The Corpus: Shaftesbury (Abbey) 5

Volume 7: South West England

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Current Display: Shaftesbury (Abbey) 5, Dorset

Overview

Object type: Grave-marker or -cover

Measurements: H/L. 48 cm (19 in); W. 25.5 > 19 cm (10 > 7.5 in); D. 13.5 cm (5.25 in)

Stone type: As Shaftesbury (Abbey) 2

Plate numbers in printed volume: Pl. 95

Corpus volume reference: Vol 7 p. 110

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Present Location

As Shaftesbury (Abbey) 1

Evidence for Discovery

As Shaftesbury (Abbey) 2

Church Dedication

St Mary and St Edward [1]

Present Condition

Surface worn

Description

The slab tapers markedly and only one face is carved, with a relief cross (type B6) on a long stem.

Discussion

This is not quite the same type of cross as on the other slabs, and the longer, tapering stem is more usual on a recumbent grave-cover than a head- or footstone. Since the surface is more worn than Shaftesbury 2–4 it could have lain on the surface of the ground for some time.

Date

Tenth / eleventh century

References

R.C.H.M.(E.) 1972, 61

Endnotes

[1] The following are general references to the Shaftesbury Abbey stones: Clapham 1947d, 164; Rice 1952, 137–8; Newman and Pevsner 1972, 362, 363; R.C.H.M.(E.) 1972, xxx, 56, 58.