West end of nave, inside

First described in 1905. Greenwell (1880-9c, lxxvi) records that shortly before May 1886 the vicar and two masons repaired church and removed plaster from walls. They found remains of pre-Conquest chancel arch, triangular opening from chancel to nave, and several pre-Conquest fragments. Only nos 10, 12 and 13 specified before Boyle (1892, 620) who only specifies one more, while adding that there were four or five fragments with interlace. Hodges (1894, 2) records six fragments with interlace but does not individually describe them until 1905.

St Mary Magdalene

Damaged by reuse

Edged by a double roll moulding.

A (broad): Above, bungled simple pattern E; below, a ring-knot formed from three rings threaded with U-bends.

B (narrow): Four registers of simple pattern E, with a bungled, irregular terminal.

C (broad): Three registers of simple pattern E, with an irregular terminal.

D (narrow): Chiselled away.

These patterns are finely but erratically carved. They obviously look back to the Anglian tradition, but are not truly part of it. Adcock (1974, 316-17) compares the technique with that at Chester-le-Street (no. 1), and this seems to be part of a group of carvings in the south of co. Durham which is closely linked with late work at Jarrow (nos. 3-4 and 6) and early work at Chester-le-Street (no. 1) (Introduction, p. 31).

Late ninth to early tenth century

Hodges 1905, 232; Adcock 1974, 316-18, pls. 154, 157A

1. The following are general references to the Hart stones: Greenwell 1880-9c, lxxvi; (—) 1887-8a, 16; Boyle 1892, 620; Hodges 1894, 2; Pevsner 1953, 158; Taylor 1978, 749.