Monument record 727/4/3 - Saxon Cross at St. Lawrence's Church

{1} In recent years there has been increasing evidence of Late Saxon Towcester being besieged in 921. Evidence which includes part of a decorated cross shaft from the church.

{2} Internal work to the tower in 1990 led to the discovery of this stone. The rather crude quality of the weave indicates a date probably in the late 10th or early 11th century. These simple forms are feature of East Midland (Lindsey) or Mercian work, as Lincoln. Probably either part of a funery slab or part of a cross. As the current tower is 15th century, questioned if original was Saxon…
The cross is carved from Northamptonshire semi-oolitic iron rich limestone. The stone is carved on one face with a simple interface, the other faces have been worked to a fine finish without being rubbed. The stone had been set back to front in the tower, it is possible that the cross had originally been set into an earlier Saxon tower

{3} Physical evidence for a pre-Conquest church at Towcester is largely circumstantial. Woodfield suggests that the carved stone cross-shaft(?), dated to 10th/11th century, built into St Lawrence church tower, indicates that a Saxon minster stood in this area.

<1> COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST, TOWCESTER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, (unchecked) (Full Report). SNN60168.

<2> Woodfield P., 1992, An Anglo-Saxon Stone From the Church of St. Lawrence, Towcester, 102-105 (checked) (Article). SNN40369.

<3> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Laughton J.; Steadman S.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Towcester, 1.0 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103132.

Record last edited

Jan 14 2015 4:32PM