Archaeology Notes

Event ID 732070

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/732070

NY16NW 4 10059 68219.

(NY 1010 6822) Runic Cross (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map (1957)

For Ruthwell (parish) Church and interlace-decorated architectural fragment lying at the foot of the cross, see NY16NW 40.

An Anglian high cross with runic inscriptions, one of the major monuments of Dark Age Europe, which dates probably from the end of the 7th century.

V G Childe 1961

Traditionally the original site of the cross was at NY16NW 36 Priestside (name: NY 102 662) on the Solway shore (G Seaton 1887). It was standing in the church, (RCAHMS 1920) or churchyard, (J R Allan and J Anderson 1903) when it was thrown down and broken, c.1642. The broken fragments remained in the church until some time after 1772 when they were again removed to the churchyard. In 1802 the cross was erected in the manse garden where, restored in 1823, it remained till final removal to its present position in the church (NY16NW 40) in 1887.

The published site is, therefore, that on which the cross stood for part of the 19th century, and does not represent the original site.

Information from OS (DA), 23 May 1966.