[Stones] Church's pre-historic past unearthed

[Ric]

amazing!

yet -

"The Rev Derek Newton ... said: “Although the finds
have delayed the work slightly [sic], this has been a 
great adventure and everybody has enjoyed what has
been revealed.” 

prehistoric stones comment: oops! - sorry we breathed
(again!)

x-|

R

--- Tim P <thehermitoftillywhim at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

>
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/02/14/church-s-pre-historic-past-unearthed-61634-20477573/
> 
> Work on a town’s church has revealed that the site
> may have been used 
> for ritual and worship for thousands of years.
> 
> Major refurbishment work on the Grade I-listed St
> Michael and All Angels 
> church in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, began
> last month and has 
> involved digging up the floor to install a new
> heating system.
> 
> The church, dating back to Norman times, is the
> oldest building in the town.
> 
> A carved stone above a tiny doorway, featuring a
> carving of mysterious 
> intertwined animals known as the Houghton Beasts,
> may be from before the 
> Norman Conquest.
> 
> But investigation by archaeologists as the
> refurbishment has continued 
> has revealed whinstone boulders under the church,
> which are thought to 
> have been part of an early prehistoric burial cairn
> or ritual site. A 
> line of similar boulders has been found under the
> churchyard wall.
> 
> Archaeologist Peter Ryder, of Riding Mill in
> Northumberland, said: “It 
> looks like a prehistoric site. We can’t think of any
> other reason why 
> these very large boulders should be inside the
> church.”
> 
> Under the central tower of the church, which was
> restored in about 1350, 
> the work has uncovered huge Roman stones thought to
> have come from a 
> Roman temple.
> 
> “These are massive and spectacular foundations for
> the tower, using huge 
> stones which must have come from a major Roman
> building,” said Peter.
> 
> A Roman stone coffin lid has been in the churchyard
> for many years.
> 
> It is believed it was often the practice that
> important pagan ritual or 
> worship sites were taken over by subsequent
> religions.
> 
> “We have found far more than we ever expected when
> the work began,” said 
> Peter, who is working alongside Newcastle
> University’s Archaeological 
> Practice.
> 
> Also uncovered has been a maze of mainly 18th
> Century burial vaults, 
> some brick and some stone, under the church. A
> number had their tops and 
> bodies removed when Newcastle architect John Dobson
> carried out 
> remodelling in 1858 – during which, the current work
> has shown, he 
> re-used medieval timbers from the roof.
> 
> Pits of bones from this work have been found and the
> remains will be 
> reburied.
> 
> Several intact vaults have been found in the current
> work and Peter 
> said: “We have found evidence for at least several
> dozen vaults.”
> 
> There are also signs of a major fire around the time
> the church was 
> rebuilt in 1330s-40s, probably after a Scottish
> raid. There is a 
> documentary account of a man having been killed by
> Scots raiders while 
> hiding in the church belfry.
> 
> Another find has been footings of a wall from a late
> Saxon or early 
> Norman nave. The Rev Derek Newton, associate priest
> at the church, said 
> the finds would be part of a Houghton heritage
> centre which will be 
> created in the church as part of the £1m
> refurbishment project.
> 
> “Although the finds have delayed the work slightly,
> this has been a 
> great adventure and everybody has enjoyed what has
> been revealed,” he said.
> 
> To help raise funds for the heritage centre, people
> are being invited to 
> make a donation as they contribute items,
> photographs or writings to a 
> time capsule which will be sealed beneath the new
> floor.
> 
> Contact Mr Newton on (0191) 584-9169.
> 
> The church is considering holding an open day for
> people to view the 
> finds a week on Saturday.


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