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Rosemarkie, Church Place, Rosemarkie Parish Church, Cross Slab

Cross Slab (8th Century) - (9th Century)(Possible)

Site Name Rosemarkie, Church Place, Rosemarkie Parish Church, Cross Slab

Classification Cross Slab (8th Century) - (9th Century)(Possible)

Alternative Name(s) Rosemarkie Churchyard, No. 6; Nms Ib 128

Canmore ID 14398

Site Number NH75NW 7.06

NGR NH 7372 5763

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/14398

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Rosemarkie
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Rosemarkie 6, Ross & Cromarty, possible architectural carved stone

Measurements: H 0.30m, W 0.36m, D 0.18m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery: NH 7372 5763

Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (IB 128), on loan to Groam House Museum.

Evidence for discovery: found in the churchyard at Rosemarkie and given to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland in 1885.

Present condition: good.

Description

Carved in relief on this largely unshaped boulder is an equal-armed cross superimposed on a broad ring. The stone appears to have been trimmed to fit the lower part of the ring, and the intention may have been to trim it all round and to insert it into the wall of a church. The cross is outlined by an inner incised line, and there is a large hollow encircled by a line in the centre of the cross, with smaller encircled hollows in each arm. The Hendersons suggest that these hollows may have held inlays. At the base of the lower arm is a short triangular tenon.

Date: eighth or ninth century.

References: Henderson & Henderson 2004, 210-11; Seright & Henderson 2013, 12.

Desk-based information compiled by A Ritchie 2017.

Archaeology Notes

NH75NW 7.06 7372 5763

No. 6. A fragment of what may be the head of a Class 3 cross, measuring 14 3/4ins x 11 1/2ins, and bearing on one face an equal-armed Latin cross in a circle. Found in the churchyard, and donated to the Royal Museum of Scotland (RMS, formerly the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland ([NMAS]) by Rev C Macdowall in 1885 (Accession no. IB 128).

NMAS, 1892; RCAHMS 1979.

Activities

Field Visit (June 1979)

Rosemarkie, Carved Stones NH c. 737 576 NH75NW 7

The discovery of numerous 'Pictish' carved stones in the vicinity of Rosemarkie church indicates that this site was one of considerable importance during Early Christian times. Of the nine items described below (1) is in Groam House, High Street, Rosemarkie; (2) and (6)-(8) are in the tool-shed at Rosemarkie church; (3)-(5) are in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland; and (9) is in Inverness Museum.

(6) Two fragments remain of this sandstone slab which bears an outline Latin cross with rounded armpits and concave-ended sidearms.

RCAHMS 1979, visited June 1979

Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 63-8, 85-8; Macdonald and Laing 1970, 137; Henderson 1971, 50-2

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