Last updated 11:48, Monday, 14 July 2008

THE heart-breakingly beautiful voices of teenage quartet All Angels found the perfect back-drop at Hexham Abbey in a special BBC Songs of Praise.
A special performance by the four chart-topping choir girls led a celebration of music and culture at the Abbey in the popular Sunday night show last autumn.
The show was the latest in a long line of cultural, artistic and musical events at Hexham Abbey which has been the beating heart of a vibrant community for hundreds of years.

Take a stroll around Hexham Abbey and you cannot fail to be impressed by its massive stone walls, winding stairs, elegant arches, intricate carvings and stunning stained glass windows. But it is the people, young and old, who come to the Abbey every day to meet, chat, catch up with friends, make music or just sit quietly in prayer, that bring this incredible building to life.
And that was exactly the dream of founder Wilfrid, Bishop of York, who back in AD 674 was charged with a mission by his Queen, Etheldreda, to create a lively, thriving centre of Christianity – a place where people could unite in worship, friendship, love and peace.
Queen Etheldreda certainly chose the right man for the job. Passionate, creative, hard-working and imaginative, Wilfred fulfilled his dream to build the biggest and best Roman-style cathedral in Britain.
Today, visitors from all over the world still flock to this glorious and awe-inspiring building to marvel at its treasures and wonder at its history.
The Abbey has held a special place, close to people’s hearts, for hundreds of years – and everyone has their favourite spot for contemplation, reflection and prayer.

For the hundreds of young visitors who have enjoyed special school tours, courtesy of the Abbey’s children’s education officer Toni Bush, there’s an all-out winner – the crypt.
“It really captures their imagination,” said Toni (37), a former secondary school teacher.
“They love the spooky atmosphere and sense of going back a huge amount in time. Here they can climb down a steep, stone staircase to the ancient rooms and passageways where Wilfrid walked. And there are stones in the crypt walls which take you back even further, carved when Septimus Severus was Emperor of Rome.”
Toni, who last year guided an impressive 1,100 children around the Abbey, aims to bring history to life with a number of thrilling stories of past characters and an array of interactive games to keep young children entertained.
“We get them dressing up as monks and writing with quill pens – the more fun the better.”
Ask Ruth King, who has been a guide at Hexham Abbey for 25 years, for her favourite spot and she doesn’t hesitate. “It’s the font – an awe-inspiring structure made of wood and stone dating back to the Roman times, crowned by a symbolic dove of peace.”
The bowl is believed to be the base of a Roman column, dating back to around 400 AD. The dog-tooth carved pedestal dates back to the 12th century and the lid is Jacobean. The intricately carved canopy, which was created by a Belgian refugee in thanks for Hexham keeping him safe during the First World War, includes some timber dating back to medieval times.
“This one, beautiful structure covers the whole of time,” said Ruth. “I think it is the heart of the Abbey, a special place which means so much to people of all ages.”
Retired teacher Ruth is one of an army of around 70 volunteers, young and old, who willingly give up their spare time to care for the Abbey and meet and greet visitors from all over the world.
“People come here for all sorts of reasons,” she said. “Some will just want to gaze and wonder at how beautiful the Abbey is – but for others it is a haven, a place of peace and love where they can feel comforted and safe.”
Hexham Abbey has long held a reputation for protecting and caring for the community. One of its treasures, the Frith Stool, or the “Stool of Peace” was given to the Abbey by the Pope way back in the 7th century as mark of highest privilege – the Right of Sanctuary.
Today the stool – one of only two remaining in the whole of the country – bears many cracks and chips from rough handling over the century, but it rescued many people from much worse treatment.

When thieves faced hand-lopping and poachers had their ears cut off the one-mile ring of sanctuary emanating from the Frith Stool must have saved hundreds from painful and humiliating punishments in the name of justice.

The Abbey has faced its fair share of violence and trouble over the years. It was burnt by the Vikings in 875 and by the Scots in 1296 and 1346, but after each attack it has emerged a survivor – thanks to the undaunted love and support of the local community who have re-built it stone by stone, time and time again.

Hexham Abbey welcomes visitors at all times except during services. Guided visits can be arranged by ringing the parish centre on (01434) 602031.