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The Archaeology of People: Dimensions of Neolithic Life, Whittle

The Archaeology of People: Dimensions of Neolithic Life, Whittle

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Easington Cross - Ancient Cross in England in Yorkshire (North)

Submitted by johndhunter on Saturday, 01 February 2020  Page Views: 1030

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Easington Cross Alternative Name: All Saints Church (Easington)
Country: England County: Yorkshire (North) Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Whitby  Nearest Village: Easington
Map Ref: NZ7442718004
Latitude: 54.551821N  Longitude: 0.850819W
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
 2 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 3 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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Anne T visited on 19th Mar 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4 Easington Hogbacks and A-S stone fragments: We had already seen the cross base in the churchyard, but arranged with the Reverend Danny Walker to revisit when the church was open. He was there with a very knowledgeable churchwarden (with his two wonderful dogs) to move some furniture around so they could leave the church open for parishioners and visitors at this current time of crisis. The churchwarden took us into the tower to see a Norman arch that had been rebuilt on the first floor to preserve it. He also showed us St Hilda’s Cross base, and what he said was part of the cross shaft, but I said I thought was a medieval cross-slab as it clearly had a sword on it in the sunlight. The vicar had cleared the steps to the basement boiler room, where we were allowed to move the old screens and debris to find any pieces we could. We found all but one of the pieces listed on the Corpus (the other may have been under debris, but with dead birds in the corner, we were reluctant to explore this part of the room). A real treat, and thanks to the vicar for opening the church up for us.

Anne T visited on 4th Mar 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4 Easington Cross Base: The cross base is recorded as HE 1011970 and as Pastscape 1583425. Pastscape 29031 tells us there are "nine Saxon stone fragments [in the basement] at (the) Church of All Saints", although my attempts to contact the vicar by telephone and email have not been successful. I did speak to a gentleman who I thought was the church warden, but he told me "he no longer holds an official position within the church". As we were passing through the village anyway, we stopped to see the cross base, although the church was well and truly locked. As well as the cross base, there is also a sundial towards the western end of the churchyard, and a drinking fountain at NZ 74521 18036, at the side of the main Loftus-Whitby Road.



Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 3 Access: 4

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by johndhunter : Easington Cross at NZ 74427 18004 – Closer view, the possible shaft next to the broken medieval base looks like it has a sword carved on it, January 2012. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Cross Fragments, Hogbacks and Medieval Grave Slabs in Yorkshire (North)

Located outside the south west corner of All Saints Church in Easington (North Yorks). All that remains is a broken medieval base with a lip missing, similar to the Wishing Chair Cross in Whitby. Recumbent next to it is a tapered shaft with what looks like to me a sword carved upon it, this shaft may or may not be part of the original cross. Historic England in their List Entry Number 1011970 make no mention of this shaft but refer to the remains of carved crosses kept in the basement of the church which they say may be associated with the base. They also say the base is in its original location, though I can’t see this myself as it looks to be partially on top of a grave.

Update March 2020: This cross base is also recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 1583425 (note: the entry is wrongly headed, although it does refer to All Saints Church), and also referred to in Pastscape Monument No. 29031. The stone fragments/carvings are recorded in the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture: Easington 01, Yorkshire North Riding to Easington 11 (use the arrows towards the top right hand side of the page to scroll through). The stones are also recorded in Guy Points' "A Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon and Viking Sites: Yorkshire" (2007), pages 133 to 136 inclusive.
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Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : The magnificent reconstructed 12th century Norman arch, to be found on the first floor of the tower. Whilst not complete, the remaining pieces have been placed approximately where they would have been sited in the original arch. Note: you will need to contact either the vicar or the church wardens to arrange to see this. There are also other medieval architectural fragments built into the tower w... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This medieval grave slab with bracelet head cross with narrow shaft and part of a sword to the right hand side is in the west wall of the nave (northern side). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This medieval grave slab fragment is cemented into the NE corner of the south porch (inside) below a very poignant monument to a sleeping baby in a crib. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : Photograph showing the interlacing on AS Corpus Easington 01, which the Corpus describes as: "The interlace patterns are also more sophisticated than the customary densely woven closed circuits of much neighbouring sculpture. The step-twist helps in dating it to the tenth century but the Anglian survival is very strong". (Vote or comment on this photo)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is Face A of AS Corpus Easington 01, part of a cross shaft fragment displayed at the eastern end of the north wall of the north aisle. The Corpus tells us it is the only example of a 'beast chain' in the region. Tthe beasts interlock but here their torsos are clear of body-extensions, only the ankle loops approach fettering. There is a grace and fluidity in the movement which suggests compe... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This cross shaft fragment is dated to the late ninth/mid tenth century and is to be found in the north eastern corner of the boiler room below the north aisle. Recorded as AS Corpus Easington 09, it is described as: "a three-cord twist in median-incised modelled strand, with a slightly convex terminal. The curves are very angular". [Note: AS Corpus Easington 10 and 11 are now recorded as lost]

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : The Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture gives a reference to Collingwood's sketches of the Easington sculptured stones from the "Anglian and Anglo-Danish sculpture in the North Riding of Yorkshire". Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, XIX, 1907

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : We found this fragment underneath three wood/wire sections of fencing at the north eastern corner of the boiler room. I only saw the interlacing when I turned it over to see what was on the reverse side. Because of the dimensions and description, I wondered if this might be AS Corpus Easington 10, with its angular loops to the interlacing.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : Also not mentioned in either Points' Gazetteer for Yorkshire, or on the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture (that I've come across so far), this looks very much like a fragment of cross shaft, with an interlace/vine scroll pattern on the face facing upwards. It is stored on iron railings, with two other fragments, against the north wall of the boiler room under the north aisle.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This curious piece of stone (grave slab fragment or architectural?) is just to the left of the door as you enter the boiler room. It is not mentioned either on the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture or in Points' Gazetteer for Yorkshire, but I thought it worth photographing in case I could find out more about its origins.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : Historic England tell us: "(this) grave cover c.1300, in sanctuary, has foliate cross and stem and metal inscription in Norman French to Robert Bucell". This reminds me very much of one in St Nicholas’ Cathedral, Newcastle.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This fragment of medieval grave slab (back) and architectural fragments are immediately in front of you as you enter the south porch. The lower fragment has some interesting circle/spiral patterns which are partly hidden by the smaller fragment on top. The latter has a similar depth and stone type to the large monument in the sanctuary, so may also be part of a grave slab rather than an architectu...

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : The fragments displayed against the north wall of the north aisle, inside. Back row, l to r: Easington 07a, Easington 07b, Easington 01. Front row, r to l: architectural fragment, Easington 05

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : Face B of AS Corpus Easington 02. We only noticed the interlace carving in the dim light as I moved to photograph what appears to be a cross shaft fragment, not recorded on the Corpus, immediately to the east of this fragment. Easington 02 is dated from the late ninth to the mid-tenth century.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : AS Corpus Easington 03 is in the Monks' Dormitory in Durham Cathedral, but this is AS Corpus Easington 02, in the middle of the three stones, which is stored in the boiler room underneath the north aisle. The stone is stored with Face A down (we tried to turn the stone over, but it was too heavy and we didn't want to damage either it or the pieces next to it)

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is Face A of AS Corpus Easington 04, part of a cross head which is stored in the south-eastern corner of the boiler room under the north aisle. At the time of our visit, we had to remove some wood/mesh screens which were placed on top of the stones against the eastern wall. We did turn the stone over to see Face C, but in the dim light, did not notice the small section of interlace remaining ...

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is Face A of AS Corpus Easington 05, described by the Corpus as: "The edge moulding is triple. In the plain centre of the cross is a low boss, deeply outlined". This damaged cross head it thought to be of pre-Conquest date. Displayed near the eastern end of the north aisle, near the side chapel. [Note: AS Corpus Easington 06 is in the Monks' Dormitory in Durham Cathedral]

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is Face C of AS Corpus Easington 05, part of a cross head which is thought to be pre-Conquest. Located towards the eastern end of the north aisle, close to the side chapel, it is described by the Corpus as: "The edge moulding is triple. In the plain centre of the cross is a low boss, deeply outlined".

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : AS Corpus Easington 07b, as it is currently displayed against the north wall of the north aisle. The other half of a large hogback, together with fragment AS Corpus AS 07a.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is AS Corpus Easington 07b, immediately to the east of the other half of this hogback, AS Corpus Easington 07a. Much more worn that its other half, it is described by the Corpus as: "The centre of the stone has been dressed back and squared off for ashlar. A stump of the ridge protrudes from the end-beast's jowl. The end-beast is identical with that on fragment a".

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is Face A of AS Corpus Easington 07a, a hogback fragment dated to the first half of the tenth century. Located immediately to the west of Easington 07b, the other half of the hogback, this particular fragment is behind a larger architectural fragment. The patterning is faint, but still visible. The end beast, with its head turned back (biting?) the ridge, is still sharp and clear.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : This is AS Corpus Easington 07a, as seen from above, trying to capture the patterns on the side nearest the north wall of the north aisle. As 07a and 07b are two halves of the same monument, this would have been impressive when complete. Dated to the first half of the tenth century.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : If this is AS Corpus Easington 08, the stone has now been moved inside the south porch, close to its western wall. Seen from above, there are very, very faint rows of tegulae on its right hand side. The interlace pattern shown below its eaves on the Corpus photographs may be underneath, but the stone was far too heavy to turn over.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : The only fragment of hogback we could find which matched the description and colour (but not the design) of AS Corpus Easington 08 has been moved inside the south porch.

Easington Cross
Easington Cross submitted by Anne T : The grave slab with the inscribed sword visible in the sunlight, also showing the position of the slab in relation to the cross base. I asked the church warden if he thought the cross base was in its original position, and he said the church had been extended to the west, so it was probable that the base had been moved west, too, to accommodate the new part of the building. Also, we both comment...

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Re: Easington Cross by johndhunter on Friday, 11 September 2020
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T Whellan in his 1859 book “History and Topography of the City of York: and the North Riding of Yorkshire” page 785 writes “In the churchyard there is the lower portion of the shaft of an ancient stone cross” - maybe he just means the base or maybe the shaft was there at that time as well?
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