Tracing the history of the building through the stone: Bridget's first post


A rubbing I made from one of the Roman stones in the crypt at Hexham Abbey

I am Bridget Kennedy, visual artist living in rural Northumberland. Through my visits to the Abbey over the past months, conversations with Melinda and Catherine and information gleaned from the excellent Abbey guides I have become very interested the fabric of the building, the material it is made of and where this material has come from. The crypt is of particular interest to me,  I live in an area where there are many old lead mines and I am often thinking about what is going on below the surface.  

The crypt is all that remains of St Wilfrid's Benedictine Abbey built in the 670's. Wilfrid was able to build here due to the fact that Queen Eltheldreda had bequeathed the land to him in thanks for his help in securing her divorce from Prince Ecgfrith of Northumbria. 



The key to part of a map of the crypt on display in the Abbey


I really like that there are layers of history visible within the building. Decorative stones from a nearby Roman fort have been re used and form a patchwork surface texture on the walls of the crypt. 

This is an example of Spolia: the repurposing of old stone work in the construction of a new building. 


An example of Spolia in the crypt


I have made a series of rubbings from some of this stonework as a means of connecting with this history. So far I am not sure what I will do with them but they make for interesting textures.





Another rubbing I made from the crypt





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