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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in England in Northumberland

Submitted by Anne T on Friday, 12 October 2018  Page Views: 1448

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 2.187 km away from the location you searched for.
County: Northumberland Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Bamburgh
Map Ref: NU1784334964
Latitude: 55.607959N  Longitude: 1.718336W
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 9th Oct 2018 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh: We hadn’t intended to visit this church, but having seen two wells located in the property immediately to its east, we decided to take a look before heading off to the castle. The church is open during daylight hours, and is very welcoming, with lights in the nave, chancel and sanctuary, and a great display of literature and guide books. With this church being so old (there was a cell of St Aidan and a monastery on the site), I was surprised there was no remnant of a preaching cross or cross base. To ensure I didn’t miss anything, I picked up the laminated church guide and ran through the features. It mentioned a timber from the original church, placed in the ceiling above the font. The church was so dark at this point (right at the west end of the church) that I sought lights to illuminate the spot, and looking up, indeed there was a very large (cruck) timber. The guide also mentioned two old tombstones in the churchyard which are said to be older than the present church. I found one, but not the other. Grace Darling also has a memorial in the churchyard. Walking down the eastern wall of the churchyard and looking over to the farm buildings beyond, we identified the sites of two wells marked on the 1860 OS map.

St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)
St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) submitted by Anne T : "All that remains (of the original wooden church on this site) is a forked beam which can now be seen in the ceiling above the font. Bede’s account of Aidan’s death describes him as leaning against a beam when he died, in a shelter built for him outside the church. With the beam surviving at least two fires it became an object of veneration and was through to have miraculous healing qualities... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient timber, wells and early grave markers in Northumberland

This church has associations with St Aidan and early Northumbrian history, and the Diocese of Newcastle Archaeological Assessment, March 2005, describes the church as "clearly a church of national significance."

Also recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 7624 and Historic England List ID 1042269. The Pastscape entry tells us this was orginally an Augustinina priory church built on the site of an Early Medieval church and cell of St Aidan.

Above the font, largely hidden in darkness, is a crucked timber, which is said to date from the original wooden church. The information in the church tells us: "(the original wooden church) was burnt down and rebuilt several times. All that remains is a forked beam which can now be seen in the ceiling above the font. Bede’s account of Aidan’s death describes him as leaning against a beam when he died, in a shelter built for him outside the church. With the beam surviving at least two fires it became an object of veneration and was through to have miraculous healing qualities. People came to touch it and even take bits away. Years later it was built into the baptistry to keep it out of reach!" To see this more clearly, seek out the light switches near the door at the base of the tower.

Against the northern wall of the chancel, at its western end, is a modern shrine to St Aidan, erected at the site where St Aidan was said to have died in 651. This shrine was dedicated by Archbishop Sentamu in 2013.

Whilst the links to St Aidan are certain, his associations with the crucked beam and the shrine are tenuous, but nevertheless lend a little 'magic' to this church.

Almost immediately to the east of the eastern churchyard wall, the 1860 map shows the site of two wells. Now no longer visible (the water is said to have dried up in summer months), the location of these wells is behind a barn. Because of their proximity to the church, they might be counted as holy wells, but the main well is to be found to the eastern end of the village green (see nearby sites below).

Also against the eastern wall of the churchyard, near the south eastern end of the sanctuary/crypt is a large rectangular grave slab which is said to be older then the present church; a second stone can also be found in the churchyard (we were unable to locate this).

Bamburgh is where Grace Darling lived and died, and there is a memorial to her in the church, her grave in the churchyard, and the RNLI Grace Darling Museum not far away in Radcliffe Road, Bamburgh, NE69 7AE.
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St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)
St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) submitted by Anne T : This is one of the two rectangular grave markers said to pre-date the current church. This one is located next to the eastern wall of the churchyard, not far from the south east corner of the sanctuary/crypt. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)
St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) submitted by Anne T : Close up of the cruck (fork) in the large wooden timber above the font. Said to originate from the original wooden church, it looks as if it has been stained to match the rest of the roof timbers. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)
St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) submitted by Anne T : The red arrows show the location of the two wells shown on the 1860 OS map. Said to dry up in the summer months, these wells are no longer visible on the ground. These wells are/were located on private land, but the site can be seen by walking towards the north eastern corner of the churchyard and looking over the wall. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.

Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
NU1734 : St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh by Andrew Curtis
by Andrew Curtis
©2010(licence)
NU1734 : St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh by Mike Searle
by Mike Searle
©2013(licence)
NU1734 : St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh by Billy McCrorie
by Billy McCrorie
©2013(licence)
NU1734 : St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh by Billy McCrorie
by Billy McCrorie
©2013(licence)
NU1734 : St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh by Bill Boaden
by Bill Boaden
©2013(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 195m ESE 105° St Aidan's Well (Bamburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NU1803234914)
 297m SE 136° Leper's Well (Bamburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NU18053475)
 536m E 81° Bamburgh Castle* Sculptured Stone (NU1837335053)
 745m SE 130° Bamburgh Barrow 1* Round Barrow(s) (NU1841634486)
 849m ESE 113° Bamburgh Barrow 2* Round Barrow(s) (NU18633464)
 2.8km WSW 248° Spindlestone Hill Fort* Hillfort (NU152339)
 4.1km ENE 76° St. Cuthbert's Well (Farne Islands)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NU21783599)
 4.6km SE 137° North Sunderland (Seahouses) Rock Art (NU2100031600)
 4.8km SE 128° North Sunderland Cists* Cist (NU21603202)
 5.3km SSW 209° St Hilda's Church (Lucker)* Ancient Cross (NU15303033)
 5.5km SSW 200° Bradford Kaims Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (NU16022980)
 6.7km W 265° Belshill Quarry 1 & 2 Rock Art (NU1110034400)
 7.2km SE 135° Beadnell Caravan Park Rock Art (NU2300029900)
 8.4km SSE 153° Long Nanny* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NU21632748)
 8.4km SE 136° Benthall Round Cairn* Cairn (NU2371528908)
 8.5km NW 323° Lindisfarne Priory* Museum (NU12614172)
 8.6km SSW 211° Isabella's Mount Camp Hillfort (NU13372757)
 8.7km NW 325° Holy Island a & b Rock Art (NU1276042050)
 8.7km SE 136° St Ebba's Chapel* Ancient Cross (NU2396428707)
 9.1km SSE 158° Tughall Chapel* Ancient Cross (NU2132026540)
 9.2km S 186° Ellingham a & d Rock Art (NU1691025790)
 9.3km S 186° Ellingham b & c Rock Art (NU1686025750)
 9.4km S 183° St Maurice's Well (Ellingham)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NU17452553)
 9.6km W 262° Early Knowe Stone Circle (NU083336)
 10.0km SSW 213° Lucker Moor 4 Rock Art (NU1245126497)
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"St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh)" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: St Aidan's Church (Bamburgh) by Anne T on Friday, 12 October 2018
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With its associations with early Northumbrian history, I was fascinated by the church's information on the history of this place. I photographed some of the information on the laminated sheet in the church, which I typed up for my 'walk/photo journal. For anyone else interested:
A Brief History of St Aidan’s Church
Early history
The earliest local history records that Bamburgh was established as a Royal City by Ida the Flamebearer in 547. He was king of the Angles who settled in this area from Southern Denmark. His kingdom of Benicia extended from the Forth to the Tees and was allied to the Kingdom of Deria, covering East Yorkshire and centred on York. Together they formed the greater kingdom of Northumbria.
Christianity first came to the region when Edwin, king of Deria was baptised on his marriage to the Kentish princess Ethelburga in 627. Paulinus came to Northumbria as chaplain to Ethelburga and made numerous converts in the area. When Edwin was killed in battle by the pagan kings Penda and Cadwallen, Ethelburga and Paulinus returned to Kent and Christianity declined somewhat.
Oswald and Aidan
A few years later in 633, Oswald, prince of Bernicia, returned from exile in Iona, where he had become a Christian, and defeated Cadwallen at the battle of Heavenfield (near Hexham). Establishing himself in the royal castle at Bamburgh, Oswald sent to Iona for a priest and Aidan arrived in 635 as Bishop of Lindisfarne. A church was built not far from the castle and probably on this site.
The First Church
The original church was made of wood. It was burnt down and rebuilt several times. All that remains is a forked beam which can now be seen in the ceiling above the font. Bede’s account of Aidan’s death describes him as leaning against a beam when he died, in a shelter built for him outside the church.
With the beam surviving at least two fires it became an object of veneration and was through to have miraculous healing qualities. People came to touch it and even take bits away. Years later it was built into the baptistry to keep it out of reach!
There is scanty evidence of a stone church built before the Norman conquest. Parts of a stone Norman church with Nave, Chancel and Transepts survive – a round headed window in the North Transept (now St Oswald’s Chapel) and part of the walls and pillars around the central crossing.
The Monastery Church
In the 12th century Bamburgh was a wealthy place and in 1123 was given by Henry I to the Augustinian Priory at Nostell in Yorkshire. There were extensive delays before the pope finally confirmed the grant in 1221 and it took until 1228 for the Augustinians to come into full possession and establish a cell of Canons to look after the living It was at that time, towards the end of the 13th century, that the monastery church was rebuilt substantially in its present form with a tower, arcades on either side of the Nave and a crypt under the altar. The Chancel was built large enough to accommodate the Canons for services and daily offices but has been much modified over the centuries.
The Augustinian Canons remained in Bamburgh until the Dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII who sold the estates to John Forster of Adderstone fo £665.6s.10d, leaving only the church with some of its surrounding land. The Forster family feature prominently in the history of Bamburgh and the church from that period.
There were some alterations in the 14th to 16th centuries, mainly to the outer walls and windows, but little has changed since then, apart from repairs and restoration work, mainly in the 19th century.
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