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<< Our Photo Pages >> All Saints (Asfordby) - Ancient Cross in England in Leicestershire and Rutland

Submitted by TimPrevett on Wednesday, 16 December 2009  Page Views: 6112

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: All Saints (Asfordby)
Country: England County: Leicestershire and Rutland Type: Ancient Cross
 Nearest Village: Asfordby
Map Ref: SK7081218939
Latitude: 52.763421N  Longitude: 0.952025W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

Anne T visited on 17th Mar 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 All Saints, Asfordby: The church is usually open on Saturdays between 2pm and 4pm, but we were fortunate because there was a service here today, from 10.30am until 11.30am, so we arrived as close as we could to the finish time of the service (which, because we got lost, was 12 noon). The congregation was having coffee and biscuits, but made us hugely welcome – even our son and DIL’s Labrador was allowed into the church and made a fuss of. The vicar had very kindly made arrangements for us to meet the Secretary and Historian of the church, who warmly welcomed us, introduced us to the Curate, and showed us round the church. All Saints is very obviously a vibrant, active church, and the building is well used for community activities, which is lovely to see. Miriam, the historian, very kindly showed us the three Anglo Saxon stones cemented into the far south western corner of the nave, with members of the congregation very kindly re-arranging tables and chairs for us to have easier access. I came prepared with a list of features I really wanted to see, including the rare Tudor painted bench end (next to a pillar just to the east at the north western corner of the nave), the Green Man (on a boss high up in the middle of the nave) and Norman aumbry (in the northern wall at the north eastern corner of the nave) with its original Norman chevrons. Miriam also pointed out a ‘ladder’ (stairway to heaven) on the pillar at the north eastern side of the nave, and pilgrim crosses and what looked like a scratch sundial on the external western side of the door frame into the church. I really could have spent a lot longer in the church, as it had a lovely, calm, reflective atmosphere and would love to attend a service here.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon Cross Shaft Fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. These three AS cross shaft fragments were found built into the west wall of the nave during restoration work in 1961. They are now displayed at the south western end of the nave, cemented into place. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Cross in Leicestershire and Rutland. Anglo Saxon cross shaft in All Saints', Asfordby.

The church is recorded as Historic England List ID 1360866, which mentions: "3 portions of Saxon cross with scrollwork, a dragon on one stone a figure giving blessing on another". The church itself is recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 321381 and the cross fragments as Pastscape Monument No. 321357.

Dated to the 10th/early 11th century, the cross shaft fragments were found during restoration work in 1961, built into the west end of the North aisle. The church also has a rare Tudor decorated/painted bench end, and a Green Man. The church historian also kindly pointed out to us a 'stairway to heaven' ladder scratched into the eastern side of a pillar at the north eastern end of the nave, a Norman aumbry with chevron decoration, and pilgrim crosses and graffiti on the western exterior side of the door frame into the church.

More information can be found at Leicestershire and Rutland Churches: Asfordby, which includes the tale of the haunted rectory!

Note: The church is usually open on Saturdays between 2pm and 4pm. Check with the A Church Near You Website: All Saints, Asfordby for more information and contact details.
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All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon cross shaft fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. This is the figure 'giving a blessing' on the front of the central of the three fragments. Whilst in the church we debated whether the figure was holding a cross or an axe in its left hand. I favoured an axe, but given where it was, the preferred thinking is that it is a cross! (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Site in Leicestershire and Rutland England. The Green Man, to be found high up on the 15th century oak roof of the nave. This roof is supported by glorious angel corbels. (Vote or comment on this photo)

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon cross shaft fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. The narrow, southern side of the central fragment, with very clear, deep and crisp carvings. (Vote or comment on this photo)

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon cross shaft fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. The reverse side of the northern-most fragment. Being very close to the western wall of the nave, it was difficult to photograph, but the carving still looked very crisp and clean. (Vote or comment on this photo)

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Site in Leicestershire and Rutland England. The painted Tudor bench end, at the south western corner of the nave, near the AS cross shaft fragments. (Vote or comment on this photo)

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Site in Leicestershire and Rutland England. Close up of the paint which remains on the Tudor bench end, to be found against the south side of a pillar at the south western corner of the nave, opposite the AS stone cross shaft fragments.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Site in Leicestershire and Rutland England. In the north eastern corner of the north transept is this Norman aumby, complete with Norman chevrons showing on its top arch. This was also kindly pointed out to us by the Church historian.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon cross shaft fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. The front of the northern-most of the three fragments with its creature (said to be a dragon).

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Anglo Saxon cross shaft fragments in Leicestershire and Rutland England. This much mutilated piece of cross shaft fragment was largely hidden under a table and difficult to access. Judging by its width and depth, the cross shaft must have been substantial in size. The fragments are dated to the 10th or early 11th century and are said to be part of the same cross.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Pilgrim graffiti in Leicestershire and Rutland England. Just about visible on this part of the door jamb (external, western side) of the door into the church, is a star or what resembles a scratch sundial (although in the wrong position to catch the sun). Thought to date from the medieval period when pilgrims passed through on their way to Lincoln.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Site in Leicestershire and Rutland England. Just about visible in the centre of this pillar (running top-bottom) is a scratched 'ladder' or 'stairway to heaven'. We would never have noticed this, but had it very kindly pointed out to us by the Church historian.

All Saints (Asfordby)
All Saints (Asfordby) submitted by Anne T : Pilgrim graffiti in Leicestershire and Rutland England. One of several pilgrim crosses, thought to date from the medieval period. On the western exterior jamb of the stone door frame of the door into the church.

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Ancient weapons factory unearthed by University of Leicester team by Andy B on Wednesday, 16 December 2009
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Archeologists have unearthed an 8,000-year-old weapons factory.

The find, near Melton, is the biggest ever mid-Stone Age discovery in Leicestershire, with fingernail-sized flint pieces, burned animal bones and evidence of tents.

The bonus for the University of Leicester team is the site has not been churned up by ploughs, like most county land has.

It has remained undisturbed since the time before Britain became an island.

The dig took place prior to the construction of a new estate in Loughborough Road, Ashfordby.

Developers Jelson called in the university team to remove any interesting artefacts from the site before building work started.

The dig has just come to an end and the team has revealed its findings.

Archaeologist Wayne Jarvis, who has led the dig, said: "What we've collected are a large number of very early flint artefacts. It's an incredibly rare find.

"We know from the shape of the flints that they are from the mesolithic period – about 8,000 years ago.

"We've collected about 5,000 pieces of flint in a small area and it seems to have been a site where the arrows were made. The pieces of flint are largely discarded flakes from when the arrowheads were shaped.

"However, there are some complete bits that were probably arrowheads, although it's possible they had other uses.

"We've found nothing like this before."

Mr Jarvis said flint was a rare commodity in Stone Age Leicestershire. The nearest good source of the hard, sharp stone, would have been in Lincolnshire – so flint from used arrows would probably be re-sharpened and recycled.

Also on the site are small boulders grouped together, which the archeologists think were probably used as prehistoric tent pegs to pin animal skin canopies to the ground for shelter.

There is also evidence of campfires, including burned animal bones.

In the mid-Stone Age, or mesolithic, period, Britain was still attached to the continent.

Hunter gatherers crossed into England and came to Leicestershire following migrating animals.

They lived nomadic lifestyles, hunting wild boar, deer and wild cattle. They used flint tools and fire but did not yet use pottery or metal. Patrick Clay, co-director of the University of Leicester archeological service, said: "It's very exciting we have surviving fossilised soil.

"Most mesolithic artefacts from Leicestershire are 'surface finds' which are bits of flint churned up by ploughs.

"It was a great surprise to find all this. We didn't know of any archaeology on the site when we started the dig.

"There's a lot of further work to be done in the lab and hopefully we can learn a lot more about how people lived 10,000 years ago.

"It's a period we know very little about."

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Ancient-weapons-factory-unearthed-University-Leicester-team/article-1480773-detail/article.html
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Ancient Weapons Dug Up by Archaeologists in England by Andy B on Wednesday, 16 December 2009
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Posted here as it's very close by and I don't think the mesolithic site warrants it's own site page:

Ancient Weapons Dug Up by Archaeologists in England

Staff at the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) have been excited by the results from a recently excavated major Prehistoric site at Asfordby, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. The Mesolithic site may date from as early as 9000 BC, by which time hunter-gatherers had reoccupied the region after the last ice age. These hunters crossed the land bridge from the continental mainland -- 'Britain' was only to become an island several thousand years later.

The site was excavated during 2009 by ULAS in advance of a residential development for Jelson Homes Ltd. Initial trenching work identified several worked flint blades of characteristic Mesolithic type, and clearly in an unworn and undisturbed state. Further work confirmed that these rare flint finds were preserved in a Mesolithic soil, buried by a much later ploughsoil. Because this early soil had survived intact, it was thought possible that original features such as hearths and structures might still remain, and activities linked to the flint scatter could also be found.

Excavation targeted an area just ten metres square, where the limits of the flint scatter had been identified from test results. Within this small area, a charcoal rich former hearth was found, and also several postholes and arcs of stones that may show the position of tent-like structures. Burnt animal bone and further charcoal chips were also found indicating cooking activities. The site is probably located where it is at least partly because the local soils have natural flint chunks or 'nodules' that could have been used for flintworking. Also, the site would have been a shallow valley in Mesolithic times, and sheltered from the elements.

As important as this evidence was however, the worked flint from site was what really made the excavations significant. Over 5000 worked flints came from this small area, including flint cores used for tool creation, blades, flakes and 'debitage' (small chips from tool-working), and scrapers, piercers and microlith tools with the latter being used in composite arrowheads. The Mesolithic people were occupying this site making and repairing broken flint weapons and tools on a large scale. Some of the microlith projectile points have impact fractures indicating that they had been used in arrowheads which had then been collected and reused. These tasks would have been carried out as part of a range of activities associated with their hunting expeditions.

Further work on the finds from this regionally unique site is still to be carried out at the University of Leicester. The finds -- worked flint, animal bone and charcoal, will allow archaeologists to identify the flintworking processes and other tasks carried out, the different animals that were hunted, and the environment at the time of the Mesolithic hunters.

Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116114256.htm

With thanks to coldrum as ever
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