Sandbach Crosses
Encyclopedia
The Sandbach Crosses are two 9th-century Anglo-Saxon
stone crosses now erected in the market place in the town of Sandbach
, Cheshire
, England. They are unusually large and elaborate examples of the type and have been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and are a scheduled monument.
about 653. Other sources date them to the 9th century. The original site of the crosses is unknown and it is believed that they were brought to Sandbach in the Middle Ages
. The earliest documentary evidence is by William Smith, the Rouge-Dragon Pursuivant at Arms of Elizabeth I
, who was from Nantwich
. In 1585 he wrote 'two square crosses of stone, on steps, with certain images and writings thereon graven[standing] hard together. Either after the Reformation
or during the Civil War
they were thrown down and their parts were scattered over a wide area. Larger pieces of the crosses were found as far away as Oulton
and Tarporley
while smaller pieces were found on various sites in Sandbach. In the early 19th century they were collected together and in 1816 were reassembled and erected under the direction of George Ormerod
, the Cheshire historian.
The crosses now consist of two upright columns set in sockets on a base of three stepped stones. The northern cross is the taller and has a mutilated head. The southern cross is truncated and has a mutilated head from a different cross. The crosses have always been a pair and were carved by the same hand. They depict religious scenes, doll-like heads and beasts in panels, together with vine-scrolls, course interlace
patterns and some dragons.
, from which they were engraved by John Byrne
and published in Britannia Depicta, Part III, Buckinghamshire and Cheshire (1810). Examples were sold at Sotheby's on 22 February 1977, and now appear in the UK's Government Art Collection.
Anglo-Saxon art
Anglo-Saxon art covers art produced within the Anglo-Saxon period of English history, beginning with the Migration period style that the Anglo-Saxons brought with them from the continent in the 5th century, and ending in 1066 with the Norman Conquest of a large Anglo-Saxon nation-state whose...
stone crosses now erected in the market place in the town of Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. They are unusually large and elaborate examples of the type and have been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and are a scheduled monument.
History
The most recent and authoritative dating places the larger cross from the early part of the 9th century, and the smaller from about the middle of that century. Older theories, now outdated, included the view that they were erected to commemorate the conversion to Christianity of Peada of MerciaPeada of Mercia
Peada , a son of Penda, was briefly King of southern Mercia after his father's death in November 655 until his own death in the spring of the next year.In about the year 653 Peada was made king of the Middle Angles by his father...
about 653. Other sources date them to the 9th century. The original site of the crosses is unknown and it is believed that they were brought to Sandbach in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The earliest documentary evidence is by William Smith, the Rouge-Dragon Pursuivant at Arms of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, who was from Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
. In 1585 he wrote 'two square crosses of stone, on steps, with certain images and writings thereon graven
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
or during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
they were thrown down and their parts were scattered over a wide area. Larger pieces of the crosses were found as far away as Oulton
Oulton Estate
In the early 18th century the Oulton Estate consisted of a manor house and a formal garden surrounded by farmland in Cheshire, England. Later in the century the farmland was converted into a park...
and Tarporley
Tarporley
Tarporley is a large village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England....
while smaller pieces were found on various sites in Sandbach. In the early 19th century they were collected together and in 1816 were reassembled and erected under the direction of George Ormerod
George Ormerod
George Ormerod was an English antiquary and historian. Amongst his writings was a major account of the history of Cheshire, a county in northwestern England.-Biography:...
, the Cheshire historian.
The crosses now consist of two upright columns set in sockets on a base of three stepped stones. The northern cross is the taller and has a mutilated head. The southern cross is truncated and has a mutilated head from a different cross. The crosses have always been a pair and were carved by the same hand. They depict religious scenes, doll-like heads and beasts in panels, together with vine-scrolls, course interlace
Celtic knot
Celtic knots are a variety of knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, used extensively in the Celtic style of Insular art. These knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts, such as the 8th-century...
patterns and some dragons.
In art
One of the Crosses (before restoration in 1816) appears in a watercolour by William AlexanderWilliam Alexander (painter)
William Alexander . was an English painter, illustrator and engraver.-Life and works:William Alexander was born in Maidstone, Kent, the son of Harry Alexander, a coachmaker. He was educated at Maidstone Grammar School, but in 1782, at the age of 15, moved to London to study art - first under...
, from which they were engraved by John Byrne
John Byrne (artist)
John Byrne , the only son of William Byrne, was born in 1786, and for some time followed his father's profession; but subsequently directed his attention toward landscape painting in watercolours. He sent pictures to the exhibitions of the Water-Colour Society and the Royal Academy; and spent some...
and published in Britannia Depicta, Part III, Buckinghamshire and Cheshire (1810). Examples were sold at Sotheby's on 22 February 1977, and now appear in the UK's Government Art Collection.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in CheshireGrade I listed buildings in CheshireThe Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire, excluding those in the city of Chester, total around 80, almost half of which are churches.Most Cheshire buildings are in sandstone, brick or are timber framed. The churches are mainly built in stone, while the domestic buildings are mainly in brick. ...
- Scheduled Monuments in Cheshire (pre-1066)Scheduled Monuments in Cheshire (pre-1066)There are over 200 Scheduled Monuments in Cheshire, a county in North West England, which date from the Neolithic period to the middle of the 20th century...
External links
- Sandbach Crosses, English Heritage