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Object type: Architectural feature [1]
Measurements: H. 38.7 cm (15.25 in); W. 23 > 15 cm (9 > 6 in); D. 10.2 cm (4 in)
Stone type: Medium-grained, slightly micaceous, reddish-yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandstone; deltaic channel sandstone, Saltwick Formation, Aalenian, Middle Jurassic; perhaps from Aislaby, near Whitby (see Fig. 5)
Plate numbers in printed volume: 610-613
Corpus volume reference: Vol 3 p. 171-172
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The stone tapers sharply towards a curved and pointed tip.
A (broad): A broad, flat edge moulding runs up each side to meet at the point. It contains a slimmer, inner flat moulding, also plain; this encloses a wavering triangle.
B (inner edge): Broken away, except at the base, where a single flat-band moulding on each side encloses a flat strand forming a run of zig-zags interspersed with pellets.
C (broad): As face A, but neater.
D (outer edge): Plain and weathered.
This gable finial is of a type usually associated with Ireland (Leask 1977, 46–7, fig. 20; Harbison 1970, 54–7, figs. 18–20), though recently two Northumbrian examples have come to light: at Heysham, Lancashire (Andrews 1978, 2); and Lythe, north of Whitby, North Riding. Its presence at Lastingham tends to confirm Bede's statement that the monastery was founded in the Lindisfarne tradition, i.e. a Hiberno-Saxon milieu (Bede 1969, iii, 23, 288–9). The zig-zag of face B seems to combine two motifs of an early cross at Northallerton, North Riding and another from Ripon (Collingwood 1907, 372, figs. a–c on 373; idem 1915, 233–4, a, c). Whilst the form may have a Celtic source, the ornament is typical of Northumbria c. 700. The zig-zag with pellets also occurs on a fragment from Monkwearmouth (no. 6) (Cramp 1984, I, 125). The lost piece, no. 12, may have formed part of this monument.
