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How and why the ancients enchanted Great Britain and Brittany

The Ancient Celts, Barry Cunliffe

The Ancient Celts, Barry Cunliffe

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<< Image Pages >> St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) - Ancient Cross in England in County Durham

Submitted by Sunny100 on Thursday, 05 August 2010  Page Views: 8533

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) Alternative Name: The Aycliffe Cross
Country: England County: County Durham Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Newton Aycliffe  Nearest Village: Aycliffe
Map Ref: NZ2830622162
Latitude: 54.593857N  Longitude: 1.563442W
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.
3 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 18th Sep 2014 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 St. Andrew’s Church, Aycliffe Village, County Durham: A treasure-house of Anglo-Saxon cross-shafts. OK - it’s only just over 9 miles between Escomb Saxon Church and Aycliffe Village, but I drove more than twice that distance as I managed to get hopelessly lost trying to follow the directions the bar maid at the Saxon Inn in Escomb had given me (I must have misunderstood). However, backtracking to the safety of the A68/A1 and heading north to junction 59, the church is really easy to find. Driving north up the A167, you pass ‘St Andrew’s Way’ (which leads to an industrial estate to your left), then just as you enter Aycliffe Village there is a left hand turn (officially called Church Lane, but I didn’t spot a street sign). I confess to a certain degree of trepidation as I turned down the lane – it got narrower and narrower and I was scared I wouldn’t be able to turn the car around, but then the lane suddenly widened out into a very generous parking area. Two cars were already there – the Church Warden and her friend. I wasn’t expecting such a large church which appeared to rise up out of the surrounding flatness of the fields like a mini-cathedral. As this church is only open for two hours on a Thursday afternoon between 1st May and 30th September each year, I phoned in advance to say I was going, to ensure I could gain entry. Thank goodness I had. The Church Warden was really, really friendly and gave me both a wonderful history of the church, pointing out features such as the Blacksmith’s Grave Cover and helping me find the Anglo Saxon cross shafts not in the display area, along with some of the features externally, but also leaving me space to wander and take photographs and understand and enjoy what I was looking at. I had to chuckle (but only to myself) about the ancient and wonderful Anglo Saxon cross stored in the south west corner with a huge modern ladder propped up on the wall against it. The wardens have laid out a small ‘museum’ area at the back of the church. My one disappointment was a lack of a church guide (when I was handed a leaflet I asked if there was a proper guide, only to be told ‘that’s it!’ My cheeks reddened). However, the church warden went back to her house and came back with a book on the church – a bargain at only £5. Over a cup of tea, I was given ‘chapter and verse’ on the adventures they had had putting heating, new lighting and a sound system into this Grade 1 listed building. Apparently officers from Durham Council had been out to sit on the choir stalls to ensure their feet weren’t too close to the new heating pipes for health and safety reasons! What fun. The Church Warden ended my visit by saying if I wanted to go back ‘out of season’ I had her phone number, to call her, and we’d ‘come to some arrangement’. On reading the guide book at home, I realised this was the church that had been mentioned when I worked at Northumbria University. One of the alumni had emailed in describing how he shared a room with two students from Teesside who had raided a churchyard for bones – and this was the cemetery they had come from. The guide book included Photostats of some of the newspaper articles from the time. This church is a real treat for Anglo-Saxon cross enthusiasts.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Sunny100 : Site in County Durham England. Illustration of one of the cross-shafts in St Andrew's church at Aycliffe. It dates from the 9th-10th century and has seen restoration. Carved on it is the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) with a mythical character riding on it's back with what could be a spear. The shaft stands on a solid stone base and originally stood in the churchyard. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Cross in County Durham
In the 12th century church there are two Anglo-Saxon cross shafts, dating from the 9th-10th century. Both have been restored from fragments, one shaft in particular is quite resonable.

It has some interesting Saxon carvings on it, and has a strong Irish influence. However, the cross-heads are lost to time and destruction, possibly Viking raids in the NE of England.

The shaft (illustrated) has intricate interlacing and knotwork. Lower down, is a sort of mythical creature that is, in fact, the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) with an equally mythical character riding upon its back with a spear. Also there is a large circle with interlacing inside. On the edges there is more intricate interlacing. The other cross shaft is similar in design. The carvings on these two shafts is strongly of an Irish influence, much like some of the Celtic crosses in that country and in Wales for that matter,

There are fragments of Anglo-Saxon stonework in the fabric of the church - the site, of which, dates back to the 7th century.

Update September 2019: This church is recorded as Pastcape Monument No. 24009 and Grade I listed as Historic England List ID 1322806 (Church of St Andrew).

Govancroft tells us that this is one of the few churches dedicated to St. Acca, who was a Northumbrian saint and Bishop of Hexham from AD 709 until 732. He is buried at Hexham Abbey.. Hexham Abbey still houses part of his shrine - St Acca's cross which stood at his head. Whilst the church in Aycliffe was once dedicated to St Acca, the "dedication was transferred to St Andrew when the present church was built in the tenth century".

For more information about the history of Aycliffe, visit: Aycliffe Village History and Great Aycliffe: St Andrew's Church.
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St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 01 (Church's Cross 2), located at west end of north aisle, showing the southern face which is divided into four panels. Dates from the last quarter of the 10th century to the first part of the 11th century. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 09, a cross-arm dating from the late 10th to early 11th century, located at west end of north aisle (opposite Aycliffe 02/Cross 1). The panel shows two figures with haloes facing front. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 15, part of a cross-shaft re-cut as a lintel on window at west end of north aisle. Very faint traces of interlacing are visible on its top right hand side (in the right light!). (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 14, part of a cross-shaft, now severely weathered, so cross now virtually indistinct, built into butress on south-west of church tower. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 16, an unusual triangular panel showing early Christian cross, built into the churchyard wall facing the car park, just above ground level. Dates from the 8th century. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 07, sited against west wall, under ladder, near to Aycliffe 02/Cross 1. Part of a grave cover from the 11th century, dressed smooth and showing incised cross.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 04, incomplete cross-shaft built into south wall of chancel. Dates from late 10th century to early 11th century.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 03, incomplete cross-shaft built into south wall of chancel. Dates from late 10th century to early 11th century.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 01 (Church's Cross 2), located at west end of north aisle, showing one panel from the northern face. Believed to be St. Peter being crucified upside down. Dates from the last quarter of the 10th century to the first part of the 11th century.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 01 (Church's Cross 2), located at west end of north aisle, showing the eastern face showing two panels of interlacing. Dates from the last quarter of the 10th century to the first part of the 11th century.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 02 (Church's Cross 1), located at west end of south aisle, showing the southern face.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture reference: Aycliffe 02 (Church's Cross 1), located at west end of south aisle. This has been reconstructed from three pieces of the shaft and part of the head of the cross. Dates from the last half of the tenth century.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by Anne T : To set the church into its context this is Aycliffe Church taken from south eastern corner of churchyard.

St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)
St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) submitted by durhamnature : East side of the cross, from Page's History of Durham via archive.org Site in County Durham England

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"St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe)" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: St Andrew's Church (Aycliffe) by Govancroft on Monday, 16 October 2023
(User Info | Send a Message)
The church is normally locked except for Sunday Service.
I am the warden and the key holder.
If anyone is interested in gaining access, just drop me an email. dljb1480@gmail.com.
Access to the tower is limited to those with a good head for heights, and only after signing a waiver. I have good general knowledge of the building and surrounding area.
David
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