Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle upon Tyne, no. 1956.211.A

Find-spots of individual stones from this site not recorded. Presumably all at Newcastle found in the restoration of St Andrew's Church in 1887, either under floor, or built into south wall of chancel. Stones given to Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne by the Hon. the Rev. W. Ellis in 1888. Hodges (1893) records that all stones found were given to the Society. Only 6 of stones now in museum can be identified as coming from Bothal. Possible that some in museum with no known provenance also from Bothal, but rubbing by Hodges of Bothal stones, now in very poor condition and preserved in Library of Society in the Blackgate, Newcastle, only identifies stones of known provenance, while others appear to be missing.

St Andrew

Worn; two faces dressed for reuse

Traces of carving survive on three faces. There is no proper edge moulding.

A (broad): The remains of two panels outlined by punch marks. (i) Part of a motif of concentric rectangles of outline ornament survives. (ii) Traces of a grid and one row of diagonal holes, which imply that it had been marked out for a wide-stranded interlace.

B (narrow): Hacked away.

C (broad): The carving appears to have been dressed away. Faint traces survive of a pick-outlined base of a panel and the beginnings of interlace.

D (narrow): An attempt has been made to create a moulding by picking out a long panel, and possibly subdividing it by a row of holes. (i) At the top is a version of what may be a draped figure. (ii) The faint vestiges of a panel with two closed loops. (iii) A frontal figure that appears to be seated, since the remains of a chair or foot-stool are visible by the feet. The head appears to be draped and surrounded by a halo with out-curved ends. The head is slightly inclined and the eyes are punched. On the breast are lines which at first sight could be renderings of drapery or a book, but the feature apparently ends with two feet and the hem of a robe. It is just possible, therefore, that this is a Virgin and Child.

It is clear from this piece that the carver's ambition outran his technique. Despite its worn condition, it is possible to say that the decoration of the stone was not carved in relief, but merely punched in outline. The figures on D, however, hint that Bothal had some access to models in other media. There are no surviving stone carvings of a Virgin and Child in Bernicia, but no. 1 and the grave-markers 5 and 6 may indicate contact with illustrated books which could have provided models.

Tenth century

(—) 1887-8a, 17; Hodges 1887-8b, 234; Tomlinson 1891, 290; Hodges 1893, 15; (—) 1901-2e, 258, 260; (—) 1921-2b, 291; Cramp and Miket 1982, no. 33