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Object type: Cross-shaft and part of -head
Measurements: H. 55 cm (21.5 in); W. 34 > 18 cm (13.5 > 7 in); D. 20 > 11 cm (7.75 > 4.25 in)
Stone type: Medium-grained yellow sandstone (Carboniferous)
Plate numbers in printed volume: 180 - 3
Corpus volume reference: Vol 2 p. 82-83
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Rectangular shaft with ring-head of type 1 or 2 and arms of type B6; the springing of the ring remains on face D. On all four faces the ornament is framed laterally by a roll moulding.
A (broad): Three panels survive, the central scene set within an inner arched frame. (i) At the top are two nimbed figures flanking a cross, the right-hand figure grasping its stem whilst the other raises one arm. This scene is set on the curved frame of the panel below (ii), which shows a figure, apparently naked and with a well marked navel, carrying floriate rods over his shoulders; the left-hand rod is cruciform in shape. He stands on a serpent whose head is below his left arm; its tail curls beneath and alongside his right arm. (iii) The bottom panel contains worn traces of confronted fleshy volutes.
B (narrow): Widely spaced irregularly shaped free rings with long diagonals, bordered by a roll moulding.
C (broad): At the top are double-incised interlace strands (free rings with long diagonals?) which run into fleshy curled volutes below. These volutes flank a vertical strip of step pattern 1 which pierces below, in its turn, a form of ring-chain worked in contoured stopped-plait. There are traces of further fleshy volutes at the bottom of the shaft.
D (narrow): Below the springer for the ring-head is a key pattern (Allen 1903, no. 925).
The handling of the interlace on face C betrays the impact of the spiral-scroll school and the fleshy volutes may equally be a response to the vegetable ornament of the same group.
The figural scenes are crude variants of well known Christian types. Within the arched frame is a representation of Christ in Majesty, treading down Evil, a theme based upon Psalm XC, 13. In its full statement there are usually four beasts involved but this abbreviated form was employed from an early stage in Christian art (Bailey 1974a, I, 213–20). The closest parallel for the combination of single serpent and Christ carrying the wands of victory is found in Ireland, on Last Judgement scenes from Durrow and Clonmacnoise (Henry 1967, pls. 109–10). The upper scene is probably intended as a symbolic Crucifixion, the empty cross flanked by Mary and John; there is a close parallel for this iconography at Kirkby Wharfe, Yorkshire (Bailey 1980, fig. 31). Together the symbolic Crucifixion and triumph scenes provide a complementary statement of belief.
The use of a separate arched frame on face A (distinct from the arris moulding and without architectural embellishments) seems to be limited to north-western sculpture in the Viking period: the form is found at Halton, Lancashire, Penrith (no. 2), Arlecdon (no. 1) and also on Burton in Kendal 2.
