The Corpus: Osmotherley 04

Volume 6: Northern Yorkshire

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Current Display: Osmotherley 04, Yorkshire North Riding

Overview

Object type: Part of hogback in two joining fragments [1]

Measurements: L. 74.9 cm (29.5 in) W. 19 cm (7.5 in) H. 23 cm (9 in)

Stone type: Soft loosely cemented deltaic sandstone with small, well-distributed brown patches of limonite cement (mottled appearance); feldspathic. Brownish yellow (10YR 6/6). Certainly from the deltaic Saltwick Formation, Aalenian, Middle Jurassic of the Cleveland Hills escarpment

Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 724–5

Corpus volume reference: Vol 6 p. 191

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Present Location

Fixed to the bench against the east interior wall of the porch

Evidence for Discovery

See Osmotherley 1 (St Peter)

Church Dedication

St Peter

Present Condition

The top and one end of a hogback, very weathered; broken in two previously and recently damaged on the ridge, part of which is now missing.

Description

A ridge issues from the jowl of the end-beast, its flat top decorated with step 1 fret pattern between plain mouldings.

A (long) : Only the upper curves of interlace remain below the ridge. Collingwood's drawing shows more than can now be seen.

B (end) : One end-beast survives, with a small head and fangs in both jaws. The ears are rounded and a diminutive foreleg reaches towards the lower jaw.

C (long) and D (end) : Broken away.

Discussion

This is a type f (vestigial) hogback. The step fret is typical of Anglo-Scandinavian ornament, where it is used in thin strips (cf. Lythe nos. 26–31).

Date

First half of tenth century

References

Kelly 1897, 246; Morris, J. 1904, 283, 420; Collingwood 1907, 271, 276, 285, 380, figs. e–f on 378; Collingwood 1912, 115, 126; Page, W. 1914, 439; Collingwood 1915, 270, 284; Collingwood 1927a, 169; Wall 1930, 51; Morris, J. 1931, 283; Mee 1941, 176; Pevsner 1966, 278; Lang 1967, 124–6, fig. 35; Cramp 1984, 141; Lang 1984a, 87, 99, 156, pl. on 157; Bailey and Cramp 1988, 107

Endnotes

[1] The following are general references to the Osmotherley stones: Kelly 1897, 246; Morris, J. 1904, 283, 420; Collingwood 1908, 120; Bogg 1909, 221; Morris, J. 1931, 283, 417; Mee 1941, 176.