The Corpus: Hexham 42

Volume I: County Durham and Northumberland

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Current Display: Hexham 42, Northumberland

Overview

Object type: Three pairs of columns [1]

Measurements:

Fragment a: H. 67 cm (23.5 in); Diameter 34 cm (13.5 in)
Fragments b and c: H. 75 cm (29.5 in); Diameter 30 cm 12 in)

Stone type: Coarse-grained, massive sandstone

Plate numbers in printed volume: Pl. 188.1033-1034

Corpus volume reference: Vol 1 p. 193

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Present Location

Outer face of wall of north aisle of abbey

Evidence for Discovery

First mentioned in 1919

Church Dedication

St Andrew

Present Condition

Unworn

Description

Fragment a, part of a half-round attached column; fragments b and c, two joining pieces of free-standing circular columns.

Discussion

There are no obvious imposts or capitals for these columns and with objects as plain as these it is not possible to be dogmatic about date. It is unusual to have monolithic columns in Anglo-Saxon architecture, but much is unusual at Hexham.

Date

Roman to Norman

References

Hodges and Gibson 1919, 64; Taylor and Taylor 1961, 119; Taylor and Taylor 1965, 304; Cramp 1974, 121-2, 178, pl. 13E

Endnotes

1. The following are general references to the Hexham stones: (—) 1855-7a, 45-6; Rowe 1877, 62-3; Allen 1889, 230; Bailey 1980, 79, 81, 83.