The Corpus: Leamington Spa

Volume 10: The West Midlands

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Current Display: Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Overview

Object type: Possible cross-shaft fragment

Measurements: Unobtainable

Stone type: Jope (1964, 107) described the stone as 'fine oolite' and as representing the 'northern limit of the supply range of the Taynton quarries'.

Plate numbers in printed volume:

Corpus volume reference: Vol 10 p. 349

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Present Location

Unknown

Evidence for Discovery

In the course of his seminal paper on the Saxon building-stone industry, Martyn Jope (1964, 107) referred to a cross-shaft fragment of oolite from Leamington; as a reference to this piece, he simply quoted 'British Museum list'. We have been unable to find any trace of a cross-shaft fragment from Leamington, and no material from Warwickshire was located during a perusal of the relevant materials at the British Museum.

Church Dedication

Present Condition

Unobtainable

Description

Unobtainable

Discussion

Appendix C item (lost stones for which no illustration has survived)

It is our belief that in all likelihood Jope was referring to the cross-shaft fragment from Bridge End, Warwick (see catalogue entry, p. 341). This fragment was found, probably in the 1950s, across the Avon from the town of Warwick. This might in a very loose sense have been understood as the 'Leamington side of the river' and thus have given rise to some misunderstanding.

M.H.

Date

Uncertain

References

Jope 1964, 107, n. 145

Endnotes