Volume I: County Durham and Northumberland

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Current Display: Bothal 06, Northumberland Forward button Back button
Overview
Present Location
Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle upon Tyne, no. 1956.206.A
Evidence for Discovery
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.
Church Dedication
St Andrew
Present Condition
Worn in places
Description

All faces are edged by a wide flat-band moulding.

A (broad): A cross of type A11 enclosed in an arcade of simple twist. The twist pattern, which has been produced by punching and incising, is enclosed in a shallow roll moulding. The cross is outlined by a narrow roll moulding and has a central incised roundel.

B, D and E (narrow sides and top): The rounded top is divided into three panels enclosed in a narrow double roll moulding. The lower, on the right as one looks at face A, is very worn interlace which appears to be simple pattern E. The central, crown, panel is composed of a ring-twist with four free rings. The lower left panel is interlace: complete pattern A with cross-joined terminals.

C (broad): This face is less worn than face A. Two affronted Stafford Knots are enclosed in a flat-band frame which is more rectangular than on the other face. It is possible that these knots formed the arms of a cross. An outer and inner roll moulding enclose a simple twist, which forms an arcade, as on A. The pattern has been produced by picking and incising.

Discussion

This type of grave-marker with a cross surrounded by fine interlace is perhaps derived from Lindisfarne (Introduction, p. 7). The cross on Bothal 6 is carved precisely and delicately, and thus could be earlier than 5. Since both stones are broken, it is impossible to tell whether the complete stone would have been something like the Warkworth grave-marker (no. 2), or like the head- and foot-stones found in the Viking cemetery under York minster. If the latter were so, only the upper part of the cross might have been carved.

Date
First half of tenth century
References
(—) 1887-8a, 17; Hodges 1887-8b, 234; Tomlinson 1891, 290; Hodges 1893, 15; (—) 1901-2e, 258, 260, pls. facing 260 (same face twice); (—) 1921-2b, 291; Collingwood 1926, 327; Collingwood 1927, 13, fig. 171; Coatsworth 1981, 25; Cramp and Miket 1982, no. 50
Endnotes

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