History of LJ Ross novel Heavenfield: A DCI Ryan Mystery

The Battle of Heavenfield was a skirmish between the Northumbrians and the Welsh in 634AD.

Northumberland is rich in religious history and although Heavenfield looks like an empty field with a small church, it played host to a significant battle.

It also featured in LJ Ross' 2016 novel, Heavenfield: A DCI Ryan Mystery. 

The visit starts from outside of the field where an old wooden cross marks your entry and you can wander from here into the old Saxon church.

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In the 7th century, Northumbria was split into two areas called Bernicia and Deira. Rulers from Wales and the midlands wished to expand into the north and were successful in killing the two kings of Northumbria.

The wooden cross at Heavenfield which was placed in 1927 (Image: Fabulous North) However, they didn't realise one of the kings had a brother called St. Oswald who decided to travel from exile in Scotland to claim his rightful throne. But to do that, he would need to raise an army, which he did with Scottish fighters and petitioned Northumbrian nobles.

The night before the battle, Oswald had a vision of St. Columbia claiming he would be victorious and so Oswald and his men erected a wooden cross and prayed.

Inside the church which was rebuilt in the 18th century (Image: Fabulous North) To combat the opponent's greater numbers, Oswald positioned his army with their backs to the nearby Brady's Crag facing east, protecting themselves from being flanked using the crag and Hadrian's Wall.

At the time, the wall would have been largely intact, standing six metres high and three metres wide. This created a narrow pass for their opponent Welsh army to attack, therefore nullifying their greater numbers.

The base of the stone cross which is now in the church (Image: Fabulous North) After winning the battle, Oswald reunited Bernicia and Deira and declared himself king of Northumbria, restoring Christianity as the religion. Oswald ruled for eight years before being killed at the Battle of Maserfield.

A plaque below the wooden cross in the field (Image: Fabulous North) A Saxon church was erected where Oswald raised his battle standard and the church was known as Heavenfield. It was replaced with a medieval church during the Norman period before being rebuilt in the 18th century with what you see today.

Until 1807 a stone cross stood here to mark the battlefield. The stone cross used a Roman altar as its base stone and this is now in the church.

The wooden cross you see now was placed in 1927 by a group of local people.

For more information, go to Heavenfield in Hexham - Fabulous North.