'Irreplaceable' Roman stones stolen from church

The two stones used to sit either side of a larger tombstone - picture from 2021 shows one still in place

Two stones, believed to be from a Roman fort, have been taken from a rural church.

It is believed they were stolen in two separate raids from St Cuthbert's Church, in Elsdon, in the Northumberland National Park.

They are listed in the Directory of Roman Inscriptions of Britain as being from the fort of Risingham (Habitancum) near west Woodburn, before 1827.

Associate priest at the church, the Reverend Canon Sarah Lunn, described the thefts as "very sad."

One of the stones was originally built into a wall at Elsdon Tower, which was the Rectory

"We like to keep churches unlocked and that's so important," Ms Lunn said.

"They should be places of welcome and sanctuary and because walkers and tourists get so much pleasure from visiting them.

"They are sacred spaces for everyone to use."

The stones were brought to the church many decades ago and placed either side of a larger Roman tombstone which has not been moved.

One of the pair was previously built into one of the outbuildings of Elsdon Tower, which was then the Rectory.

The first stone vanished around 2019 and the second more recently, although it is not known exactly when.

The Reverend Canon Sarah Lunn said that it was important that churches remained unlocked

A recent report by Historic England and the National Police Chiefs' Council found that thefts of historic stones and metals was on the rise.

Helen Howie, a member of the Elsdon Parish Council, said the stones were "irreplaceable".

"We decided to make the thefts public because we want people to realise that sometimes people do target churches even in rural areas with low crime rates," she said.

"I'd like to urge people to be on their guard and if they see something suspicious, don't just ignore it, but perhaps take a picture of a number plate.

"We all want churches to stay open, so everyone can play a part in keeping their contents safe."

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