Hexham Abbey is a refoundation of a church which stood on this spot in the year 675, it survived until 821, later the town was sacked in 876 and there appear to be no further records until the Archbishop of York decided to found a house of Augustinian canons in 1113.
The abbey suffered from the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, when it was restored it became the parish church for Hexham.
The church is the most important building to survive from the 12th-century, although the external view from the east is dominated by a facade added in 1858. The church standing behind the 19th-century facade is a wonderful example of Early English Church architecture, with long lancet windows, and clustered column shafts.
In the south transept a massive staircase leads up to what was the cannon's dormitory, and in this glorious house of God, it is easy to capture in your mind a vision of holy robed men descending the stone steps to sing the night offices.
Beneath the abbey lies the crypt of the 7th-century, this is known as Wilfred's crypt, in its walls there are Roman stones. Above, in the church there is a tombstone and a chair called Wilfred's throne, these too, are probably of 7th-century origin.
Canon Edwin Sidney Savage came to Hexham Abbey in 1898, he remained until 1919, during this time the nave was almost entirely rebuilt, and was reconsecrated in the August of 1908. Towards the latter end of the 20th-century an additional chapel was created to honour St.Wilfred. This is located at the east end of the north choir aisle.
Amongst the abbey's most notable features are mural paintings, choir stalls with poppy-heads, and fine misericords.
Hexham Abbey is singularly magnificent, its beauty overwhelming, its 1300 year history as a place of worship leaves the visitor humbled. The abbey is a wonderful atmospheric place which is well worth seeing, it is a place of rare peace which leaves visitors feeling uplifted and refreshed.
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