| Description | C10 C11 decorated cross base situated within St Matthew's churchyard, Rastrick. Trapezoidal stone block 0.93 m. high, 0.68 m. square at base and 0.61 m. square at top. Hole at top approx. 0.30 m. square and 0.25 m. deep; probably socket intended to hold wooden cross. All four sides have moulded edges.
On S side, contained within a double moulding, a scroll pattern of six volutes three facing three about a central vertical axis. E face repeats this pattern with very minor variations. N face has two long, rectangular fields, flanking a central vertical axis, which contain two versions of an interlace pattern. Moulding on W face appears to have been single; this side otherwise blank. May have originally carried decoration similar to S and E sides, which has been dressed off? Does not seem to present this appearance in available photographs. Stands in NW corner of St. Mathew's churchyard, near gate. N side, which carries anomalous decoration, faces Crowtrees Lane, which follows the probable line of RR 712. May still occupy original position.
The cross fragment is a designated Scheduled Ancient Monument (SM23376). A site visit in May 2002 noted that the churchyard was well maintained, but there was some concern of the effects of pollution levels, from the nearby road, upon the stone surface. When compared to photographs taken in 1991, there was considerable wearing on the relief carvings between 1991 and 2002 (Redfern Site Visit, 2002).
English Heritage scheduling description 16/05/1995:
'The monument includes the remains of the Anglican high cross in St Matthew’s churchyard and comprises the socle or socket stone of the cross. Originally a stone shaft and cross head would have been set into the socle but these components are now missing.
The socle consists of a roughly dressed gritstone block measuring c.1.6m high and tapering asymmetrically from 0.75cm square at the base to c.52cm high at the top. In the top there is a rectangular socket hole measuring c.30cm by 25cm by 15cm deep. A single line of roll moulding extends round the base of the socle, c.5cm below the rim, and there appear originally to have been knots where these mouldings intersect with those on the corners, but these knots are now very eroded. On each face of the socle, further fine lines of roll moulding form panels framing carved ornamentation. On the south face, this ornamentation takes the form of a so called ‘Tree of Life’ comprising scroll like branches emerging sideways from a central stem. This design is repeated in a different and not so well preserved form on the east face and also on the west face which, in the past, has been mistakenly described as blank. On the north face the panel is divided by a vertical rib flanked by differing forms of interlace. This design may also represent a form of the ‘Tree of Life’.
Although the present Church of St Matthew is a modern foundation and not directly associated with the cross, the latter is nevertheless considered to be in its original location because it stands on the projected line of a Roman Road. This suggests that the cross may have marked an ecclesiastical or territorial boundary, or it may alternatively have been a cenotaph marking a grave within a larger cemetery. If so, the buried remains of this cemetery will survive around the cross, but they are not included in the scheduling as their existence has not been verified. In addition to being scheduled, the cross is Grade II* Listed...
...The example in St Matthew’s churchyard is important for being in its original location and for the art historical importance of its carvings which, although not well preserved, survive sufficiently well to illustrate the influence of Scandinavian art forms on this type of monument. In addition to this, the cross is an important indicator of further surviving Anglo Scandinavian remains in this locality'. |