Used as base for 1

Both fragments, nos. 1 and 2, first noticed by Featherstonhaugh, who in 1859 reproduced drawing made by himself some years before. He thought they had been built into southern splay of west window of second stage of tower and believed them lost. Later references, however, make it clear that the stones were built into west window of second stage of tower.

St Andrew

Worn

Carving survives on two faces.

A (long) and B (narrow): A recessed central zone is edged by two triple-grooved mouldings. The central zone is ornamented with a row of relief chequers.

C (long): Not visible.

D (narrow): Broken away.

This could possibly be a Roman impost, since there are similar features at the near-by site of Corstopitum. However, as the chequer pattern is also found on architectural details at Hexham, it is possible that this was either a copy of a Roman type or reused. If it was an architectural feature of the church rather than merely used as a building stone, it puts the earliest structure into the same dating phase as Hexham and Corbridge.

Late seventh to early eighth century

Featherstonhaugh 1859; Greenwell 1880-9d, lxxxiv; Allen and Browne 1885, 351; Johnson 1887-8, 124-5, 126 note; Johnson 1889, 91; Hodges 1893, 15; Hodges 1905, 244; Hodges 1923-4c, 281; Gilbert 1946, 165; Pevsner 1957, 108; Fisher 1962, 56