MONASTERY STORY TO CONTINUE WITH NEW DIG

Namestones were small, hand-carved stones inscribed with a

- TONY HENDERSON

A new dig has begun to reopen the story of a Tyneside site which was one of Europe’s most influential centres of learning and culture.

A series of excavations were carried out from the early 1960s and through the 1970s by Durham University’s Professor Rosemary Cramp at the 7th century site of St Paul's Church and monastery at Jarrow.

Now digging has resumed in open land at Drewett’s Park adjacent to the site after investigations by Durham and Newcastle universities revealed evidence of buried structures.

Groundwork South and North Tyneside, the charity which operates Jarrow Hall, Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village and Bede Museum, has been awarded £249,188 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the community archaeological investigation.