Monument record 570/0/1 - Part of Saxon cross

Part of a Saxon Cross found in 1843 during grave digging. Only the centre and cross arms remain, consisting of a block of stone 4ft llins long, l8ins deep and 11ins thick, stone elaborately carved. East side is chiefly covered by interlacing rope ornament. A raised boss is in the centre of the cross, back and front. Faint lines on west side of cross indicate figures of beasts. On the north end is carved the figure of a man dressed in a long robe and carrying in each hand either a bucket or a handbell. Scene at other end of cross is popularly supposed to represent the dismemberment of St Oswald (1). Scene on south end of cross said to represent the martyrdom of Isian (2). A fragment of a Saxon Cross, dug up in the churchyard at Winwick in 1830, is commonly spoken of as a memorial of King Oswald. It may possibly have been an ordinary preaching cross of pre-Norman times (3). Comparison of the Winwick Cross with other free wheel-head crosses on distribution map(4).

One scene shows a person (poss Prophet Isaiah) being held upside down and sawn in half by two assailants who are using a large bow saw. The illustration of the the saw on the cross is similar or one found at York (8) (M.W 1/3/06)

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 19/219-25 Taylor H 1901 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Romilly Allen J, 1898, The Studio (Book). SCH3246.

<3> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 27/169 1909 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<4> Collingwood W G, 1927, Northumbrian Crosses of the Pre-Norman Age, /139-40 (Book). SCH2259.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ69SW9/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Grealey S, 1976, The Archaeology of Warrington's Past, /84 No.8 (Book). SCH3046.

<7> Boscow H, 1947, Warrington - A Heritage, /28-29 (Book). SCH3671.

<8> Hall, R, 1996, Archaeology in York, /26 (Journal/Periodical). SCH4604.

<9> Bailey R N, 1996, Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, 78/ 21-46 (Article in Journal). SCH4605.