A medieval grave slab from Northallerton, North Yorkshire: its style, use, and social context

An elaborate and unusual mid-12th - century grave slab was recently found hidden beneath the pews of the north transept of the church of All Saints, Northallerton. In its form, decoration, and identifying inscription, the monument is exceptional for the region in this period. The singular attributes of the commemorative marker also afford it particular interpretative potential. The monument provides a rare glimpse of the individuals and strata of society who were memorialized in stone in 12th - century North Yorkshire, and helps to illuminate some of the motivations behind elite patronage and display in the local church.