Fragment of a cross-shaft
Hallguards House, Dumfries and Galloway
A fragment of an Anglian cross-shaft was discovered in use
as a step at the foot of a garden path descending from Hallguards
House to a grotto formed from a rock overhang at the
foot of a natural escarpment.
The shaft, which is decorated on each face, tapers from
162mm wide at the base to 150mm at the top, and is up to 111mm
thick and 230mm long. The edges of the slab are broken and worn,
but the detail itself is remarkably well preserved. The front and
reverse of the shaft are decorated with vinescroll, leaf fronds and
berry bunches, while the sides have a more sinuous arrangement of
long stems, fronds and single berries, contained by a fillet and
flat band margin.
The stone was handed to the owners, Mr and Mrs T D
Griffiths, for safekeeping.
The carvings date to the 8th century, a period when the Angles
of Northumbria settled across lowland Scotland and Cumbria. Along
with the settlers came monasteries and churches where finely carved
free-standing crosses were produced.
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/75297/details/hallguards/
Object no :
000-299-991-426-C
Collection :
Creator :
NA
Place of Production :
NA
Dimensions :
NA
Materials :
stone
Location :
Hallguards House, Dumfries and Galloway
Related site :
Accession number :
NA
Copyright :
NA
