Scheduled Monument record MDR3905 - Cross, St Lawrence's Churchyard, Eyam
Type and Period (1)
- WAYSIDE CROSS (removed to churchyard, Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
In Eyam churchyard stands the finest of the Derbyshire crosses. It is 8ft 3ins high and 20ins by 15ins in section at the bottom, tapering slightly, and the arms of its head are 3ft 3ins across. The upper portion of the shaft is missing and also a small piece from the bottom. The eastern face is covered with vine-scroll. Within a circular panel at the intersection of the arms is an angel, and angels are also carved on each arm. On the western side there are interlace panels and figure sculpture. The cross-head is ornamented with angels similar to those on the eastern side. Anglian, 8th century. (2)
Tradition says that the cross was found on one of the neighbouring moors, at a crossing of the Manchester and Sheffield old road, and was removed to the churchyard by the Rev. Thomas Seward who died in 1790. (3)
About 2ft of the top of the shaft is missing. The sexton in 1818 remembers it lying about in the churchyard and then being broken up by villagers. About 30 years earlier, Howard (prison reformer) had found the head lying in a corner and it was then put back on the (incomplete) shaft. (4)
Scheduled. (6)
See GP's AO/65/95/7 & 8. (7)
An eighth century or probably early 9th century Anglian cross, the finest in Derbyshire, stands in Eyam churchyard (8)
SK 21 76 PARISH OF EYAM, CHURCH STREET 6/28 (North Side) 9-9-51 Churchyard cross, 6 metres E of Church Porch (formerly listed as Eyam Saxon cross) GV I Cross. Early C9. Stone. Square stone base with tapering shaft, topped by Celtic cross. East face of shaft decorated with foliage scrolls, north and south faces with interlace. West side of shaft has circular interlace to base with two figurative scenes over, the Virgin and Christ above, below angel with trumpet. Over, head of cross decorated with carved angels in panels. Section of shaft missing at top, otherwise cross is unusually complete. The Cross is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument (9)
Photographic record. (10-11)
This monument comprises of a shaft and crosshead. Since the two pieces do not match together (the upper part of the shaft appears to be missing) they are better considered as two separated pieces although, since they are both of the same school and are of similar dimensions, they are likely to be from the same cross. Neither can be described as 'Celtic', however. (12)
Site monitoring was been carried out in 2012 and the site appears not to be under threat. (13)
A digital copy of a drawing of the cross at Eyam, made by General Pitt-Rivers, was sent to the HER via the Pitt Rivers Museum. It was drawn in 1883/4 when he was first Inspector of Ancient Monuments. It is from a newly-discovered album of images donated to the museum by the Pitt-Rivers family. (14)
Sources/Archives (14)
- <1> SDR11765 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1955. 6".
- <2> SDR7574 Article in serial: Routh, T. 1937. 'A corpus of the pre-Conquest carved stones of Derbyshire', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 58, pp 1-46. pp 29-31, plate XIV.
- <3> SDR3507 Bibliographic reference: Bulmer, T and Co.. 1895. History, Topography and Directory of Derbyshire. p 376.
- <4> SDR103 Bibliographic reference: Rhodes, E. 1818. Peak Scenery. Volume 3, Part 1. p 57-8.
- <5> SDR16949 Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index: 0906. 0906.
- <6> SDR746 Scheduling record: Ministry of Works. 1961. Ancient Monuments of England and Wales. 23343.
- <7> SDR6103 Personal Observation: F1 BHS 16-NOV-65.
- <8> SDR190 Bibliographic reference: Pevsner, N. 1953. The Buildings of England: Derbyshire, 1st edition. p 136, photo.
- <9> SDR5479 Bibliographic reference: Department of the Environment. 1984. District of West Derbyshire, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire. October 1984 14.
- <10> SDR18971 Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Slide Collection. 5441.1-4.
- <11> SDR18970 Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Black and white photograph collection. 460.6-13; 480.13a-15a.
- <12> SDR19261 Correspondence: Sidebottom, P. 1994. Letter regarding Anglo-Saxon stone monuments in Derbyshire, 15th February, 1994. Letter.
- <13> SDR22232 Unpublished document: Wheal, S (PDNPA). 2012. Scheduled Monument Monitoring Form: Churchyard Cross.
- <14> SDR21014 Photograph: Photograph Collection, Conservation & Design section, Derbyshire County Council. HER Images (digital).
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 2178 7640 (2m by 2m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | EYAM, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR3215
- EDR1156
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Nov 7 2023 6:43PM