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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie FSA

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 789
 Date Entered 24/03/2014
 Updated on 24/03/2014
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Rock Art
 Record Type Archaeology
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Public
 Record Date 23/03/2014
 Location Barnard Castle.The Bowes Museum Grounds
 Civil Parish Barnard Castle
 Brit. National Grid NZ 056 163
 Altitude 160m
 Geology Out of context. N/A
 Record Name The Greta Bridge cist cover decorated in the cup and ring tradition.
 Record Description This interesting slab of sandstone was located some 400m east of Greta Bridge during widening of the A66 road. It was stated to have formed the cover to a Roman grave. I have not seen any formal report on the circumstances of the excavation of this slab which had originally formed the cover slab to a stone cist grave of late Neolithic or early Bronze Age date, and reused for a Roman burial some 2000 years later. Sandstone slabs similar to this have been recognised elsewhere in Teesdale, for example the very fine Gainford Stone located during excavations for a sewer or water main at Gainford, also on display at the Bowes Museum. This fine cist cover is decorated with cup and rings on one face and with simple cups and grooves on the other face, similar to this Greta Bridge stone. It is possible that the Greta Bridge stone is also decorated on both faces. See Beckensall and Laurie, 1998. 'The Prehistoric Rock Art of County Durham, Swaledale and Wensleydale for details of this and of two other cist covers with similar cup and ring decoration from Mid Teesdale, namely the Gainford Stone and a fine cist cover slab which survives at the edge of a fenced plantation on the northern side of Thorsgill near Egglestone Abbey.
 Dimensions See photos
 Geographical area 
 Species 
 Scientific Name 
 Common / Notable Species 
 Tree and / or Stem Girth 
 Tree: Position / Form / Status 
 Tree Site ID 0
 Associated Site SWAAG ID 0
 Additional Notes 
 Image 1 ID 5260         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description The Greta Bridge stone is now in the grounds of the Bowes Museum.
 Image 2 ID 5257         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Careful examination will reveal the presence of small chevron markings with small cups, close to the edge of the cist slab (in shadow on these photos)
 Image 3 ID 5258         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description 
 Image 4 ID 5259         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description 
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