Angel Dig May Have Found Lost Church

One of Corbridge’s lost churches may have been unearthed by archaeologists working on what has been called Northumberland’s most important medieval site.

In recent weeks, archaeologists from North Pennines Archaeology Limited, based in Nenthead, have been working against the clock to record every aspect of the site behind the Angel Inn.Wednesday was the last day of working on the site for the team and the remains are now due to be covered over.Having already uncovered two skeletons, archaeologists this week found evidence of medieval bronze and iron working on the site, as well as what they say could be one of Corbridge’s lost churches, dating back to before the 13th century.Archaeology supervisor Tony Liddell explained: “We have found a number of substantial walls on the site, which we are dating back to the 13th century because of pottery remains on the site.“Several of the walls cross over each other and are from different buildings; some are quite slight but others are very sturdy.“It seems as if the older, sturdier building fell in to disuse and a new building was put up over the top of it, but slightly off centre.“We have found iron working and bronze working associated with these structures, including a bronze cauldron handle.“There are distinct burning areas with metal slag, all of which gives us an important view on what life was like during the period.“We then have evidence, through domestic waste and domestic pottery, that suggests that the site was reused for domestic purposes shortly after this time.“There are only about 30 sites across the whole country for medieval bronze working, and only two of these are in Northumberland. That makes this one of the most important medieval sites in the region.“These are certainly the most important mediaeval remains found in Corbridge.“We have taken some samples for carbon dating, but we would need additional funding to carry that out, so it may have to wait.“One of most important things we have found is an even older and thicker wall, dating back before the 13th century.“It’s the oldest l we’ve found on the site and the most substantial. It’s pre-13th century because some of the other walls we have dated cut across the top of it.“Although we may never be able to determine the exact period the wall was built in – due to a lack of artefacts relating to it – we are speculating that it could be a lost church.”The revelation, however, has not cast any new light on the two skeletons found on the site, as they date from a later period and at least one did not show signs of a Christian burial.With the site due to be covered over, field archaeologist Kevin Mounsey has drawn a detailed plan of the site – mapping it stone by stone – and numerous photographs have been taken to record a part of Corbridge not seen in over 700 years.

(By Will Green Hexham Courant - 9 February 2007)