A Norman church - St. Bees priory in Cumbria. The Norman Age connection with The Viking Age.
Interested in the Viking Age, - understatement of the year - lately I cannot help myself felling in love with the Norman Age. I am surprised by the beauty of architecture involved, and one cannot help asking himself why 'The Viking Age' is addressed to have terminated at 1066 A.D. architectally wise.
For example, as one sees the Norman church in Kelpick, Herefordshire - wich is high on my list for a next journey to visit.
Is it that strange to see very similar forms of ornamentation to the (also 12th century) as 'Urnes art style' as latest phase of art style in the Viking Age of Urnes stave church ? (the link leads to a lovely blog of Ru Smith lately having visited that church in Norway) compared with the outspoken Norman architecture involved at Norman period churches, as those in Kelpick or, in this article, St. Bees in Cumbria ?
So, is 'the end of the Viking Age in 1066 in England' a too rigid dated ? In my opinion, Scandinavian influence continued well into the late 10th and 11th century. It were Scandinavians (though from France) who brought the Norman art style into England and other countries as well.
Interesting - in that respect - is the foreword of Patrick F. Wallace in the just published book Viking Dublin - The Wood Quay Excavations.
In the introduction and aknowledgements he states:
'There are problems for an archaeologist wishing to use the word 'Norse'. The inhabitants of Dublin (note: of course he is addressing Ireland here, but the architectural art style involved also, wich occurred in England as the Norman style also) and the other towns were probably of mixed Norse and local stock from early on and descriptions of both place and people should reflect this. Further, the extent of intermixed nature of so many aspects of the material remains, including decoration, means this culture should be termed 'Hiberno-Scandinavian'from the mid-to-late tenth century onwards. (In Ireland) That mixed culture was well established by the time of the battle of Tara in 980. For convenience, the material culture up to about 980 may be termed 'Viking', whilst 'Viking age' describes the whole period from the 840's to the arrival of the English or Anglo-Normans in 1169.'
He adds further on: 'A difficulty for the archaeologist is how to recognize the evidence we have for the continuity of so many influences from the late Hiberno-Scandinavian phase into the late twelfth century. This is why from an archaeological point of view, I am recommending that the material remains of the 1100-1200 period to be termed 'Hiberno-Norman'.
In Cumbria, we have visited a nice Norman church, founded sometime between 1120 and 1135. The front door is of a distinct Norman/Romanesque style and in the opposite of the main door there is a Romanesque lintel of ca. 1120 A.D. showing St Michael fighting a dragon. Some distinct Celtic like influences are also to be recognised - see the sculpture sign just left of the tail of the dragon.
There is even a 10th century cross in the graveyard - where else ? , but we appearantly have missed that.. gotten spoiled as it seems of all the crosses we had seen already presumably..
Image above: an abraised face figure at top of the front door of the church.
Beneath: the characteristic front door with outspoken Norman/Romanesque architecture..
For more reading on Norman architecture in England I recommend the book (expensive, in Dutch we say 'a rib out of the body - but truly worthwile !)
Fernie E. , The Architecture of Norman England (2002)
Oh yes.. a short visit back to my prior blog on the Viking section in the Kendal Museum in Cumbria
The stone head figure - where I had expected the Sheela-na-nig to be exhibited, is of non Viking Age date. The Museum commented when asked:
'This is our 14th century stone head. It was found at a barn in Borrowdale, on land previously owned by Furness Abbey '
Next question I will address is why a 14th century stone had been incorporated in the Viking Age section and not the Sheela-na-nig. Maybe it was found 'more appropiate' ?
Certainly to be continued dear readers..
Well. I could have been with these stones until after dark, but as my wife wanted to travel on.. well.. I see you again, some day, hogback stones from Gosforth. And if you happen to be there one day, do not forget that monument on the outside...
Further on with the Cumbrian hogbacktour !
In - yes, luckily again in - St. Peter's church in Heysham, there is a truly beautiful hogback stone. The guide told us, it had been studyied by Thor Ewing, a writer, in 2000. in 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context (link), Thor Ewing tells in detail what he dicovered on the both sides of this hogback stone.
Just being brought in the church as late as the 1970's accompanied with some protest here and there among the church visitors, considered as being a token of old paganism, it had been remarkably nice preserved, and a lot of detail can be seen, still. Truly worthwile a visit.
I had a small debate with the guide in the church if the - zoomorphic, in my opinion - faces on the sides were lions (or hippo's). The guide doubted if the vikings could have known about lions. Well I guess so, concerning the runes on the Ancient Greek lion statue at the Arsenal, Venice. For example. Vikings did travel south..
But when he told me he was doubting the vikings 'discovered' (as the native inhabitants were of course, in the first place) America before Columbus, I decided to rest my case..
One has to know when to start and to end a conversation ..
Just discovered the book in a bookstore written by Geoff Holder - The guide to the mysterious Lake District, I knew there had to be another hogback stone in Lowther, St. Micheal's Church. With a promising image described in the text of 'a naval and a land-based force of shield-bearing vikings above a fish and what might be a coiled sea serpent. On the reverse is a row of female figures with snakes, possibly a representation of the hideous hag Hel'. Wow. If that did not sound as a true pagan promised land ..
Not complaing too much after all we have seen, this visit was the dissapointing one of them all. But if you wife states 'I am happy to have seen them' and I am answering 'Measuring is knowing' and the even more obligate verb 'handling 'if we did not see it at all, we wouldn't have known anything at all of how they were looking' the glass was again half full, at the last day of our journey..
The hogback stone appeared to be just being tolerated within the entrance segment part of the church. As something you never use anymore but you do not throw away - entirely. That sort of feeling emerged when seeing this hogback asylum seekers.. Bed, bath and bread, ás we say in Dutch, but no luxury at all and standing on some outcuts of wood, you would balance the table with at home..
Come on, St. Micheal's Church.. care a bit more of your 'children' !
This hogback stone was moved in the church in 1907. Hogback stones layed partially buried in the churchyard before it was dug up and moved into the church.
The promising depiction of a longship - as certainly can be seen after some studying - see http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship
we have missed !
The stone itself is (157 x 50 x 30 cm) and very worn.
The hogback stones in Cumbria - very diverse in quality, but everyone worth a visit ! Especially on a gloomy day in late October ...
The churches to visit - see photos of resp. St. Andrew's church in Penrith, St. Mary's church in Gosforth, St. Peter's church in Heysham and St. Micheal's church in Lowther.
Did I miss out on another one in Cumbria ? Let me know !
In a next blog I will take you to four - still remaining utterly mysterious- statues 'guarding' the graveyard of St. Andrew's church in Dacre..
For the last blog of October 9th see this link.
References: (as always, links to where the books can be ordered are attached).
Edwards, B.J.N. Vikings in North West England - The artifacts (1998);
Emery, Gordon, CURIOUS CUMBRIA, The Lake District & Beyond: A celebration of Cumbria (2023)
Ewing, T. 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context ;
Hall, R. Viking Age archaeology in Britain and Ireland (first printed 1990, reprinted with amendments in 1995);
Holder, G. The guide to the mysterious Lake District (2009)
possibly also (as there within the part of Cumbria dealing with Carlisle, the Eden Valley, Barrow-in-Furness, Whitehaven and the west coast is being dealed with)
Holder, G. Paranormal Cumbria (2010)
http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship