The local builder hired to renovate the church of St Thomas in Brompton-in-Allertonshire, North Yorkshire, ensured the contract gave him ownership of any parts of the old building uncovered during the work. As it happened, his late medieval predecessors had used 26 items of Viking-Age stone sculpture as foundation material beneath the chancel. The parish could only afford to buy back just over half of the pieces from their presumably smug new owner. The remainder were purchased by the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral to form part of the major collection of Early Medieval artefacts on display in their museum. The finds included the remains of 11 Viking-Age hogback gravestones – carved to resemble Viking halls with giant bears at either end.

This online gallery of 3D images reunites all 26 of the sculptures, and has be made in collaboration with St Thomas' Church, Durham Cathedral Museum, and Brompton Community Primary School, as part of my PhD research at Durham University Archaeology Department.