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Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe, Scarre

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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in England in Tyne and Wear

Submitted by Anne T on Wednesday, 25 September 2019  Page Views: 1584

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) Alternative Name: Monkwearmouth Priory
Country: England County: Tyne and Wear Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Sunderland
Map Ref: NZ4016857783
Latitude: 54.913146N  Longitude: 1.374963W
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.
5 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.
4 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 20th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth): This trip was made largely thanks to coming across Guy Points' "Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: County Durham and Northumberland" (2012), as we hadn't really appreciated what was here. Our intention was to visit St Peter's, go to Sunderland Minster, then walk round Sunderland Museum, although we spent so much time here, we will need to visit the Minster another time. We were made extremely welcome as soon as we walked through the door, and given a personal tour of the church. Imagine our surprise towards the end, when the guide revealed himself as none other than Guy Points! I was astonished. Would love to go back and find some of the stones he mentions in his book that we missed on the day, and also have a closer look at the glass and plaster fragments, and sit and enjoy the ambience of the church. Brilliant afternoon!

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed at the top of the case in the 'Exhibition Centre' at the eastern end of the north aisle, this is one of a pair of Consecration Crosses, recorded as Monkwearmouth 29 and Monkwearmouth 28. The latter is still in situ in the west gable of the nave, some 42ft above ground, visible only from the interior of the tower, partly beneath a beam. They are both dated to either the 7th century (orig... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Early Christian Sculptured Stones in Tyne and Wear

First consecrated as a monastery in AD 674, burned down in AD 1070, re-established as a monastery again in AD1075, and now a Parish Church (with a long, complex and interesting history in-between), St Peter's is described as "one of the UK's earliest stone churches … once home to the Venerable Bede"

This amazing church and its artefacts are recorded as:
St Peter's Church: Pastscape Monument No. 956596 and Grade I listed as Historic England List ID 1217958.

Monkwearmouth Priory: Pastscape Monument No. 27257; scheduled as Historic England List ID 1017222.

Parts of the original structure of the monastery still stands, including its west wall and porch. Inside the church there is a small Exhibition Space which includes an Abbot's Seat (part original, part reproduction); one of the original consecration crosses; the Herebericht Stone and other early sculptured stones; a viewing window to see part of the original Anglo Saxon foundations of the monastery; a reproduction of pages from the Codex Amiatinus; fragments of coloured glass from the original buildings, plus a collection of medieval grave slabs and other artefacts.

St Peter's (St Peter’s Way, Sunderland, SR6 0DY), whilst an important centre, and almost a museum, is still a working parish church. It is open to visitors:
Monday to Saturday: 10:30 - 14:30
Sunday: 12:30 - 14:30
Tour guides are available during these times. For pre-booking, or to arrange other times, telephone the parish office on 0191 516 0135.

Some of the sculptured stones and finds from archaeological excavations can also be found at the Sunderland Museum (Winter Gardens) - see nearby sites below. For more information about the church, visit their website at St Peter's, Wearmouth.
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St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 1 and Fyson's 14 (after drawings by CC Hodge), this slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is described as: "The upper part of a slab of brown sandstone, 0.51m x 0.36m, bearing an incised design. Slender straight-armed cross with a circle enclosing its head, four small... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : The rounded headed stone, centre right of the photo, is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 5 and Fyson's 17 (1957, after drawings by CC Hodges). Ryder describes it as: "Part of what is evidently a headstone, 0.41 m x 0.35m, of Magnesian Limestone. The form of the stone,... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 6 and Fyson's 10 (1957, after drawings by CC Hodges). It is "a complete slab, of coarse brown sandstone, 0.71m x 0.32m x 0.27m, in a good state of preservation. The worked surface has a square edge raised above the broad ... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed on a shelf/niche in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel, this is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 9, and Fyson's 13 (1957, after CC Hodges' drawings). "The upper part of a slab of brown sandstone 0.67, x 0.45m x 0.42m … The left edge has received a later moulding of twin rolls, perhaps when the stone was re-used in some archite... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed on a shelf/niche in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel, this is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 10, also Fyson no. 11 (1957, after CC Hodges' unpublished drawings). "The upper part of a slab of yellow-brown limestone, 0.51m x 0.37m. Bracelet-form cross carved in relief within a sunken circle, the bracelets having unusually wide... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed in the shelf/niche in the passage between the vestry and the 'chapter house/bakehouse', the lighter piece of stone on the lower left hand side of the photo is recorded as item (a) by Guy Points, “Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: County Durham and Northumberland”, page 306. He describes it as: "standing vertically between 1ins / 2cms and 1.25ins / 3cms to the right of the le...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This small, lighter coloured stone, is "an incomplete baluster shaft. It is located lying horizontally 28.5ins / 72cms to the left of the right hand edge of the niche and 33ins / 83cms up from the bottom of the niche. It measures 5.75ins / 14cms L (H) with a 4ins / 10cms diameter. It is not decorated. Displayed in the shelf/niche in the passage between the vestry and the 'chapter house/bakehouse',...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This tiny fragment of baluster shaft, marked by the red arrow, is described as (c) in Guy Points, “Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: County Durham and Northumberland”, page 306. Found in the restoration of the church in 1872, three Anglo Saxon baluster shaft pieces were 'sealed into a wall' with grave slabs and other architectural fragments as 'a precaution against souvenir hunters'. ...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 2 and is described as: "the lower part of a slab of brown sandstone, 0.49m x 0.30m x 0.35m. Incised design, a broad cross shaft". Not enough is left of the design to date this slab.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 3 and Fyson's 3 (1957, after drawings by CC Hodges). It is "an almost complete slab of yellow-brown sandstone, 0.74m x 0.29m x 0.26m. The design is incised except for sunken panels in the cross head, which is an unusual va...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 4. It is "The lower part of a slab of brown sandstone, 0.52m x 0.34m, lacking a section of the base. Incised cross shaft and the upper part of a stepped calvary". Not enough remains of the design to estimate a date.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This slab is displayed on a niche/shelf in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel. It is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 7 and Fyson's 12 (1957, after drawings by CC Hodges). It is "the upper part of a limestone slab 0.80m x 0.48m (h) x 0.39m, its surface now flaking badly. Straight arm cross with simple fleur-de-lys terminals". It is dated...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed on a shelf/niche in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel, this is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 8, and Fyson's 18 (1957, after CC Hodges' drawings). With a badly flaked surface, there is enough of the design left to date it the late 12th or 13th century. It is described as: "(a) complete limestone slab, 0.85m x 0.35m x 0.36m ....

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed on a shelf/niche in a passage in the modern vestry and ‘chapter house’ block on the north side of the chancel, this is recorded as Ryder's Monkwearmouth 11: "Fragment of the central part of a stone, 0.25 x 0.29m. Whitish sandstone bearing incised design, cross shaft with shears on left. Undateable" (not enough of the design left to estimate a date).

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Ryder's Monkwearmouth 13, also recorded as Fyson 1958, no. 20 (after CC Hodges' drawings). "Complete limestone slab 1.44m x 0.52m x 0.38m now lying inside the base of the west tower against the south wall. Relief design, partly destroyed by weathering. The visible sections of the design present some unusual features. The cross head is a straight-arm form, within an enclosing circle, but with rat...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Ryder's Monkwearmouth 12, also recorded as Hodge 21. "Complete slab of yellow-brown sandstone, 1.46m x 0.38m x 0.30m, now lying inside the base of the west tower, against the north wall. Incised design … The cross head is based on the cup terminal form enclosed within a circle … The cross shaft rises from a semi-circular mount and on its right is a sword with a disc-like pommel." Dated to 'per...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Displayed behind glass in a recessed case between the east end of the north aisle and the Chapter House/cafeteria, this is AS Corpus's Monkwearmouth 20, a grave or coffin cover which is dated to the eleventh century, with what is thought to be an original Anglo Saxon windowhead from the church standing behind it. It was found under the floor the chancel during renovations of the heating system in ... (1 comment)

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This is fragment AS Corpus Monkwearmouth 15b, which is dated to the last quarter of the 7th century. Also being a left arm, it could only have belonged to a second chair. The Corpus describes this fragment as "A single block of stone has a lion carved in very high relief. The beast's two back haunches are carved almost free from the stone. It is standing with front legs slightly braced on a ledg...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : The modern reproduction of the second chair arm. Our guide (Guy Points) mentioned that when asked to carve a lion originally, none of the Anglo Saxon masons would probably have seen a lion.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : The Abbot's Seat, including Monkwearmouth 15a, seen from the front, with the original section on the left, and a modern reproduction on the right. The information banner includes: "These pieces of the Abbot’s Seat date back to the days of Benedict Biscop and Bede. It is quite possible that Benedict Biscop himself sat in the main throne and that Bede sat on the benches to listen to him". Guy Poin...

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This is Monkwearmouth 15a, an original part of the Abbot's Seat, recorded as AS Corpus's Monkwearmouth 15a-b (Displayed behind glass in the Exhibition Centre - not much room between the cabinet and the wall to photograph it properly!). It is described as a 'lion in an architectural cage', meant to be seen from the side and the front. Dates to the last quarter of the seventh century.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : This shelf of baluster shaft, some not complete, are decorated with different variations of grooves and bands. Displayed in the showcase at the east end of the north aisle.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : The third shelf of baluster shafts dating from the last quarter of the seventh century, and used as ornament within St Peter's. Two baluster shafts are on display at Sunderland Museum, with the remainder in the Monk's Dormitory at Durham Cathedral.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : Six more of the baluster shafts on display in the showcase at the eastern end of the north aisle. Recorded as AS Corpus Monkwearmouth 14.

St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth)
St Peter's Church (Monkwearmouth) submitted by Anne T : The Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture records a total of thirty five baluster shafts found at St Peter's, 20 of which are displayed in the show case at the east end of the north aisle in the church. Dating from the last quarter of the seventh century, many still retain the holes at their top and bottom to enable them to be worked on a lathe.

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 1.0km SSW 201° Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens* Museum (NZ398568)
 3.5km SSW 198° Tunstall Hills* Cist (NZ39145448)
 4.1km S 183° Ryhope Caves* Cave or Rock Shelter (NZ39985366)
 5.9km SW 236° Hasting Hill* Round Barrow(s) (NZ353544)
 5.9km SW 231° Offerton Cursus Cursus (NZ356540)
 6.3km SW 229° Offerton Cursus Cursus (NZ355536)
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 9.7km NW 320° Jarrow* Ancient Cross (NZ3387965216)
 9.9km SSW 210° Copt Hill* Cairn (NZ353492)
 10.0km SW 217° St Michael and All Angels (Houghton-le-Spring)* Burial Chamber or Dolmen (NZ342498)
 10.0km NW 321° Bede's World (Jarrow)* Ancient Cross (NZ33756542)
 10.2km WSW 247° Fatfield Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (NZ30735374)
 10.4km NW 308° Bede's Well Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NZ31986415)
 11.1km SSW 206° Fairies Cradle* Round Barrow(s) (NZ35374771)
 11.5km SSE 165° Hawthorn Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (NZ433467)
 11.8km S 178° Batter Law Round Barrow(s) (NZ406460)
 11.8km S 178° Batter Law Tumulus* Round Barrow(s) (NZ40604599)
 11.9km S 190° Croup Hill Barrows, Murton Round Barrow(s) (NZ382460)
 12.0km W 269° Sheddons Hill and Spring* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NZ28125755)
 12.9km WSW 250° North Lodge Cursus Cursus (NZ280533)
 14.1km WSW 243° The Anker's House* Ancient Cross (NZ27575131)
 16.0km SW 219° Woodwell House Ancient Village or Settlement (NZ30074531)
 16.1km WNW 293° Cale Cross (Newcastle)* Ancient Cross (NZ25206392)
 16.2km WNW 300° Villa Reale cist, Jesmond* Cist (NZ26006562)
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