Hexham Abbey - England

Hexham Abbey

While at Minsteracres for the weekend, Sr Therese took me to Hexham. The sun was out and it was a beautiful day. We had celebrated Mass in the small chapel at Minsteracres, that had a sense of unity, one ness about it.
Just like the chapel that has history thread through every stone, every piece of glass within it’s structure, Hexham too is apart of this thread. 

Hexham is the first settlement if coming from the board of Scotland, therefore understandably it was under question if this settlement was infact on English land or Scottish. Entering into the village you can feel the air full of wonder, excitement at the discovery of those gone before us. I have come to the realisation that history is so essential to letting each of us become aware of what we stand upon, aware of what we are surrounded by. It helps us to find our place in the world; defining our relationships with our neighbours and providing roots we need to flourish. 

The highlight of my personalised village tour was Hexham Abbey. 

(Your going to have to forgive me for taking very limited photos, Im going to adopt some from the web. I was just so contempt in absorbing the atmosphere and surroundings.)

Walking around the historical township of Hexham, the Abbey dominates the horizon and acts as a hub for the local community. 

When walking into the Abbey you are not prepared for what is around the corner. We entered through automated doors, giving impression that the church has been modernised, with its information boards and television rolling screens. Walking through the doors into the church - wow - breathless. The Arches lifted the eye straight to the heavens. The expanse of this wonderful building, we walked on the stone layed hundred of years ago, one knew that they are standing in a place of historical riches. 

Photo credit not mine - google

In the church you can trace the layers of history, both physical and spiritual, reaching back to its foundation by St Wilfrid in 647 AD. In parts of the building we stood in Wilfrid’s monastic cathedral, in other areas we enter the 13 century Augustinian Priory, while the building as a whole, now the parish church of Hexham, tells the story of the Christian life of this region. 

Photo credit not mine - google search

The location of the Abbey lays above a river crossing and dominates the surrounding area. It lay at the heart of the royal grant of land by Queen Ethldreda to St Wilfrid. 

It is said that the Vikings came a few times to the settlement of Hexham damaging everything in sight. One time setting fire to part of the building with the iron melting on the roof dropping into the night stairs in the church, having some iron still on the steps today. During these horrible attacks a lot of lives were lost, many children, altar boys. It was said that finally the argument was presented that the land was part of Scotland therefore why burn it to the ground. Resulting in a retract from the Vikings. 

Night Stairs

The night stairs are worn threads, testimony to the devotion of generations. 

In the 11th century the Augustinian canons developed a separate religious community. By day they routine was strict with celebration of seven church services, starting soon after midnight. For this service, they would go straight from the dormitory directly down the Night Stair, into the church. 

This is just one of many examples of rich history that adds to the unique special atmosphere, where prayer has been validated down the centuries, it is no wonderful one can feel calm an refreshed within its walls. 

The Abbey holds amazing architecture that has been restore and maintained. At one point the main arch was starting to lean inwards, requiring reconstruction to strengthen it. Through this strengthening part of the cryptic was closed, while still we are able to access some of it. The steep stone stairs descending from the Nave taking back 1300 years, into rooms and passageways left intact from St Wilfred’s original church. This is where the relics were kept along with a burial place. I don’t believe anyone was buried in the part we went into, however there were spaces for the relics. The design details are amazing, from the layout where pilgrims can walk from the entrance of the church straight into the cryptic after paying their respect walk out of a side staircase each side of the small rooms to outside. Then there is the stone work. Once again it is so detailed, the devotion and love craved into the stone remains centuries later. Touching them you feel like your taken back in time. 

Given there is no lighting, they had even thought about this, by making a small semi circle dip into the stone and a chamber, very small yet large enough to hold air, so they could put oil and burn it to keep light in the Cryptic. 

In truth this is the first Cryptic that I have been in. It is not something that is firstly open to the public, yet more so to my knowledge often a burial place therefore has never appeal for me to adventure down. Im very pleased that I went exploring and walked the path that so many of the pilgrims who have come to this Abbey have done for centuries. 

Photo credit not mine - google

There are so many historical highlights within the church. The Acca’s Cross, that is traditionally held to be the headstone marking Bishop Acca’s grave, this 8th century stone cross is carved with Christian motifs and is typical of the Northumbrain school of stone. 

In the wing that holds the high altar, there is the frith stool, which is the 7th century bishops throne, or cathedra, might well have been made for St Wilfrid himself. ‘Frith’ means peace and the chair was also a sanctuary seat. It has celtic design craved into the arms. 

It is fair to say that Hexham Abbey holds one of the earliest seats of Christianity in England. Since its beginning, it has witnessed periods of immense turmoil and change, across the region and within the ‘English’ Church itself. Many of these are reflected in the very fabric of the building today. From the stone cravings, the glass windows, pews, Cryptic, organ, altar, the tombs, the engravings and panels around the church. There is no justice this blog post has done for the Abbey. If you are Hexham way, then please do experience Hexham Abbey for yourself. 

Photo credit not mine

Photo credit not mine