North East Hexham and its Abbey, Northumberland

Hexham is the largest town and capital of Tynedale. It is a regional centre with thriving Tuesday and Saturday markets, and an excellent shopping centre with many independent shops, including a violin shop.

The first recorded history is when a Priory was founded here in 674AD by St Wilfred. He had been educated on Lindisfarne and travelled to Rome. He was impressed by the magnificence of European churches and decided Northumbria needed something equally as grand and also to hold the relics he brought back from Rome. Stone for building the Abbey came from the Roman Wall and nearby Corpstopitum Roman fort.

The Priory was destroyed by Danes in 875 and later was a regular target of Scottish raids.

In 1296, the Scots laid the town to waste, burning the Priory and Hexham Grammar School. In 1312, Robert the Bruce demanded and received £2000 from the town and monastery to spare them from a similar fate. In 1346 King David of Scotland plundered and burned the Priory.

The Priory came under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York and was the administration centre of the area. Concerned about the levels of lawlessness in the town and surrounding area, the Archbishop was responsible for building a goal here in 1330 followed by the Moot Hall with a court.

A market charter was signed in 1222 by Henry III along with the right to hold a fair.

In 1464 during the Wars of the Roses, the Battle of Hexham was fought somewhere to the south of the town and the defeated Lancastrian commander, the Duke of Somerset, was executed in Hexham market place

Hexham Priory was dissolved in 1537. The church ( now Hexham Abbey) became the parish church, while the adjacent monastic premises became a private house.

The accession of James VI of Scotland to the English throne, eventually brought to an end the Border Skirmishes. Hexham shared in the rising local trade and prosperity generated by the growth of Newcastle and became renowned for its various leather related trades and lead mining in the hills to the south. Hexham’s weekly market and annual fairs became increasingly important and, in 1662, the town was granted the right to hold a cattle market.

The market place was the location for the raising of the standard of the Pretender James Stuart in the ill-fated Jacobite rebellion of 1715, led by the local Catholic noble the Earl of Derwentwater. He was later beheaded for treason for his part in the rebellion.

March 1761 marked the date of the Hexham riot and massacre, when a large angry crowd of about 5000 protesting about changes in the criteria for serving in the militia refused to disperse after the reading of the Riot Act. Magistrates ordered soldiers from the North Yorkshire Militia to open fire on the crowd. About fifty people were killed and over three hundred injured in the resulting chaos. For many years the North York Militia were labelled the ‘Hexham Butchers’.

Gas lighting in streets arrived in 1835.

Following the arrival of the Newcastle to Carlisle Railway in 1835, Hexham became something of a commuter town for Newcastle. The Border Counties railway from Hexham to Riccarton Junction opened in 1860, opening up North Tynedale and a route to Scotland, until it was closed to passenger traffic in 1956 and goods in 1958. The Hexham to Allendale line opened in 1867, closing to passengers in 1930 and goods by 1950.

Outbreaks of cholera in town in the 1850s led to the appointment of a local Board of Health and the improvement of the water supply with a new reservoir. A sewage and drains system was laid out in the town in 1878.

In 1864, the Hexham Courant newspaper began publication. A Splendid Town Hall and Corn Exchange (now Queen’s Hall) was built in 1866. The Racecourse opened on a hill, to the south west of the town in 1870.

The town is renowned for its large areas of park. In 1887 Tyne Green along the river, was given to the Hexham Local Board of Health by Lord Allendale of Dilston Castle in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee Queen Victoria stating ‘that these lands may be enjoyed forever as a public pleasure ground'. The park was transformed with public walks between avenues of trees.

Although the large open space of The Sele had been open for the public since 1753, it was formally gifted to the town by Lord Allendale in 1908. The adjacent Abbey Grounds were purchased by public subscription as a public park in 1911. They were laid out with a bandstand, World War One memorial and the Benson Memorial gates.

Finally, Hexham House Grounds were purchased by the council as a public park in 1928.

Website

Historical walk around Hexham

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[Eleanor]

Hexham cont...

Hexham is a thriving market centre for the area. Despite the presence of a large Tesco supermarket, the town continues to support a wide range of specialist shops.

The toiwn centre is compact and easy to explore on foot as many of the narrower streets are pedestrianised. The centre is based around the market place with streets radiating off it.

The open market hall is the site of the Saturday and Tuesday markets.

In the centre of the market place is the Temperley Memorial Fountain which was erected in 1901, on the site of an earlier fountain. William A Temperley was a leading figure in the Hexham Congregational Church and a corn merchant in both Newcastle and Hexham.

This originally provided water to the town but is no longer functional. In the 1950's it was topped by and electric light but this has since been replaced by a stone cross.

The Wetherspoons pub, The Forum, on the Market Place is on the ground floor of the art deco cinema, with a community cinema on the first floor.

One side of the Market place is dominated by Hexham Abbey.

Opposite it is the Moot Hall. This was built in 1379 by the Archbishop of York as part of the defences of the town. The gatehouse guarded the tower which served as the administrative centre for the archbishop's bailiff and also as a court house until 1838.

The gateway controlled the entrance to Hallgate and the Old Goal.

The exterior staircase to the rear of the Moot Hall dates from the C17th.

Hexham Old Gaol is a massive block like stone building on Hallgate which was commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1330s and is the earliest recorded purpose-built prison in England. The Archbishop also received all the money from fines imposed on prisoners. Prisoners were kept in two underground dungeons. Those awaiting trial in the Moot Hall court were held in the first floor rooms. The Gaoler’s lodging was on the top floor.

It remained in use as a prison until 1824 and now houses a museum dedicated to Hexham and border history including the Border Rievers.

Near the Market Hall and next to Gordon Caris clock repairs and restorers is an arched passageway leading to St Mary’s Chare.
On the wall backing onto the passageway is the remains of the C13th St Mary’s Church.

This was the parish church for the town and second only to the abbey in importance. It built on the site of an earlier Saxon church established by St Wilfrid. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Hexham Abbey became the parish church and St Mary’s became a ruin and was pulled down. All that is left is part of the north arcade.

Hexham House on Market Street is a lovely stone building which was originally built for the Rector of Hexham in 1723. The two wings were added later. 


It is now a wedding venue with seven luxury apartments to let.

The gardens with bowling green, flower beds and trees are open to the public.

Near Hexham House is St Wilfrid’s Gateway which guarded entry into the priory precinct.

Across the road is the C18th Hadrian House which over the years has been a private home, Wesleyan Chapel, post office. and council buildings. It has now been converted into flats.

Beaumont Street is home to Queen’s Hall of 1865-6, built as a town hall and corn exchange. It now serves as an arts centre, theatre, two galleries, Hexham Library and has a cafe. Live performances and exhibitions are programmed here throughout the year.

Near it, were the headquarters for the Hexham Courant newspaper first published in 1864, and serving the Tynedale area. The building has been sold with plans to turn it into an Italian restaurant.

At the far end of Beaumont Street is the bronze statue erected to commemorate Lt Col G E Benson, who was killed at Brakenlaagte in S Africa in 1901 during the Second Boer War. Benson faces south, holding his binoculars. Light reflecting off them is thought to have alerted Boer soldiers to his presence.

Behind him are the Benson Memorial Gates leading into The Sele, a large public park which drops down to the Cocksure Burn, a tributary of the River Tyne. This was originally part of the Abbey Grounds but was sold to Hexham Urban District Council by Lord Allendale in 1911. There are formal flower gardens, mature trees, war memorial, bandstand, children’s play area and a skate board park. 


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[Eleanor]

Hexham Abbey - some background and history

The massive bulk of the Abbey dominates one side of the Market Place in Hexham.

Around AD 670, Queen Etheldreda granted land in Hexham to Wilfrid, Bishop of York.

Wilfrid was born into a wealthy Northumbrian family and spent several years training to be a monk on Lindisfarne. He made several pilgrimages to Rome and was impressed by the size and magnificence of many of their churches.

Wilfrid built a Benedictine Abbey at Hexham using stones from the Roman Settlement of Corstopitum at nearby Corbridge. This was believed to be one of the grandest churches north and west of the Alps and was a major centre for pilgrimage as Wilfrid had brought back relicts from Rome.

The Abbey and surrounding settlement was burnt by the Danes in the C9th. Only the crypt and the Frith Stool remain from Wilfrid’s Church.

In the C12th the Abbey was rebuilt as an Augustinian Priory surrounded by a precinct wall. Building started with the east end and was eventually finished by the start of the C15th.

Hexham and the Priory were a regular target of Scottish raids. In 1296, the Scots laid the town to waste, burning the priory and Hexham Grammar school. The following year, William Wallace led a raid on Hexham, destroying anything that had survived the raid the previous year. In 1312, Robert the Bruce demanded and received £2000 from the town and monastery to spare them from a similar fate. In 1346 King David of Scotland plundered and burned the Priory.

The chancel roof was rebuilt around 1360. The nave was largely rebuilt in the early C15th along with the transept roofs. The Rood Screen dates from the start of the C16th and was one of the last additions to the Priory church before the dissolution.

The priory was dissolved in 1536 , but the church survived as the parish church of Hexham, replacing the old church of St Mary. The other buildings and the monastic land were granted to Sir Reynold Carnaby, the King's representative in Hexhamshire, who converted the residential buildings into a house.

The transepts and choir continued in use but the nave was left to fall into ruin and walled off from the rest of the church, being used as a burial ground.

The remains of the cloister arches can still be seen.

The Saxon crypt was rediscovered in 1725 when workmen were digging foundations for a buttress to support the west side of the tower. It was used as a private mausoleum by a local wealthy family for the next one hundred years. It was restored as a crypt when the nave was rebuilt in 1908.

The east end of the chancel was in a poor state of repair and part of it collapsed in 1828. The Lady Chapel beyond the high altar was demolished and completely rebuilt under the guidance of the Northumbrian architect, John Dobson. The transepts were restored and a small copper guilt chalice was found beneath the floor. The Flavinus slab was found in the foundations beneath the transept.

The nave was eventually rebuilt in 1908, to the same layout of the C13th building.The outside walls look very different to the rest of the Abbey.

In 1996 a small chapel, St Wilfrid’s Chapel was created at the east end of the north choir aisle for private prayer.

The monastic buildings confiscated by Henry VIII have since been returned to the Abbey and restored as a new Heritage Centre explaining the history of the site. This has an exhibition of carved stones and the C8th Spittal cross which has one of the earliest Anglo Saxon crucifixion scenes.

The Abbey also has a very good cafe and gift shop.


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[Eleanor]

Hexham Abbey cont... Transepts and Nave

The Abbey is an impressive Early English cruciform building with square central tower, clerestoried nave and north aisle, chancel and very tall transepts. The chancel is wider than the nave as it has side aisles which would originally have formed an ambulatory around the choir and high altar.

Entry is through a doorway next to the Abbey Shop.

THE TRANSEPTS

This leads into a small passageway called the Slype which linked the transept to the chapter house, and then into the south transept. The view across to the north transept is inspiring, with its blind arcading round the base of the walls and tall lancet windows.

There are two small chapels on the east wall. The first is a memorial to those killed in the First world War. Beyond is the Lady Chapel.

The south transept is completely different with the massive night stairs on the south wall. These were built in the C13th and led from the canons dormitory into the church. The dormitory is no longer there, but the stairs survived as they gave access to a spiral staircase to the clerestory, tower and bell chamber. Now the stairs are used by the choir on festive occasions like the Christmas carol services.

High above the Night Stair is the Tyrell window installed in 2012. The abstract design depicts unity and hospitality. The left lancet depicts spiritual help. The centre window with a depiction of the Chalice focuses on unity and the early church. The right had lancet depicts hospitality to strangers.

At the bottom is the Flavinus stone, a massive carved memorial to a first century Roman standard bearer, who died aged 25 after seven years of military service. A mounted soldier, soldier, Flavinus, is riding over a barbarian.The inscription reads “to the Venerated Departed: Here lies Flavinus a horse rider of the cavalry regiment of Petriana Standard Bearer of the troop of Cndidus Aged 25 of 7 years service”.

The tombstone probably came from Corstopitum and would originally have been brightly painted.

Immediately inside the doorway on the right is the tiny chapel dedicated to St Etheldreda, now used for private prayer. Above the altar is a painting of the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Christ.

Just beyond is Acca’s Cross shaft. Acca was a loyal companion of Wilfrid and succeeded him as Abbot and Bishop. The cross shaft may have stood at the foot of his grave. The cross was broken up at some time and the broken pieces have been reassembled. The top two pieces were rescued from a warehouse near the site of St Mary’s Church in the marketplace. The lower section of the cross spent time as the lintel over a farmhouse door .

THE NAVE

The nave feels narrow compared with the rest of the church. The west window has depictions of northern saints.

An arcade of tall multiple pillars with pointed arches separate the nave from the narrow north aisle, which has old flags hanging from the walls.

At the back of the nave is the font. The round stone bowl may be of Roman origin and could have been used in Wifrid’s Church. The cover is C18th and the massive font canopy is early C20th and was made from old woodwork found in the church.

Above the south door leading to the Visitor Centre in the Monastic workshop, is the Royal Coat of Arms.

Hatchments hang on the walls. These commemorated the death of a member of the nobility and displayed their coat of arms. The design depicted gender, status and lineage. They were painted immediately after a death and hung on the wall of the deceased home before being paraded as part of the funeral cortege. After the mourning period, many were then displayed in the local church.

Displayed around the nave walls are carved stones found when the abbey was rebuilt.

There are two rather nice stained glass windows in the north wall. One commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Royal British Legion.

The other is dedicated to local members who served in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force.

THE CRYPT

Very steep stairs in the centre of the nave lead down into the crypt. (There is a small charge to visit the crypt, payable at the visitor desk in the south transept.)

This is the only part of Wilfrid’s Church to survive and the only other comparable crypt is in Ripon Minster.

The crypt was was built using Roman stones and many have carvings on them. These would originally have been covered with plaster which has since been removed.

The steps lead to an antechamber and a narrow round topped doorway leads into the chapel with its low barrel stone roof.

Originally this would have contained holy relics brought back from Rome by Wilfrid. At one end is a small stone altar. Niches in the walls would originally have contained oil lamps but now have electric light bulbs.

On either side are two narrow passageways which are now blocked but originally had steps which provided access to the crypt from outside the church.

One allowed pilgrims to enter the crypt from outside the church.

Canons used the other passageway

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[Eleanor]

Hexham Abbey cont...Choir and Chancel

THE PULPITUM

The pulpitum or wooden screen separates the choir and chancel from the rest of the Church. This dates from 1500 and was the last addition to the church before the Dissolution. This may originally have had a rood above but this has been replaced by the organ.

In front of the pulpitum is a gloriously painted pulpit, dating from 1911 and designed by Temple Moore. One of the panels has a painting of Christ on the cross. The other has two angels holding a shield with the Instruments of the Passion.

The base panels of the pulpitum have paintings of saints and bishops of Hexham and Lindisfarne, set under elaborately carved ogee arches. The fan vaulted roof is painted in shades of deep red and dark green.

There are more paintings on the side facing the choir.

The canons entered the choir through a central door and passageway. This has two beautiful paintings. On the right is the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, just before she gave birth to John the Baptist.

On the left is the Annunciation.

THE CHOIR

Immediately inside the choir is the Frith Stool.

This dates from the C7th and may have been used by St Wilfrid. This is only one of two in the country, the other being at Beverley Minster, where it is still in its original position close to the high altar.

The stool is carved out of a solid block of grey sandstone with interlaced carving on the top of the arms and straight lines emphasising the shape of the front. The red cushion provides a splash of colour.

The word Frith in old English means ‘peace, security and freedom from molestation’. As well as being the Bishop’s chair it also provided sanctuary. Refugees during the troubled times along the border or wrongdoers fleeing from the law could claim the protection of the church. It was traditionally located near the high altar, as this was considered to be the safest and most protected place in the church. If they reached the Frith Stool, they could not be touched until guaranteed a full and fair trial.

The right of sanctuary was strictly limited by Henry VIII, who would allow no one to defy royal law and it was abolished soon after. The Frith Stool became a redundant and was regarded as an awkward piece of furniture, and was moved. It was broken during one of these moves and had to be cemented together. When the nave was rebuilt in 1908. the Frith stool was returned to the choir on the assumption this was near the altar of Wilfrid’s original church.

The heavily carved choir stalls on the back walls of the choir are C15th have misericords. In front are more modern stalls with carved backs, fronts and poppyheads.

THE CHANCEL

Steps lead up to the high altar with a deep red frontispiece and tall candle sticks. Above set in a gilded frame is a C16th painting of Mary and Elizabeth with the young Jesus and John the Baptist.

To the left of the high altar is a magnificent painted panel screen with a pulpit which dating from the the end of the C15th/beginning of the C16th.

The top panel with images of seven bishops of Hexham under pinnacled arches (Wilfrid is third left), was originally a reredos. Below this are four smaller panels representing the Dance of Death. Death is depicted dancing with a cardinal, king, emperor and pope. This was a popular theme in the fifteenth century, with the message “As I am so shall you be”

Beneath this are panels with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Twelve Apostles. The pulpit may have been used to read aloud in the refectory during meals.

On either side of the chancel are chantry chapels

On the north side behind a wooden screen is the Chantry Chapel of Prior Leschman, who was Prior from 1480-91, with his stone effigy.

The stone altar has five incised consecration crosses on the top surface.

The outer side of the tomb in the north choir aisle stands above a carved stone wall covered with carved figures. The upper row consists of traditional devotional scenes, including St George and the Dragon, St Peter and St Paul, and a lily, the symbol of purity. The lower row, features images of men and animals with a man playing the bagpipes, a jester, a three-headed figure, and a fox preaching to geese.

To the right of the altar is the Chantry Chapel of Sir Robert Ogle, who died around 1409. An outbreak of plague meant Ogle had to be buried quickly at Hexham instead of in Whalton, nearly 30 miles away, where a costly tomb had been planned.

It is a very simple chapel. The painted wooden triptych above the altar has Christ rising from the tomb in the centre with the nail wounds in his hands. On either side are St John and the Virgin Mary. This was removed from the chapel in the C19th and passed through several different owners before being returned here in the 1960s.

THE SIDE AISLES

Two side aisles run down either side of the choir and chancel.

At the end of the north aisle is St Wilfrid’s chapel, which was created in 1996 as a place for private prayer and reflection.

Along the wall are the effigies of two unknown early C14th women which were discovered in the graveyard in 1750 and moved here.

Near by on the north wall is a memorial to William Johnston, a local merchant who died in 1725.

There are two other effigies in the south aisle. Sir Gilbert of Umfraville, Earl of Angus, was an Anglo Norman knight from Prudhoe, a few miles down river from Hexham. Now without his feet he is holding a shield with a flower and the Durham cross.

Near him is Thomas of Tyndale, a C14th knight. He has three sheaves on his shield and his feet are resting on a lion.

Set in a recess in the south wall is a replica of a C10th copper gilt chalice found beneath the floor of the transept in 1860. It was used with a portable altar by priests travelling to administer the sacraments to local communities. The original is displayed in the Monastic workshop in the Visitor

This is a magnificent building with the Saxon crypt and Frith stool providing a direct link back to St Wilfrid its founder. It has a rich collection of C15th wood paintings as well as the wonderful carvings on the base of the Leschman Chantry Chapel.