Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in a grassy space amidst 19th- and 20th-century grave plots in the E half of Druncliff graveyard (SL008-084002-). This cross-slab is listed in the RMP (1995) as ‘graveslab’. It consists of an roughly rectangular stone slab (L 0.46m; T 0.09m; H above ground 0.4m) embedded upright in the ground, with the long axis aligned N−S. A simple cross-in-circle is incised on the broad, smooth W face of the stone. The circle (diam. 0. 23-0.25m) is outlined by a shallow groove (Wth c. 0.02m; D c. 0.01m). Each limb of the cross is outlined by a groove of similar dimensions to that of the circle. The limbs of the cross extend across the full diameter of the circle; the horizontal limb cuts through the groove of the circle and extend beyond it by c. 1cm on each side, but the vertical limb ends at the inner rim of the circle. Though clearly intended to represent an equal-armed cross, the design is somewhat asymmetrical in execution: the circle is imperfect, being slightly wider than it is high, and the vertical limb of the cross is slightly off centre.
The cross-slab is deeply embedded in the ground; the incised cross is visible 0.18m below the top of the stone, with the base of the circle just skimming current ground level. The stone tilts gently to W. The W face is partly covered in white lichen, the E face in moss.

Attached images:
SL008-084010-_01.JPG
SL008-084010-_02.JPG

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 14 November 2016