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St Andrews Cathedral, Museum

Cross Slab (Early Medieval)

Site Name St Andrews Cathedral, Museum

Classification Cross Slab (Early Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) St Andrews 3

Canmore ID 319326

Site Number NO51NW 23.03

NGR NO 5142 1662

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/319326

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

  • Council Fife
  • Parish St Andrews And St Leonards
  • Former Region Fife
  • Former District North East Fife
  • Former County Fife

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

St Andrews 3, Fife, cross-slab fragment

Measurements: H 0.42m, W 0.43m, D 0.15m

Stone type: sandstone

Place of discovery:

Present location: St Andrews Cathedral Museum (HES).

Evidence for discovery: found during grave digging west of St Rule’s Tower according to Stuart and near the east wall of the cathedral according to Fleming. Deposited first in the Museum of the United College, North Street, St Andrews, until 1908 when the Cathedral Museum was created.

Present condition: broken and the ornament on face A is almost entirely defaced. Face C is very worn.

Description

Originally a small cross-slab, only the upper part of the slab survives. It is carved in relief on both broad faces within plain flatband mouldings. On face A the upper part of a slender cross is outlined by a roll moulding with large rounded armpits, and traces of diagonal key-pattern survive in the panel to the left of the upper arm. On face C the upper part of a cross is outlined by roll mouldings with stepped armpits, and the interior is filled with six-cord plait. On either side of the upper arm are panels containing different forms of diagonal key-pattern.

Date: ninth or tenth century.

References: Stuart 1867, pl 9; ECMS pt 3, 353-4, no 3; Fleming 1931, 12-13, no 3.

Compiled by A Ritchie 2016

Activities

Reference (1903)

St Andrews No.3 is the upper part of an upright cross-slab of sandstone, of nearly rectangular shape (but all askew), 1 foot 4 1/2 inches high by 1 foot 5 inches wide by 6 inches thick, sculptured relief on two faces thus-

Front.- Part of the head of a cross with all the sculpture which was on it defaced. On the background of the cross to the left of the top arm are traces of a diagonal key-pattern.

J R Allen and J Anderson 1903

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