Upper room of Anchorage,Chester-le-Street

Uncertain how many stones found at Chester-le-Street altogether. Hodges describe sixteen apparently all existing in 1905, but earlier (1894) reports that 'the best piece' disappeared from porch in 1882. One cross (no. 3) figured by Stuart (1867) certainly missing; Greenwell ((-) 1862-8a, xlv) compares one with stones from Hexham, Lowther and Bewcastle, which may imply a stone with plant-scroll, now lost. There were then at least seventeen stones, and perhaps more, of which only twelve now accounted for. These found on at least two different occasions: i, a stone with 'interlacing and other ornament' found when sedilia and piscine opened ((-) 1855-7c); ii, (-) 1862-8a records that several fragments of Anglo-Saxon crosses found during restoration of church, which therefore before May 1868, and possibly contemporary with or later than i. (-) 1865a notes several interlaced crosses in porch, some with traces of red pigment, and Stuart (1867) records two crosses, but says they were found at various times in walls of church and churchyard; iii, remaining stones found in fabric of church during restoration of 1883. Nos. 1, 5, 10, 14-15 certainly found at this time, but uncertain whether there were any more.

St Mary and St Cuthbert

Incomplete; faces A and D unworn, B and C worn

A (broad): Enclosed in a single flat-band moulding on to which the motifs encroach. There are no horizontal divisions, but there are four distinct pattern areas. (i) Two animal heads sprout from a common neck. The animals are of the canine type with bumpy foreheads, incised lentoid eyes (with dot centres), and ear extensions. Their mouths are open showing their tongues. The beast on the left is licking the ear of the horse below; the one on the right has a prominent fang. Across the necks of the creatures is an inscription in runes and Anglo-Saxon capitals:

 E A D m

 V n D

(ii) On a smaller scale an armed man on horseback is riding to the left. He appears to wear a rounded cap and carries a round shield with a small central boss. The shield covers his entire body from neck to feet. The horse is shown in motion with front leg extended; it has a pricked ear and a punched eye. (iii) A motif formed from a closed circuit strand forming four loops which are threaded through with two circles, a form of ring-knot. The strands are median-incised and the circles are flattened. (iv) A motif formed by a split plait, threaded through by a single circle. The strands are median-incised and the pattern is lop-sided.

B (narrow): Damaged and worn. Only traces of the flat-band moulding survive. There are four distinct interlace patterns not divided by horizontal mouldings but joined by common strands. (i) The pattern is too incomplete for definite reconstruction, although it could be a closed circuit pattern of U-bends threaded with two concentric circles, a form of ring-knot. (ii) A bungled motif formed by circles and diagonals threaded through with a large outer and small inner circle. (iii) Joined by two strands is a version of pattern F turned and with edge breaks, which then form a central circle. (iv) Joined by four strands is a bungled motif based on pattern D with outside strands and finishing in a pattern F terminal.

C (broad): Damaged and worn. Only part of the flat-band moulding survives. (i) A lattice of crossing strands could be part of a degenerate plant-scroll (Introduction, p. 31). (ii) Too worn to reconstruct. (iii) A ring-knot joined to another below. It is competently drawn although, because it has to join the pattern below, the sculptor has added an extra strand. (iv) This is a motif of closed circuit strands and rings as on face Aiii. The strands of this motif are also median-incised.

D (narrow): Damaged but unworn. Only a small part of the flat-band moulding survives. At the top is an area of plain plait with odd breaks. Below are four registers of complete pattern C, quite neatly and regularly carved.

This shaft stands in an important position in the late series in co. Durham (Introduction, p. 31). The distinctive animal heads which are also found on socket 12 link it with Lindisfarne 7. The inscription which combines runes and Anglo-Saxon capitals is paralleled at Alnmouth. It is, however, meaninglessly disposed and could be secondary. But the horse and rider and the knot motif with the pattern F loop are distinctively found on Anglo-Scandinavian sculpture, as for instance on Sockburn 3 and Hart 1. There are other links with Hart (no. 2) in the top pattern of B. However, most of the distinctive patterns of this piece, the variations of pattern D, pattern F and the split plait, are paralleled at Jarrow (nos. 3-4) and Monkwearmouth (no. 6) (Introduction, p. 18; Adcock 1974, 306-7). 1 do not think that a case has been proved for the use of templates on this stone, but it does seem to represent a combination of Anglian traditions and newer Scandinavian motifs.

Late ninth century

Browne 1880-4c, cxi; (—) 1882-4c, fig. on 100; Browne 1883; Stephens 1884a, 461 and figs.; Stephens 1884b, 246-7, figs. on 247; Allen and Browne 1885, 442-3; Stephens 1885; Boyle 1887-8, 298; Allen 1889, 221; Boyle 1892, 425; Hodges 1894, 76; Viëtor 1895, 18 note; Searle 1897, 183; Hodges 1905, 222; Dodds 1910, 184 and fig.; Hodgkin 1913, 81-2; Collingwood 1927, 80; Pevsner 1953, 66; Page 1959, 386; Fyson 1960, 150, fig. 3; Jackson and Appleton 1960, 13; Marquardt 1961, 35; Page 1964, 76; Spurr 1964, 9 and fig.; Cramp 1966, 121; Page 1969, 48; Okasha 1971, 62, pl. 25; Page 1973, 30, 35, 59, 134-5, 143; Adcock 1974, 300-7, pls. 144-5; Cramp and Lang 1977, no. 13; Cramp 1980, 4; Roesdahl et al. 1981, 93-4, no. F22

1. The following are general references to the Chester-le-Street stones: (—) 1869-79a, i; (—) 1880-9a, v; Hodgkin 1882-4; Jackson, 1933-4, 343.