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Borthwick Church
Cross(S) (8th Century) - (10th Century), Font (15th Century)
Site Name Borthwick Church
Classification Cross(S) (8th Century) - (10th Century), Font (15th Century)
Canmore ID 53254
Site Number NT35NE 3
NGR NT 3697 5974
NGR Description NT 3697 5974 and NT 4254 5163
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53254
- Council Midlothian
- Parish Borthwick
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District Midlothian
- Former County Midlothian
Borthwick 1, Midlothian, cross-shaft fragment
Measurements: H 0.91m, W 0.25m, D 0.20m
Stone type: sandstone
Place of discovery: NT 3688 5963
Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh.
Evidence for discovery: found in Borthwick churchyard and donated to the museum sometime prior to 1889.
Present condition: broken at top and bottom and worn, but the carving is still clear.
Description
This fragment is part of a cross-shaft, carved in relief on one broad face with three panels of ornament separated by horizontal roll mouldings. The two upper panels contain very debased interlace, while the lowest panel contains two animals, the upper of which is a quadruped. Anderson recognised its resemblance to the ‘elephant’ or Pictish beast (1889, 351), and its clawed paws may be compared to the front paw of the beast on Rhynie 8. The lower part of the other animal is missing, but it has rabbit-like ears.
Date range: tenth century.
References: Anderson 1889, 351; ECMS pt 3, 421-2.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Borthwick 2, Midlothian, cross-shaft fragment
Measurements: H 0.53m, W 0.25m
Stone type: white sandstone
Place of discovery: NT 3688 5963
Present location: set into the rear wall of Crookston House (NT 4256 5162), above the second-floor windows and to the right of an armorial panel.
Evidence for discovery: found in Borthwick churchyard and re-used when Crookston House was remodelled in 1860-4.
Present condition: broken and worn but the carving is still clear.
Description
This fragment is part of one of the narrow faces of a cross-shaft, carved in relief with cable mouldings, inner roll mouldings and a panel of three-cord plait. The cords have a median incised line.
Date range: eighth or ninth century.
References: ECMS pt 3, 421-3.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Borthwick 3, Midlothian, cross-shaft fragment
Measurements: H 0.25m, W 0.41m
Stone type: sandstone
Place of discovery: NT 3688 5963
Present location: set into the rear wall of Crookston House (NT 4256 5162) above the second-floor windows and to the left of an armorial panel.
Evidence for discovery: found in Borthwick churchyard and re-used when Crookston House was remodelled in 1860-4.
Present condition: broken and worn but the carving is still clear.
Description
This fragment is unlikely to have been part of the same cross-shaft as Borthwick 2, because it is made of a paler sandstone and, although it has the same cable moulding, it lacks the inner roll moulding. It comes from one of the broad faces of the shaft, and it is carved with interlace work incorporating a pair of large oval loops. The original shaft is likely to have been some 0.47m in width.
Date range: eighth or ninth century.
References: ECMS pt 3, 421-3.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Note (1929)
Cross-shaft (Portion of).
This fragment, now preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities, was recovered from the churchyard at Borthwick. It represents part of the shaft of a sandstone cross, ornamented on one face only with debased sculpture in three panels. The lower panel shows two beasts of a crude and unusual character, one of which is possibly intended to represent an elephant.The two upper panels are each occupied by a key-pattern design of debased form. The stone measures 2 ¾ feet in length, 5 ½ inches thick, and tapers in width from 10 inches at the bottom to 5 ½ inchesat the top.
Cf. Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot., xxiii (1888-9), p. 351, and Early Christian Monuments, p. 422.
RCAHMS 1929
Note (1988)
Borthwick NT 368 596 NT35NE 3
Fragments of at least three Early Christian cross-shafts are known from Borthwick.
(i) The first (RMS, I B 146), which bears relief carvings of two beasts and a debased key-pattern, was first published in 1889. At one time its provenance was thought to be the churchyard, but it should perhaps be identified as the stone discovered in 1886 immediately NW of the castle, which was noted on the second edition of the OS 6-inch map (NT 3697 5974).
(ii) The other two fragments, which are now built into the wall of Crookston House (NT 4254 5163)[NT45SW 22], are thought to come from Borthwick Church (NT35NE 12) both are sculptured in relief with interlace and borders of cable moulding.
Also at Crookston House are a 15th century font and a heraldic panel, reputedly from Borthwick Parish Church.
RCAHMS 1988
(Anderson 1889, 351; Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 421-3; OS 6-inch map, Edinburgh, 2nd ed. 1908, sheet 14; RCAHMS 1929, 9, no. 6; Curle 1940, 111)
