Gainford Cross Shaft by smellofwater on Sketchfab
The Cross shaft has been set into the floor close to a wall so unfortunately I was unable to scan the rear of the shaft. More info can be found here
Gainford
Gainford Stones
Digging through some old files I came across these two pictures that I took a few years ago in the Monk’s Dormitory in Durham Cathedral.
The stones both originated in Gainford. The stone on the left is a cross shaft and depicting two beasts. The cross shaft on the right depicts two figures in knee-length tunics.
Image Source – The Sculptured Stones of Scotland Vol. 2 John Stuart. 1856
Stan Laurel
Stan Laurel went to school in Gainford, that’s more than enough of a reason to have a wander around.
Lovely Medieval cross slabs line the church porch walls
Inside the church, a pair of carved stones
There is a dragon carving on the opposite face of the second stone, it is almost impossible to see the carving as the stone is close to the wall and fixed into the floor. A photograph of it can be seen here
The house next to the church has an impressive piece of garden architecture.
A path from the churchyard leads down to the Tees, its waters stained with Pennine peat
A boulder, transported from the Shap Fells.
A wall blocks access to a broken Bailey Bridge, many of its boards are missing, one of the supporting columns has been washed away.
With no convenient river crossing, the distant dovecote will have to wait
Returning to the village, I stop to admire this lovely Festival of Britain bench.
Illustration of Gainford Carved Stones from The Antiquities of Gainford. J.R Walbran 1846
The Gainford Stone
The Gainford Stone was discovered during deep drainage excavations at Gainford, it is thought to be a cist cover and is now in the Bowes Museum
Reference. British Prehistoric Rock Art. Stan Beckensall. 1999
Hob Headless
A sprite of a very malevolent disposition, named Hob Headless, used formerly to infest the roads between Hurworth and Neasham ; but had it not in his power to cross the Kent, a little stream flowing into the Tees at the latter place, being subject, we may suppose, to the same law which once prevailed in the supernatural world in Scotland, whereby, under some mysterious penalty, even the witches durst not, in their nocturnal raids, cross a running stream.
Hob used to go as far as the Millstone Bridge, on the Darlington road, but never was seen past that place. A man named Robert Bone, usually called Bobby Byens, was the last person who saw Hob Headless, who was exorcised many years ago, and laid under a large stone, formerly on the road side. There he was to remain for ninety-nine years and a day and should any luckless person happen to sit down on that stone, it was verily believed that he would be unable to quit it for ever. But when Mr. Anthony Moss, of West Middleton, place, the stone was smashed up by the mason’s labourer, and part of it was used as a foundation stone. There is, or was, another Hob at Coniscliffe, on the other side of Darlington ; but no particulars regarding him have been learned.
Legends & Superstitions of the County of Durham
William Brockie 1886
The Smell of Water 