Monks' Dormitory, Durham cathedral, catalogue no. XLVII

Found in restoration of 1864, possibly in south wall of nave, which was taken down. Kept in Vicarage garden until 1896 when donated to chapter library, Durham

St Mary

Top and one end missing

Type h – scroll type.

A (long): Although most of the roof has gone, at the top right are the remains of two tegulae, type 2c. Below are two panels of ornament set in a plain frame. (i) Unpinned loop pattern which curves up towards the centre and diminishes in scale towards the ends. (ii) Four-strand median-incised plain plait.

B (end): Dressed smooth with converging frames which form a type of gable.

C (long): Although most of the roof has gone, at the top left are the remains of two tcgulae, type 2b. Below are two panels of ornament set in a plain frame. (i) Running spiral scroll which curves up towards the centre and diminishes in scale from right to left. (ii) Median-incised plait as on A.

D (end): Broken off.

This narrow type of hogback with a wide flat frame which comprises the gable, and with two zones of curving horizontal ornament is, as has been remarked, very like Crathornc, Yorkshire (Haverfield and Greenwell 1899, 109). The running spiral has a wide distribution in the north, being found in Yorkshire (York, Kirkdale and Oswaldkirk); at Penrith, Cumberland, and Appleby, Westmorland: Lang 1967, 287; and at Sockburn (no. 15). Despite the coherent form of the pattern here, it is most probably related to the Anglo-Scandinavian Cumbrian scrolls as at Dearham or Kirkby Stephen, rather than being a direct and early development of the leafless scrolls of the Anglian stones of the late ninth century (for example, Ilkley).

Tenth century

Stuart 1867, 64-5, pl. cxiv, 15; Browne 1887, 147; Haverfield and Greenwell 1899, no. XLVII, 109, fig. on 108; Hodges 1905, 230; Cramp 1965a, 7, no. 47; Lang 1967, 287; ?Morris 1976, 142; Lang 1984, no. 1

1. The following are general references to the Gainford stones: Greenwell 1880-9b, lxviii; Allen and Browne 1885, 352; (—) 1887-8b, 373. Brock 1888, 176, refers to stones in a graaden (later taken to Durham) and mentions illustrations by STuarts but does not describe them individually. (—) 1905-6b, 343-4, refers to discovery of stones in 1864-5 restoration, and there is also a reference to the finding in 1905 of another stone in the field west of the churchyard wall, and to the discovery of bones and a sword in the churchyard in 1889.