorporated into the quoining. After a closer look (in the biting winter wind), my husband, who is a civil engineer, thought they were far too thick for grave covers, and were just larger stones to tie the sides...

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : This fragment of namestone/pillow stone is not recorded by either the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture or Guy Poinds in his Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Northumberland and County Durham. Fragments of what look like runic writing can be seen in the bottom left hand quadrant, and it is a much better example than the one in the Museum of Hartlepool. I have emailed the vicar askin...

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Immediately to the south (left as you face the west wall of the south aisle) of the sundial, there is a fragment of an incised grave slab. Recorded by Ryder in his "Medieval Cross Slab Grave Cover in County Durham", he describes this slab as: "a medieval inscribed grave slab with a few letters of a roughly-incised Lombardic legend: ‘HIC IACET / ……. IACET IN TV /M…’ (Boyle, 1892, 620)".

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Now very worn, this medieval cross slab is built into the west wall of the south aisle (inside). Recorded as Ryder's Hart 1: The upper part of a magnesian limestone slab 0.80m x 0.52m, bearing an incised design. Straight arm cross with fleur-de-lys terminals, the fleur-de-lys springing from a ‘calyx’. ON the right of the cross shaft is a sword, and on the left a second emblem which also looks ...

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : This medieval grave slab is built into the west wall of the south aisle (inside) and recorded as Ryder's Hart 2. Ryder describes it as: "A magnesian limestone flag 0.57m x 0.24m x 0.2m, slightly coped in section, bearing a simple cross with slight expanded arms in relief. The design is too simple to date accurately – it could be 12th century or equally well pre-Conquest".

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Recorded as AS Corpus Hart 02, this is part of a cross shaft dating to the late ninth/early tenth century. Located against the eastern wall of the south aisle, inside. This is face B (top) with the imprint of Face A in the carpet to its right hand side).

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : This is AS Corpus Hart 03, part of a cross shaft or part of a cross base, dated to the eleventh century. Built into the southern part of the western wall of the nave, by the entrance to the tower (above the vestry door). It was discovered in around 1886. The Corpus describes this as: "Edged by a wide outer and inner fine roll moulding are two figures. They are frontal, have round heads, square sh...

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face C of AS Corpus Hart 05, part of a cross shaft dated to the last quarter of the ninth to first quarter of the tenth century.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face A of AS Corpus Hart 05, part of a cross shaft dated to the last quarter of the ninth to first quarter of the tenth century. This fragment measures 15cms high by 19cms wide, by 15cms deep.

St Mary Magdalene (Hart)
St Mary Magdalene (Hart) submitted by Anne T : Face D of AS Corpus Hart 05, part of a cross shaft dated to the last quarter of the ninth to first quarter of the tenth century.

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