April 15th 2020

Frosterley Marble Font to Come to the Museum

The Weardale Museum is in discussions with the diocese to bring the Frosterley Marble font from St Michael of All Angels Church to High House Chapel.

Frosterley marble is a famous decorative limestone full of fossils which when polished gives the stone the appearance of marble.The limestone was first quarried around Frosterley at the time of the Normans for use in the building of Durham Cathedral where pillars of the 'marble' can be seen in the Chapel of the Nine Altars. Since then it has found its way to many churches and cathedrals around the world.

This particular font was gifted to Gainsborough church in Lincolnshire by the Bacon Family in 1888 but was replaced in 1967 by another font more in keeping with the church architecture. It was buried in the church yard and re-discoverd 20 years later following research Mr Basil Noble. The font was then restored and installed in St Michael of All Angels Church in Frosterley ion 29th October 1989.

St Michael's Church closed in 2019 and the Weardale Museum have asked to have the font installed in High House Chapel as a fine example of our local geology and a beautiful church artefact.