Crailing Cross

Trip No.123  Entry No.2  Date Added: 2nd Apr 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 31st Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Crailing Cross: We’d driven by this cross a couple of times before, but just thought it was a stone bearing the name of the village. This time, I got a closer look, then looked it up on Canmore after we drove past and confirmed it was a medieval ‘mercat’ cross. We stopped on our way back from Kelso to take a few photos. Nothing special, but another to tick off as a visited site.

I was aiming to take a photograph of the cross from the south side of the A698, but the traffic was so fast and frequent, I decided not to risk getting run over.

Crosshall Cross

Trip No.123  Entry No.1  Date Added: 2nd Apr 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 31st Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Crosshall Cross: Details of this cross had printed out along with some details of Kelso Abbey, which we visited beforehand. Having found it was not far from Kelso, we decided to take the short drive to see it, and it was well worth it.

This was a little further out of Kelso than we originally thought, but it was a pleasant drive. Whilst the cross was 'protected' by an old iron railing, with the remains of an old signpost next to it, the fence was a taut wire/barbed wire fence with no 'give' to squeeze through, so we walked down the lane, away from the farm to the gate into the field. The ‘gate’ into the field with the cross was right at the cross roads, so we climbed over and walked back down the field of pasture to take a closer look.

The low, very bright, sun, made it difficult to photograph its eastern side with its man and its hound (we thought it was a lamb), but it was well worth seeing this cross, with its Latin crosses, shields, incised man with his hound, and a Crusader sword.

Bremenium Roman tumulus

Trip No.122  Entry No.2  Date Added: 30th Mar 2019
Site Type: Artificial Mound Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 28th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Petty Knowes Roman Cemetery/Bremenium Roman Tumulus: We walked too far north along the track, past Lamb Crags, and had to double back. We should have turned immediately right through the gate at NY 83788 98236. However, being on top of the crags gave us a good viewpoint down to the tomb below, although the sun was by now directly in the camera lens.

As I was walking round the one remaining, circular tomb, the farmer came speeding up on this quad bike and came to a halt by the fence. At first, I thought we were trespassing, and asked him, but he said “no, you’re alright”. His farmhand had told him 8 people had walked up to have a look, so he’d come up to see us. “No, there’s only the two of us”, Andrew replied.

The farmer very kindly walked us round the base of the tomb and pointed out three carvings on the bottom (visible) layer – two diamonds and a bull. He showed us another layer which is now buried under the earth, but the top of its lip can be felt underfoot.

He also pointed out the 51 Roman graves by the quarry (“head for the beech tree”); he also told us about some interesting stones near the footbridge, and that the small extension at the old School House (next to the war memorial) was partly built out of Roman stones. He said he himself had moved some stones into his own garden.

Three Kings

Trip No.122  Entry No.1  Date Added: 30th Mar 2019
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 28th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Three Kings Stone Circle, Byrness: Driving up the A68 from Corbridge, passing through Rochester, we turned left off the A68 at NT 78013 01533 into the Border Forest Caravan Park. We thought we’d get to a car park where we could leave the park, but instead ended up at a Reception hut with a barrier closing off the road. There was no one in the hut, so I rang the buzzer. Rather than explain what I wanted, a man’s voice came through the speaker “I’ll be with you in a moment”, and rang off. Seconds later a man on a bike appeared. I asked him if there was anywhere we could park to go and see the Three Kings, and he said “as we’d asked, we could park here” (by the hut), and he gave very precise directions for reaching the stone circle. He also told us that the Forestry Commission hadn’t been maintaining the track to the stone circle very well, and some of it was very overgrown.

Stopping to almost scratch the pet pig’s nose (he was called Bubbles (sadly not more 'Squeak')), we set off south west through the static caravan area, crossing over the metal bridge, then turned north west along part of the Pennine Way, walking over a wider bridge where two rivers meet, then turned almost due west along a forest track, which turned a corner southwards and climbed steadily uphill.

We missed the first track up to the stone circle, as it really was very overgrown, but continued up the hill and came to reasonably well defined track, over a boggy area, then uphill along a moss covered track which eventually came to some wooden steps, which even had a handrail in parts. From the comparative dark of the forest, we came out into a sunlit clearing with the four poster to our right hand side.

All Saints (Asfordby)

Trip No.121  Entry No.1  Date Added: 24th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: All Saints, Asfordby: The church is usually open on Saturdays between 2pm and 4pm, but we were fortunate because there was a service here today, from 10.30am until 11.30am, so we arrived as close as we could to the finish time of the service (which, because we got lost, was 12 noon). The congregation was having coffee and biscuits, but made us hugely welcome – even our son and DIL’s Labrador was allowed into the church and made a fuss of. The vicar had very kindly made arrangements for us to meet the Secretary and Historian of the church, who warmly welcomed us, introduced us to the Curate, and showed us round the church.

All Saints is very obviously a vibrant, active church, and the building is well used for community activities, which is lovely to see.

Miriam, the historian, very kindly showed us the three Anglo Saxon stones cemented into the far south western corner of the nave, with members of the congregation very kindly re-arranging tables and chairs for us to have easier access.

I came prepared with a list of features I really wanted to see, including the rare Tudor painted bench end (next to a pillar just to the east at the north western corner of the nave), the Green Man (on a boss high up in the middle of the nave) and Norman aumbry (in the northern wall at the north eastern corner of the nave) with its original Norman chevrons. Miriam also pointed out a ‘ladder’ (stairway to heaven) on the pillar at the north eastern side of the nave, and pilgrim crosses and what looked like a scratch sundial on the external western side of the door frame into the church.

I really could have spent a lot longer in the church, as it had a lovely, calm, reflective atmosphere and would love to attend a service here.

St Mary and St Hardulf (Breedon on the Hill)

Trip No.120  Entry No.1  Date Added: 20th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 15th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: St Mary & St Hardulph, Breedon on the Hill: This church is visible from miles around, perched on top of its hill, which used to be an Iron Age hillfort (The Bulwarks). Most of the fortifications have been quarried away, and at the eastern side of the church there is a steep drop down into a large quarry, protected by a substantial metal fence and barbed wire. This is also the site of a beacon.

We arrived on a day when there was a weather warning for high winds, and my goodness, the winds were high. Other walkers were sitting in their cars in the small car park at the viewpoint, whilst we struggled to open the car doors and braved the winds to walk up to the south porch to let ourselves into the church! I am glad I had my husband with me, as the wind made the outer porch door rattle badly and it sounded as if a group of people were standing just outside the door having a muffled conversation. Very spooky, although the atmosphere in the church was friendly and welcoming, and I could have spent several more hours here.

There is a church guide with a plan of the stones, but not all of them are included individually. I went armed with a copy of A W Clapham's paper "The Carved Stones at Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire, and their position in the History of English Art". I had problems linking his descriptions with the actual stones, so ended up making my own drawing and labelling the stones and photo numbers, so it was easier to 'unpick' once I was at home.

I could have spent at least several more hours here, but time was pressing, and I left reluctantly, to brave the wind yet again!

Rothley Cross

Date Added: 20th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: The Rothley Cross, Leicestershire: The church is usually kept locked, but we had arranged to pick up a key from the Parish Office mid-afternoon. However, calling at the office, there was no reply. Walking back to the church, I spoke to a lady who had been busy clearing the churchyard of broken branches, and she told us the administrator had gone home ill. However, fortuitously, she had a key to the vestry and very kindly let us in.

The church has a long history, and has some amazing grave slabs and a Norman font. The bases of the pillars are said to date to the original Norman church. We found a cross scratched into one of the pillars.

The Rothley Cross is to be found to the south east of the church, near some tall yew trees. At the time of our visit, the cross was in deep shade, although the worn carving was still visible.

We also spotted an unsual carved mark - much more ornate than a mason's mark on the external western jamb of the vestry door.

Bottesford Cross

Trip No.121  Entry No.6  Date Added: 19th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Market Cross, Bottesford: We saw this purely by chance as we turned down the road heading north towards the A1 and home, and stopped to take photographs. The village stocks and whipping post were right next to the cross, which was placed on top of five steps, the top two of which are modern repairs.

St Peter's Church (Redmile)

Trip No.121  Entry No.5  Date Added: 19th Mar 2019
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Carved Anglo Saxon Stone, St Peter's Church, Redmile: Our last planned visit before heading off home, and this church didn't disappoint, despite being greeted by "Warning. Falling Masonry" signs on entering the church through the south door! The north western part of the nave was cordoned off, with similar notices.

No two walls of this church were plumb, and the cracking in the north wall was quite spectacular. However, the atmosphere of the church was warm and friendly, and we felt relatively safe knowing there had been a service there only that morning.

We found the stone, reused as a windowsill, easily enough. Placed under a window by the pulpit, it proved a little tricky to photograph, and I could have done with a ladder to photograph all of it from above.

I also spotted what could have been what looked like another fragment in the south wall of the church, and Andrew found 'witches marks' on the eastern external jamb of the south porch.

St Michael and All Angels (Harston)

Trip No.121  Entry No.4  Date Added: 19th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Anglo Saxon cross fragments, St Michael and All Angels, Harston: Before visiting, I wasn’t able to find out much about the church or the AS stone fragments. I was hoping for a church guide book, but there was nothing. There were newspaper articles and photos of the bell tower and the bells displayed in the bell tower, but nothing was made of the fragments – one in the external east wall, and another in the south porch. Pastscape mentions that the stone in the east wall is possibly part of a cross shaft

The church looks very appealing from the outside, being made of warm, yellow stone. Inside it is very Victorian. The only thing of any age appeared to be the stem of the font.

Nice to have been able to drop by and photograph the fragments.

Asfordby Cross

Trip No.121  Entry No.2  Date Added: 19th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Asfordby Village Cross: Not really much to see, as the cross shaft is obviously modern, on an older base, but as this was just round the corner from All Saints, we whizzed round to take a very quick look.

St Bartholomew (Sproxton)

Trip No.121  Entry No.3  Date Added: 19th Mar 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Leicestershire and Rutland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Mar 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Sproxton Cross, St Bartholomew's Church: This church was a little way out of the village and we parked in a small metalled area next to a 'gallop' at SK 85667 24972 and braved the wind to walk back down the road to the gate into the churchyard.

The vicar had previously told us the cross had been moved inside the church, but looking after 11 churches in total, he must have been confused, because as soon as we rounded the west end of the church to reach the entrance through the south porch, the cross came into sight. What is inside the church is an 11th century cross slab/grave marker.

This is a very quiet spot, apart from the occasional car that came hurtling past.
The inside of the church appears relatively modern, but has some really interesting corbels. We also found a portion of carving, either part of a fluted column, or cemented to it, next to the north western side of the door into the tower.

We did have a good scout around for the shaped stone in the south western wall mentioned by The Journal of Antiquities, but were unable to find it.

In the field to the south of the church is a well, but could find no mention of this on Pastscape or Historic England.

Camp Hill (Catcherside)

Trip No.119  Entry No.5  Date Added: 28th Feb 2019
Site Type: Hillfort Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 24th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Camp Hill Hillfort, Catcherside, Knowesgate: We drove up to Catcherside, which was very obviously a very well looked after cluster of farmhouses with a common courtyard between. As Andrew was looking for somewhere to park, a man walked out of Catcherside Cottage so I leapt out of the car and asked if it would be OK if we could park for 20 mins to go and look at the settlement. He said it was his daughter’s farm, but went away to ask, came back and said that was OK. As Andrew came back from parking a little way out of the lane, he hadn’t brought my walking poles, so the gentleman lent me one of his. Nice!

As we walked by the gate into the garden of the cottage, I spotted a carved stone at NY 99191 87596, which looked like a round cross or pillar base (reminded me of the one we saw at Bamburgh Castle in the Stones Museum).

The farmland here looks really fertile, and the sheep were magnificent. The hillfort has been ploughed out on the southern and south western side, but the ditch, rampart and hollow way through the entrance on the north western sides are still clear. We did look for signs of structures within the oval platform at the top of the hill, but these looked as if they had been ploughed out by rig and furrow. A really nice walk on a warm February evening.

Rugley Walls (Cambo)

Trip No.119  Entry No.4  Date Added: 27th Feb 2019
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 24th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Rugley Walls Holy Well: (note wellies a must if trying to get to the well): We stopped off here very quickly as we wanted to leave enough time to see the settlement at Catcherside.

Whilst we could see the source of the well, and there was a gate into the field, we would have need our wellies to get over the stream and boggy area to reach the well. As the light was starting to fail, we elected to carry on to Catcherside.

The well is shown on HE map but no mention on Pastscape. I need to look up the Holy Wells of Northumberland papers. All indications from Keys to the Past are that the well is connected to the deserted medieval village of Rugley Walls, which lies to the eastern side of the B342 road which runs through here.

I'd really like to see the structure that Andy Curtis photographed, so a return visit is on my wish list.

The Elsdon Stone

Trip No.119  Entry No.3  Date Added: 27th Feb 2019
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 24th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: St Cuthberts, Elsdon (The Elsdon Stone): We stopped off at the very friendly and informal tea shop for tea (one tea bag in a pot for 2) and an ‘omelette sandwich’ (was supposed to be fried egg, and it took me a while to recover from the taste). We’ve been to the church before, but not with the HE and Pastscape information with us.

Spotted the unique Roman soldier’s tombstone (it lists his entire military career), the medieval cross slabs and the horse skulls. We thought we’d seen everything in this church on a previous visit on 25th August 2013, but indeed missed a great deal. Whilst I photographed most of what we took in today, at the time I wasn’t so interested in the medieval grave slabs and the Elsdon Stone (after all, it was only Roman, wasn’t it?!). I really wished I’d thought to take Peter Ryder’s articles on the medieval grave slabs, but until we got to the village, had no real thought of going back to the church.

I was really saddened to see how much the inside of the church has deteriorated since our visit four and a half years ago. There is so much black mould and dust around, especially towards the western end of the church.

I also hadn’t realised how complicated the stone work around the junction of the nave and the transept was – all small spaces and intricate junctions.

I could have spent all afternoon the churchyard photographing all the amazing grave markers.

Steng Cross and Winter's Gibbet

Trip No.119  Entry No.2  Date Added: 25th Feb 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 24th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Steng Cross & Winter's Gibbet, near Elsdon: If there was a category for Ambience = Spooky/Very Spooky I would assign it to this site.

This is a remote spot, at the very top of the moor at the western end of the forest which runs along the north side of the road. The thought of anyone being hung in chains and left to rot, murderer or not, doesn't bear thinking about. I expected to turn around and find the ghost of William Winter breathing over my shoulder at any moment. Even the birds seemed silent with the cold wind whistling along the long, straight road nearby. I was glad to escape back to the car and head off to Elsdon.

Just inside Northumberland National Park, St Cuthbert’s Way runs on the south side of the fence next to the cross, although to get to it you have to walk back to the road, a little further west, then onto the marked footpath.

The Rothbury Cross

Trip No.119  Entry No.1  Date Added: 25th Feb 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 24th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: The Rothbury Font/Anglo Saxon Cross & Other Fragments: We started off in Rothbury, parking on Haw Hill, just outside the church. We intended to go for a cup of tea, but the town was inundated with tourists and bikers, so we went straight to the church to find the font. I’d forgotten how glorious this was, but then it’s a long time since we looked in the church.

There were odd lights in the church, highlighting a few pieces, including the font, but it was so dark under the tower that, after hunting unsuccessfully for the light switches, we had to go and get the large flash gun from the car.

I also photographed the pieces on the west interior wall of the porch, and a sundial to the south of the nave. At the NW corner of the tower, there was a collection of fragments and a bell. The sign said: “These fragments of an Anglo Saxon Cross was discovered during recent building work in the All Saints Churchyard. It is believed to have been a carving that broke as it was being worked on”. The way the fragments were stacked in a jumble made it impossible to see any carvings on them.

We missed two scratch clocks on the exterior south wall; I looked for a church guide book, but the only thing on display were postcards, cards and the parish magazine.

On the western wall of the south transept, on the window sill, is a modern carving. The sign reads: “This carving celebrates the 500th anniversary of Bernard Gilpin. It depicts a historic incident in Rothbury Church. Bernard Gilpin was a Catholic priest whose brave efforts to bring Christianity and peace to the warring families of the Borders eventually earned their respect. They rewarded him with the honorary title of The Apostle of the North. Queen Mary order Gilpin to be brought to London to be burnt at the stake as a heretic. However, the Queen died before he reached London so he was able to return to the North to continue his good works”.

The notice board by the Font reads:
“The pedestal consists of the base of the ancient Saxon cross of Rothbury dating from the 8th century AD.
East Side: Before the Fall of Man
North Side: The Ascension of Christ with angels wither side and the Apostles looking upwards. The Evangelicals hold their gospels (this is said to be one of the oldest carvings of this subject in Britain).
West Side: After the Fall
South Side: The Saxon knot-work pattern
Other fragments of the Rothbury Cross are in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne (Great North Museum). [The bowl is dated 1664].”

St Mary's Churchyard Cross (Wirksworth)

Date Added: 24th Feb 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Derbyshire)
Visited: Yes on 17th Sep 2015. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: St Mary's Churchyard Cross, Wirksworth: I've split this page off as the cross has it's own HE scheduling record and Pastscape record, and got a little lost in with the other Anglo Saxon carved stones within the church itself.

Until we wandered around the churchyard, we didn't know this cross was here, so it was a really nice surprise to have seen it.

The Fawns (Kirkwhelpington)

Trip No.118  Entry No.5  Date Added: 17th Feb 2019
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 14th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Cairn SE of The Fawns (220m west of Broom House farm): This cairn is easily visible from the top of the ridge, as we walked from the Fawns Farm/Moated Manorial Earthworks, along the footpath, then down hill. The brown blob of the rubbing post comes into sight first, then the circular mound of the cairn comes into view as you get nearer.

A lovely spot to be buried in - very peaceful and quiet, at the bottom of two hillocks, with a small stream (now) running to the south. The gate from this field onto the footpath back to the village crosses this stream, which needs a long stride to get over it, but it's not very deep.

Wish I'd been able to see the rock art panel and the urns, but a trip to London would be necessary (if the British Museum can find these!).

It is a gentle walk down to the river valley below from here, following ancient dry stone walls now white with lichen. We drove to Kirkharle for a cup of tea and some soup, then visited St Wilfred's Church just along the road, which is where Capability Brown was baptised (he was born in Kirkharle). We stopped to see a very strange monument dedicated to "A Most Unfortunate Man" at the side of the road between the church and Kirkharle Courtyard.

Fawns Moated Site

Trip No.118  Entry No.4  Date Added: 17th Feb 2019
Site Type: Misc. Earthwork Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 14th Feb 2019. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Fawns Medieval Moated Site: "One of the few surviving examples in Northumberland and exceptionally well preserved" is how Historic England describe this site. As the third stop on our short circular walk to the east of Kirkwhelpington, this was a nice site to stop and look at. Easier to see the layout from the aerial photographs at home. Just a shame this site is on private land, as I'd have loved to have walked over the site to take a closer look.

There is much evidence of medieval field boundaries and rig and furrow ploughing all around here. The land looks rich and fertile, with magnificent sheep grazing in the fields.