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Object type: Lower part of shaft
Measurements: H. 140.8 cm (55.4 in); W. 37.5 > 30 cm (14.7 > 11.8 in); D. 36 > 27.5 cm (14.2 > 10.8 in)
Stone type: Medium grained Millstone Grit rock with sub-angular grains. Feldspathic and slightly micaceous, this shaft does not show reddened body colours. Colour yellowish brown (10YR 6/4). Possibly Addlethorpe Grit (as the local Plompton Grit is reddened near the Permian unconformity), Namurian, Upper Carboniferous, locally available. [J.S.]
Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 252-5
Corpus volume reference: Vol 8 p. 151
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A square-sectioned shaft on a short, bulbous, round base: a 'round-shaft derivative', with the division between the square and round sections marked by an elaborate double swag. All faces are edged by a triple moulding — the outer and inner rolled, the middle one pelleted. The triple moulding also continues round the swag at the base. At least half of the base is restored, but the remains have an angular, lattice-like plait.
A (south): This face has angular strap-work. It is not clear that this is formed from overlapping lozenges as in the restored section: it could be very angular interlace. It includes loose pellets and other space-fillers, including small detached scrolls.
B (east): This is divided down its centre by a flat narrow band, on either side of which are meanders of type 2. The meanders seem to feed into the central divider at the foot.
C (north): Similar to face A, although the plait-like intention of the decoration is clearer on this face.
D (west): The restored upper part of the shaft suggest a Como-braid-like twist, and this is not impossible: a pattern with strong diagonals can certainly still be seen on the upper part of the surviving shaft. However, it could also have had a rather more curved version of a plait, or a simplified scroll with volutes alternating on the right and left. Again, there are a few loose pellets within the plait or twist.
The form of this shaft links it to that of Gosforth 1, Cumberland (Bailey and Cramp 1988, 100–4, ills. 292–5). Enough remains to show that it is cylindrical below the triple swag, and a tapering rectangle above. In its triple swag it is very like Gilling West 2, north Yorkshire (Lang 2001, 114, ills. 266–71). The decoration on face D, though very worn, is reminiscent of the angular decoration on the hogback Gilling West 10C, where it is recognised as a debased scroll (ibid., 118, ill. 294) . The decoration also has local Anglo-Scandinavian connections, in the basket-plait below the swag instead of the multiple ring-chain of Gosforth, and the large-scale meanders above, both of which link it to other Anglo-Scandinavian shafts in the area.
