Eastern cross of 'Giant's Grave' group

First recorded between 1581 and 1591 (Sandford 1890, 37; Watson 1891, 290) and first illustrated by Dugdale in 1664-5 (College of Arms MS. C. 39). (See also Calverley 1899a, 241.)

St Andrew

Worn on east face; head severely damaged

Shaft, type h, with swag, type g; cross-head of type B9. The round and rectangular sections of the cross are separated by a decorated collar. The ornament on the head, and laterally on each face of the shaft, is bounded by a roll moulding; there is a lower border to the collar decoration, which consists of a continuous three-strand plain plait with median-incised strands.

A (west, broad): On the head are the remains of a cruciform head-pattern apparently of type 3b (see Fig. 7). At the top of the shaft panel is a backward-turning quadruped with hollowed ear and bird-like head; its legs and neck are bound in interlace. Below (possibly) is a human being, the detail very worn, whose legs are caught in the plait which fills the rest of the panel; only the hole points of this plait now survive.

B (south, narrow): Four-strand plain plait with median-incised strands set over a form of plain plait laid out using a vertical grid.

C (east, broad): On the head is a cruciform head-pattern apparently of type 3iib, but with terminal of type 3ia (see Fig. 7). Below is a single panel of interlace consisting of a double row of irregular free rings with long diagonals.

D (north, narrow): Five registers of free rings with long diagonals terminating in swollen loose ends.

The relationship between the Cumbrian round-shaft derivatives and those of the Peak District is discussed on p. 30. In stance the quadruped on face A has much in common with the animal on Dacre 2 but its bird-like head and interlace binding link it more closely to the Jellinge animal on Waberthwaite 1. The double row of free rings is a rare pattern in the rest of Northumbria, though there are Yorkshire examples at Otley and Wighall (Collingwood 1915a, 228, 248). It is therefore probably significant that this pattern not only recurs on the other shaft of the 'Giant's Grave' (no. 5) but is also extremely popular in the tenth-century Whithorn school and among the associated carvings from the Clyde valley (idem 1927a, figs. 82–5). A debt to the northern group seems likely. The cruciform ornament on the head is a variant of an Anglian-derived motif which was much used in Viking-period Cumbria; the same strong Anglian tradition is clear in the use of the free-armed form of cross-head.

Tenth century

Allen 1885, 354; Allen 1892–5, 144; Calverley 1899a, 240–8, 249–51, 252, 294, pl. facing 240; Collingwood 1901a, 265, 269, 272, pl. facing 265; Collingwood 1903a, 387, figs. 6 and 7; Collingwood 1906–7a, 133, fig. 23; Collingwood 1912b, 160; Collingwood 1913a, 172, figs. 15, 16; Collingwood 1915a, 203, 214; Hughes 1921, 98; Collingwood 1923a, 120–2, 127, fig. on 121; Collingwood 1923b, 5, fig. 1; Collingwood 1923c, 225; Reitzenstein 1924, 186; Collingwood 1925c, 77; Collingwood 1927a, 6, 96–7, 108, figs. 120, 116, (nos. 15 and 16); Kendrick 1941b, 11; Pape 1945–6, 43; Spence 1947, 221–5; Kendrick 1949, 70; Holmqvist 1951, 11; de Vries 1956–7, ii, 397; Cramp 1959–60, 19; Rix 1960, 78; Pevsner 1967, 174; Schmidt 1970, 17, fig. 4; Pattison 1973, 229; Bailey 1974a, I, 147–9, II, 208–10, pls.; Bailey 1980, 227, pl. 28 1. The following are early general references to the 'Giant's Grave' group (nos. 4–9): Dugdale (College of arms MS. C. 39); Camden 1695, 842; Pennant 1771, 219, 267–72, fig. facing 272; Hutchinson 1776, 100–6, fig. on 105; Pennant 1776, 272–3, fig. facing 272; Stukeley 1776, ii, 46; Nicolson and Burn 1777, ii, 410; West 1780, 165–6; Hutchinson 1794, i, 324–32, fig. on 308; Warner 1802, ii, 86; Britton and Brayley 1802, 157–8; Lyttleton 1809, fig. facing 48; Lysons and Lysons 1816, ccii; Rose 1832, ii, 153, fig. facing 152; Jefferson 1840, 57–66, fig. facing 58; Mannix and Whellan 1847, 291; Cutts 1849, 18; Whellan 1860, 603; Nicolson 1877, 153; Allen 1878, 356, fig. on 358; Walker 1885, 420–4, figs. 11 and 12; Browne 1887, 147, 152; Sandford 1890, 37; Watson 1891; 'Ewanian' 1894, 40–6, fig. on 41; Lyttleton 1926.

The following are early general references to the 'Giant's Grave' group (nos. 4-9): Dugdale (College of arms MS. C. 39); Camden 1695, 842; Pennant 1771, 219, 267-72, fig. facing 272; Hutchinson 1776, 100-6, fig. on 105; Pennant 1776, 272-3, fig. facing 272; Stukeley 1776, II, 46; Nicolson and Burn 1777, II, 410; West 1780, 165-6; Hutchinson 1794, I, 324-32, fig. on 308; Warner 1802, II, 86; Britton and Brayley 1802, 157-8; Lyttleton 1809, fig. facing 48; Lysons and Lysons 1816, ccii; Rose 1832, II, 153, fig. facing 152; Jefferson 1840, 57-66, fig. facing 58; Mannix and Whellan 1847, 291; Cutts 1849, 18; Whellan 1860, 603; Nicolson 1877, 153; Allen 1878, 356, fig. on 358; Walker 1885, 420-4, figs. 11 and 12; Browne 1887, 147, 152; Sandford 1890, 37; Watson 1891; 'Ewanian' 1894, 40-6, fig. on 41; Lyttleton 1926.