The Corpus: Winchester (Old Minster) 60

Volume 4: South-East England

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Current Display: Winchester (Old Minster) 60, Hampshire

Overview

Object type: Fragment

Measurements: H. 8.5 > 7 cm (3.3 > 2.8 in); W. 9.5 > 7.5 cm (3.7 > 3 in); D. 8 > 5 cm (3.1 > 2 in)

Stone type: Pale yellowish-grey, medium-grained, shelly, oolitic limestone, including part of an echinoid test; Combe Down Oolite, Great Oolite Formation of the Bath area, Great Oolite Group, Middle Jurassic

Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 594-5

Corpus volume reference: Vol 4 p. 302

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Present Location

Winchester City Museum, Historic Resources Centre, Hyde House, Winchester, accessions no. 2943 WS 270

Evidence for Discovery

Found in archaeological excavation north of Winchester cathedral in 1964 in robber-trench of Old Minster baptistery; Final Phase 58 (Provisional Phase 1001), c. 1093-4

Church Dedication

Old Minster

Present Condition

Only one dressed face survives. The carved surface is well preserved; the stone has been trimmed for reuse and whitewashed.

Description

The main interlace band is about 5.6 cm wide with a central area, 2.4 cm wide, with large flat, regular pellets, 2 cm in diameter. The surface of the carving is about 1.5 cm above the background. Three bands meet on this small piece, but the pattern continued to the right on to another ashlar. Coarse, pale, brown-pink mortar with tile and chalk inclusions adheres especially to the lower broken surface but also occurs sporadically on the other broken surface and on the carved face. On the dressed face a thin spread of this mortar, with traces of whitewash, appears towards the bottom. The stone was thus already reused before Old Minster was demolished in 1093–4. The carving is confident, the pelleting more circular and better formed than the pellets on Winchester (Old Minster) no. 59.

Discussion

It is possible, but not certain, that this stone is derived from the baptistery or nave of Old Minster. The baptistery was part of the first church, built c. 648, and continually in use, probably with alterations, until reconstructed c. 993–4. The exceptional quality of this piece may indicate that it is comparatively early.

Date

Ninth century?

References

Biddle and Kjølbye-Biddle forthcoming a, fig. 148, no. 61

M.B.; B.K.-B.

Endnotes