Now fixed to top of restored cross-shaft in the church (see Leeds 1).

This cross-head is first referred to by R. D. Chantrell (1856–7, 536–7), who regarded it as an attempt to christianise a non-Christian sculpture (see Leeds 1 above). Wardell (1853, 12–13) mentions the head of an ancient wheel-head cross found 'in some repairs to the late fabric in the present century' but does not explicitly relate this to the head depicted with the cross-shaft Leeds (St Peter) 1 (his pl. III), which he describes as a Norman cross. For its further history, see Leeds (St Peter) 1, p.198.

St Peter

Incomplete and damaged, but the carving is sharp where it is not damaged. Now set up with the missing lower arms restored.

The centre and two arms with part of a third, of a type b ring-head, the cross of type B10.

A (broad): The ring is plain. The face is edged with a flat moulding and there is a prominent domed boss at the centre. The simple interlace flows around the centre, from arm to adjacent arm. The two arms which survive to the end show the strands terminating in a Stafford Knot (simple pattern E). The background is dressed back around the flattish strands.

B (narrow): The sides of the upper arm, ring and side arm are plain.

C (broad): This face is very worn, but there is a central boss and traces of the same simple interlace as on face A. The doubt as to the complete pattern is reflected in the modern restoration.

D (narrow): Only the upper arm and ring survive on this face, all plain.

The ring-head implies a date after the arrival of Norse-Irish invaders. This is of a simplified form and is very plainly dressed. Lang (1988, 44) believed it to be contemporary with the shaft, Leeds 1, on which it now stands (Ills. 478–81), but, like Collingwood (1915a, 211), he doubted that it belonged to that shaft. The head of the cross at Stonegrave in Ryedale, which is unusual in that area, is a close analogy to this head in its narrow wheel and use of Stafford Knots (Firby and Lang 1981, 23; Lang 1991, 215–16, no. 1, ills. 833–6). It is also similar to the ring-heads from Gargrave, nos. 6 and 7 (Ills. 292–5, 296–7).

Tenth century

Wardell 1853, 12–13, pl. III; Chantrell, R. 1856–7, 536–7; Haigh 1856–7, 521–2, pl. 1; Pettigrew 1864, 313, pl. 21, fig. 5; Bogg 1904, 32, 75, fig. on 32; Morris 1911, 337; Collingwood 1912, 120, 130; Collingwood 1915a, 211, 280, 281, fig. i on 210; Collingwood 1915b, 268, 292, 308, pls. on 266; Collingwood 1926, 327; Kendrick 1941a, 3n, pl. Ia; Firby and Lang 1981, 23; McGuire and Clark 1987, 10, 17, 22, figs. 1, 15, 16, fig. on 5; Lang 1988, 44, ill. 22; Lang 1991, 216

[1] The following are general references to the Leeds stones: Pettigrew 1864, 308–9, 310–11; Bogg 1904, 75–6; MacMichael 1906, 363; Morris 1911, 46; Collingwood 1915a, 209–10, 292; Collingwood 1915b, 267–9, 271–2, 338; Collingwood 1927, 109; Faull 1981, 218; McGuire and Clark 1987, 5–9, 31–2, 42–5; Ryder 1993, 165.