Crypt has a link to Romans.

Stones from the ruins of a Roman bridge which spanned the River Tyne are likely to have been recycled to build Hexham Abbey crypt in the 7th Century.

Remains of the bridge near Corbridge were uncovered by archaeologists from Tyne and Wear Museums.

It carried Dere Street, the main Roman road from London to Scotland, and at least one other road and is thought that it probably collapsed under erosion from the river during Anglo-Saxon times.

Now the archaeologists have surveyed the stones in Hexham Abbey crypt, part of the church built by St Wilfrid in 674.

The Anglo-Saxons were impressed by ruined Roman buildings, referring to them as "the work of giants", and used stones from them to build their churches.

The crypt is formed from huge Roman blocks, many of them decorated and carrying parts of inscriptions.

Margaret Snape, keeper of field archaeology at Tyne and Wear Museums, said: "This is a really exciting discovery as it is the first time the Roman stones in the crypt have been quantified and there are over 500 in all.

"We think that the only source for so many huge blocks must be a bridge or possibly more than one bridge, perhaps that at Chesters as well as Corbridge.

"If we can show these were the stones taken by Wilfrid's masons, then we will know that the bridge was already in a state of collapse by AD 674."

The crypt is open (services permitting), Monday to Saturday, at 11am and 3.30pm.