Hexham Abbey is a Grade I listed church dedicated to St Andrew, in the town of Hexham, Northumberland, in the North East of England. Originally built in AD 674, the Abbey was built up during the 12th century into its current form, with additions around the turn of the 20th century. Since the dissolution of the monasteries in 1537, the Abbey has been the parish church of Hexham. In 2014 the Abbey regained ownership of its former monastic buildings, which had been used as Hexham magistrates' court, and subsequently developed them into a permanent exhibition and visitor centre, telling the story of the Abbey's history.
History
thumb|320px|left|Inside Hexham Abbey
There has been a church on the site for over 1300 years since Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria, made a grant of lands to St Wilfrid, Bishop of York, c.674 AD. Of Wilfrid's Benedictine abbey, which was constructed almost entirely of material salvaged from nearby Roman ruins, the Saxon crypt still remains; as does a frith stool, a 7th/8th century cathedra or throne. For a little while around that time it was the seat of a bishopric.
In the year 875 Halfdan Ragnarsson the Dane ravaged the whole of Tyneside, and Hexham Church was plundered and burnt to the ground.
About 1050, one Eilaf was put in charge of Hexham, although as treasurer of Durham, he probably never went there. Eilaf was instructed to rebuild Hexham Church, which then lay in utter ruin. His son Eilaf II completed the work, probably building in the Norman style.]]
In 1113, Wilfrid's abbey was replaced by an Augustinian priory established by Thomas II, Archbishop of York. The current church largely dates from c.1170–1250, built in the Early English style of architecture. The choir, north and south transepts and the cloisters, where canons studied and meditated, date from this period.
The east end was rebuilt in 1858. The Abbey was largely rebuilt during the incumbency of Canon Edwin Sidney Savage, who came to Hexham in 1898 and remained until 1919. This mammoth project involved re-building the nave, whose walls incorporate some of the earlier church, and the restoration of the choir. The nave was re-consecrated on 8 August 1908.
The church was recorded as Grade I listed in 1951.
Crypt
The crypt is a plain structure of four chambers. Here were exhibited the relics which were a feature of Wilfrid's church. It consists of a chapel with an ante-chapel at the west end, two side passages with enlarged vestibules and three stairways. The chapel and ante-chapel are barrel-vaulted. All the stones used are of Roman workmanship and many are carved or with inscriptions.
Hexham Hoard
In 1833 a hoard of approximately 8000 stycas were discovered whilst a grave was being dug in the Campey Hill area close to the north transept. The Hexham Hoard was concealed circa 850. It was composed of coins from the reigns of Eanred, Aethelred II and Redwulf, as well as coins of two archbishops Eanbald and Wigmund. In 1905 this was rebuilt by Norman and Beard with Sir Frederick Bridge of Westminster Abbey as the consultant.
In 1974 a new instrument by Lawrence Phelps of Pennsylvania was installed. It is a two manual 34-stop mechanical action instrument.
Organists
- George Agnew Reay 1820–????
- William Turner 1826–1865 1834–1855–1865
- John Nicholson 1865–1878
- James Price 1878–1882 (afterwards organist of St. Margaret's Church, Ipswich)
- Thomas Simpson Camidge 1882–1889
- Richard Seaton 1889–1909
- Ronald Richardson Potter 1909–1911
- Newell Smith Wallbank 1911–1917 (later organist of Wakefield Cathedral)
- Harry William Tupper 1917–1918 (afterwards Organist of Southwell Minster)
- Hubert Henry Norsworthy 1918
- Newell Smith Wallbank 1918–1926 (later organist of Wakefield Cathedral)
- Cecil S. Richards 1926
- Reginald Tustin Baker 1928–1929 (later organist of Sheffield Cathedral)
- Thomas Christy 1933–1945 (formerly sub-organist of Newcastle Cathedral 1928–1933)
- Alfred Southcott Morrish 1945–1948
- Frederick Hudson 1948