Hexham - Abbey

Hexham is a town, that developed around a monastery. Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria, made a grant of lands to St Wilfrid, Bishop of York, in 674. The abbey was constructed almost entirely of material salvaged from nearby Roman ruins. In the year 875 Halfdan Ragnarsson the Dane, one of the commanders of the Great Heathen Army, ravaged the whole area. Hexham Church was plundered and burnt to the ground.

About 1050, Eilaf, treasurer of Durham, was instructed to rebuild Hexham Church, which then lay in utter ruin. His son Eilaf II completed the work.

In Norman times, the Benedictine abbey was replaced by an Augustinian priory. The current church largely dates from 1170–1250, built in the Early English style of architecture.
It is possible that Wilfrid had this solid block of sandstone fashioned into a seat when he first founded the monastery in 674. It is likely Wilfrid took inspiration from stools he encountered on his journeys through France and Rome.

The carvings are old, but the top row, depicting saints, seems younger, while the sculptures below are very secular.