Saxon Cross Shaft; St Peters Churchyard; Wolverhampton
- HER Number: 2516
- Site Name: Saxon Cross Shaft; St Peters Churchyard; Wolverhampton
- Status:
Grade Ref No. Title Type DBL979 Wolverhampton City Centre Conservation Area DBL390, WM42 SAXON CROSS SHAFT; ST PETERS CHURCHYARD; WOLVERHAMPTON Scheduled Monument - Associated Periods:
- Summary: Saxon cross shaft in Wolverhampton churchyard. Cylindrical body, probably a re-used Roman column from Wroxeter or Wall, thought to have originally carried a cross head. Elaborately carved with bands of ornament combining the acanthus leaf decoration which is characteristic of the late 10th century with friezes of birds and beasts pecking fruit in plant scrolls which resemble much earlier Anglian friezes. Some commentators have dated the shaft to to the mid-9th century but most recent interpretation sees it as a later work with a revival of antique motifs. If this is accepted it is perhaps to be associated with the founding/refounding of a minster (monastery) at Wolverhampton by Lady Wulfrun in AD994.
- Description: Saxon cross shaft in Wolverhampton churchyard. Cylindrical column, thought to have originally carried a cross head. Elaborately carved with bands of ornament combining the acanthus leaf decoration which is characteristic of the late 10th century with friezes of birds and beasts pecking fruit in plant scrolls which resemble much earlier Anglian friezes. Some commentators have dated it to the mid-9th century but Cramp sees it as a later work with a revival of antique motifs. If this is accepted it is likely to be associated with the founding/refounding of a religious house at Wolverhampton by Lady Wulfrun. (1) (2)
Clapham regarded the use of acanthus in its decoration as indicating a post-Danish period date and equated it with the 'founding' of the minster at Wolverhampton in AD994. (3) Kendrick considered it only carving in England to give adequate impression of the southern continental 'Baroque' art of the mid-9th century [but is likely to be wrong on date]. (4) Column part of large cross (upper part missing) standing on original foundations. An excavation in 1949 established that the base stands upon a circular flight of four stone-built steps below the present ground level and that these steps rest upon undisturbed soil. Hence the ground level was originally around four feet lower than at present. (5) Conglomerate mass of stone rubble centred round base of shaft to check subsidence. (6) The material from which it is made, a fine sandstone from outside the Wolverhampton area, and its proportions suggest that the pillar is made from a re-used Roman column, possibly from Wroxeter or Wall. It is one of the finest cross shafts in the Mildands, suggesting that it commemorates an improtant event, such as the re-foundation of the monastery at Wolverhampton. (7) Same type of stone as columns from Wroxter. (8)
A plaster cast of the shaft was made in 1877 and is on display at the V&A. This is particularly valuable as the decoration has suffred subsequently due to pollution and its exposed site. The decoration was recorded in 1913 by the Society of Antiquaries and drawings were published in its proceedings. (9) (10)
The cross was restored and cleaned in the 1990s. Excavations by BUFAU was inconclusive. (11) (12) (13)
A useful summary of the history of the cross shaft and its various descriptions and theories as to its date is given in Horovitz (2010). (14)l
SAM description: The monument includes an Anglian cross, situated in St Peter's Close in the heart of the current settlement of Wolverhampton. The cross survives as a tall, tapering and highly decorated circular-section column or shaft set on a circular stone base and topped with a capital with a socket but no head. The cross shaft stands to a height of approximately 4.2m and is decorated with seven separate bands of ornament which include from top to bottom: vine scroll; vine scroll containing animals; cable; vine scroll; acanthus; a lattice containing animals and finally triangular panels containing animals. This unusual decoration was regarded by Kendrick as unique and the only surviving example in England which demonstrated the southern continental Baroque style. It is to the south of the collegiate church which was established in 966 AD and excavations in 1949 indicated the contemporary Anglo-Saxon cross occupied its original position having been set on a circular stepped base which is approximately 2.4m in diameter. The excavation found at some point the cross had been propped up with rubble to prevent its subsidence. The cross is surrounded by a metal railing fence. (15) - Tags:
- Sources:
Ref. Details 1 Bibliographic reference: Gelling, Margaret. 1992. The West Midlands in the Early Middle Ages. 189-190. 2 Bibliographic reference: Cramp, Rosemary. 1975. Anglo-Saxon Sculpture of the Reform Period. 3 Bibliographic reference: Clapham, A. 1930. Eng Romanesque Architecture before Conquest. 4 Bibliographic reference: Kendrick, T.D.. 1938. Anglo Saxon Art to AD 900. 192-3. 5 Bibliographic reference: Rix, Michael. 1960. The Wolverhampton Cross Shaft. Archaeological Journal. 6 Bibliographic reference: Mander, G. 1933. The churchyard pillar. Wolverhampton Antiquary 1, 361-2. 7 Bibliographic reference: Baker, Nigel. 1980. The Archaeology of Wolverhampton. WEMRAC. 8 Lecture: Roger White. 2014. Wroxeter. 9 Bibliographic reference: Rix, Michael. 1960. The Wolverhampton Cross Shaft. Archaeological Journal. 117;. 10 Article in serial: Lethaby, W. 1913. Wolverhampton Cross Shaft. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries Series 2 Volume 21. 11 Bibliographic reference: Richard Marsh Conservation. 1991. Cross Shaft in St Peters Churchyard Wolv. 12 Bibliographic reference: Hughes, G and Buteux, S. 1992. Wolverhampton Cross Shaft: An Arch Ass. 13 Article in serial: Whitehouse, Sue. 1995. The Saxon Cross. St Peter's Churchyard, Wolverhampton.. The Blackcountryman Vol 28, No 4, Autumn 1995, 48-50. 14 Bibliographic reference: Horovitz, David. 2010. Notes and Materials on the Battle of Tettenhall and other researches. 15 Website: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England (NHLE). - For more information contact: Black Country, Wolverhampton HER (Archaeology@wolverhampton.gov.uk)
- Grid Reference: 391419 298764
