Penrith, The Giant's Thumb

The Giant's Thumb

St Andrews church yard

Penrith

Cumbria

I can't believe that I missed this ancient cross on my previous visits....but here are photos of it at long last. Along with the Giant's grave, this cross can be found in the Northern part of the church yard. 

Above. The East face of the cross.

The cross is very weather worn now, but a drawing dating to 1921, shows that the crucifixion scene was still visible carved into the cross shaft.

Above. The West face of the cross.

The cross has been dated to around AD920. It is a Norse wheel cross, now missing the top two curved shoulders of the 'wheel'. At the end of the 19th century the cross was suffering from neglect and had sunk into the earth. It was raised up on a new plinth and given a new lease of life.

Apparently, half way between the cross and the tower, lies the grave of John and Mary Hutchinson....William Wordsworth's mother and father in law. The grave stone is laying flat on the ground and is now too badly worn to read. Elsewhere in the church yard, William Wordsworth's wife, Mary is buried, though her grave has long since been lost.