caithness-1911/05_208

Transcription

INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS, ETC., IN COUNTY OF CAITHNESS. [Page] 123

PARISH OF THURSO.

chapel at Skinnet. It is a rectangular slab of sandstone 7' 6" in
length, 2' 2" in width, and 7" in thickness, and is sculptured partly
in relief and partly with incised lines on four faces, thus : Front -
A cross in relief in the centre of the slab, having four equal arms
with expanded ends and small round hollows in the angles ; a long,
narrow shaft, and a rectangular base. In the background, round the
head of the cross, four circular bosses or medallions ; on each side of
the shaft a serpentine creature, and below the base a pair of stepping
horses, evidently yoked together. The ornamentation consists of
spiral work, interlaced work, plait work, and loops. Back - A cross
in the centre of the slab, having a head with square ends and
rectangular hollows between the arms : a long, narrow shaft, and a
rectangular base, the outline being formed by a band, making a loop
at each corner. Though much defaced, the cross had apparently
been filled in with interlaced and spiral work. Below the cross is
the triple oval symbol similar to that on the
Sandside and Keiss stones (Nos. 407 and
577), and at the bottom of all, the crescent
and V-shaped sceptre symbol, both symbols
being decorated with spiral work in relief.
Right side - Divided into three panels, one
containing an eight-cord plait, another inter-
laced work almost obliterated, and the third
being defaced. Left side - Defaced.
This stone was discovered by Mr T. S.
Muir in 1861, and the circumstances of its
discovery and the state in which it then was,
are narrated in Ecclesiological Notes quoted
below. It was subsequently removed to
Thurso Museum.
See Muir's Eccles. Notes, p. 105 (illus.);
Early Christ. Mon., pt. iii. p. 30 (illus.).

446. Cross (rune-inscribed), Thurso Museum.
- In the museum at Thurso is a cross roughly
hewn out of a slab of Caithness flagstone
bearing on its shaft an inscription in Scandi-
navian runes (fig. 29). It was found when
some old buildings were taken down near the
E. end of St Peter's Church, Thurso, in 1896.
At a depth of some 5' from ordinary level were
found in the course of excavation two cists
containing human skeletons. On the top of
the larger cist, which contained the remains
of an adult buried in a contracted position,
lay the cross slab. Its whole length is 2' 9".
The shaft measures 2' 1 1/2" in length by 6 1/4"
in breadth at the lower end, tapering slightly
to 5 3/4" at the intersection of the arms. The
cross head measures 8" across, the projection of the arms being
less than 2", and their vertical width at the ends 4 3/4". The
summit is partially broken away, so that it only rises 1 1/2" above


[Drawing inserted]
FIG. 29. - Cross (rune-inscribed) found near St Peter's Church, Thurso (No. 446). Scale, 1/8 linear.