A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



The cemetery at Hartlepool was discovered in July, 1833, during 

 excavations in a field called Cross Close, about 150 yards south-east of the 

 ancient church of St. Hilda, and was possibly connected with the nunnery 

 over which that saint presided about the middle of the seventh century. 1 It 

 is a misfortune that no accurate observations were made at the time of the 

 discovery by any competent archasologist, as many of the stones accompanying 

 the burials were dispersed and destroyed before their unusual and interesting 

 character was noticed. Several skeletons were found buried at a depth of 

 of about 3! feet and lying on the limestone rock. They were laid north 

 and south with their heads resting on small, square flat stones (hence called 

 pillow-stones) ; while above the skeletons were other stones of a memorial 

 character. Of these, only seven complete stones have been preserved; 

 the number originally found is unknown. Four of them are in the British 

 Museum, two in the museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne, and one is in the Cathedral Library at Durham. They are all 

 of rectangular form and vary in size, the greatest length being only 1 1 J inches. 

 Some fragments of another stone of circular form, 13! inches in diameter, 

 were found. When complete this stone had contained, in incised lines, an 

 elegant cross, with circular boss in the centre, and circular terminations to the 

 four arms. A border of lines and sunk circles surrounded the stone, and the 

 remaining fragments contained most of the letters forming the words 

 REQUIESCAT IN PACE. The letters are of the Saxon form, the square c being 

 used. 



In referring to these stones, it will be convenient to number them as in 

 Dr. Haigh's list. 8 Nos. 3, 5, 7 and 8 are in the British Museum. No. 3 

 is 7^ inches by 5^ inches, and shows a raised cross and border formed by 

 sinking the field. The cross has semicircular terminations, or half bosses, 

 at the extremities of the limbs, and a boss at the intersection. Across 

 the lower part the letters EDILUINI in Saxon minuscules are incised. No. 5 

 is 8J inches by 7 inches, and has also a raised cross and border formed in 

 the same manner. The cross is of a very unusual form ; its limbs termi- 

 nate in steps of two degrees on either side each limb, and the centre boss is 

 of the lozenge form stepped into four degrees in each angle. On the field 

 is incised an inscription in five lines in minuscules, ORATE PRO EDILUINI 

 ORATE PRO UERMUND ET TORTHSUiD, which is remarkable, as it repeats 

 the names which occur singly on three other stones. No. 7 is 8 inches by 

 7! inches, and has again the characteristic type of cross, but formed by in- 

 cised lines only, with the name HANEGNEVB also incised ; the letters are 

 uncial with the exception of the G, which is minuscule. No. 8 is lof inches 

 by 8| inches, and has an elegant cross formed of broad double and treble in- 

 cised lines, the arms ending in circles with outer circles and curious scroll 

 terminations. The surface is unfortunately damaged, but retains the letters 

 . . . OUGUID in minuscules. The two fragments of the circular stone, and 

 No. i on Dr. Haigh's list are lost. 



The two rectangular stones preserved at Newcastle (2 and 4) have each 

 a cross of the same form, in one case in relief, in the other incised. The 



1 The fact that the bodies were laid north and south, it has been argued, is against the suggestion that 

 they were the remains of Christians. 



* Brit. Arch. Assoc. Journ. i. 185-196. Arch. xxvi. 497, pi. Hi. 



212 



