The Corpus: North Otterington 04

Volume 6: Northern Yorkshire

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Current Display: North Otterington 04, Yorkshire North Riding

Overview

Object type: Cross-head [1]

Measurements: H. 32.5 (12.8 in) W. 33.8 cm (13.5 in) D. 13.5 cm (5.3 in)

Stone type: As North Otterington 1 (St Michael), except that the colour is yellowish brown (10YR 5/6).

Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 698–702

Corpus volume reference: Vol 6 p. 187

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Present Location

See North Otterington 1 (St Michael)

Evidence for Discovery

Dredged from the river Wiske in 1990 and retrieved by Mr J. T. Hill, churchwarden. Identified by Mrs Susan Harrison in 1993.

Church Dedication

St Michael

Present Condition

The three upper limbs survive and the stump of the lower one. Top damaged.

Description

A (broad) : The cross, type E10, has semicircular arm-pits and convex arm tips. The surface is plain.

B (narrow) : Plain; perhaps some traces of an edge moulding on the lower arm.

C (broad) : As face A.

D (narrow) and E (top) : Plain.

Discussion

This very plain cross is like those of the early series at Whitby (Chap. VI, pp. 39–40), except for the convex tips to the arms. Whilst there is no diagnostic ornament to assist in dating it, its ascetic appearance and smooth finish speak of the eastern Yorkshire tradition, for example the York stelae and the Whitby crosses, of an early period (Lang 1990a, 1–5).

Date

Eighth century(?)

References

Unpublished

Endnotes

[1] The following are general references to the North Otterington stones: Bulmer 1890, 539; Morris, J. 1904, 285, 420; Bogg 1908, 45; Page, W. 1914, 443; Morris, J. 1931, 285, 417; Mee 1941, 170; Pevsner 1966, 273.