<< Our Photo Pages >> Limestone Brae (West Allen) - Ancient Cross in England in Northumberland
Submitted by Anne T on Thursday, 13 December 2018 Page Views: 1723
Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Limestone Brae (West Allen)Country: England County: Northumberland Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Allenbanks Nearest Village: Carrshield
Map Ref: NY79534973
Latitude: 54.841962N Longitude: 2.320266W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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Anne T visited on 9th Dec 2018 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Limestone Brae Overturned Cross Base: We parked next to the chapel, just before the lane to Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey. At first sight this stone just seemed like a boulder in the field. “Are you sure that’s it?” I asked my husband. We let ourselves in through the gate into the field and walked along the tussocky grass to the stone. As soon as we saw the other side, it was obvious this is an old cross base which has been overturned.
Looking to the gate to the south of the cross base, there looks as if there is an old hollow way, somewhat obscured by its use as a quad bike route, but there is a definite dip in the ground. The cross has superb views west/north west over the River West Allen Valley.
This now overturned cross base lies in a field just west of a Methodist chapel and Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, with lovely views across the River West Allen valley. At first sight, this cross base looks just like a boulder in a field, but letting ourselves into the field from the gate opposite Glengarrif House and walking across the tussocky grass to the 'boulder' reveals a socket hole in the southern face of this stone.
Recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 15047, the measurements of the base are given as 0.8m x 0.7m x 0.9m high. Pastscape adds: "To the immediate northeast of the base is an old track visible as a slight terrace way running north-west/southeast parallel to the modern road and it is probable this base is the remains of a medieval wayside cross set up to mark the route and is on or very near its original site. There is no trace of the shaft or head."
Immediately next to the stone, lying directly on the turf near the socket hole, is a slim fragment of stone which appears to have been shaped/carved. Turning this over revealed a sharp groove down its length. Judging from its dimensions, we thought it may well be part of the cross shaft.
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