The Corpus: Wells 2 (cathedral)

Volume 7: South West England

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Current Display: Wells 2 (cathedral), Somerset

Overview

Object type: Fragment, possibly of a cross

Measurements: H. 18 cm (7 in); W. c. 11 cm (4.5 in); D. Unobtainable

Stone type: As Wells 1. Bath stone, Chalfield Oolite Formation, Great Oolite Group, Middle Jurassic

Plate numbers in printed volume: Pl. 325

Corpus volume reference: Vol 7 p. 176-7

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Present Location

In the cathedral library

Evidence for Discovery

Discovered on site of former Lady Chapel near the cloister in 1894

Church Dedication

St Andrew

Present Condition

Fragmentary but unweathered

Description

Carving only survives on one face, and here what seem to be the remains of two ribbon animals are interlaced with median-incised strands. The body of the one on the right is double outlined with crosshatching, the body of the one on the bottom left is decorated with beading.

Discussion

This is a fragment of West Saxon ribbon animal ornament, and within the group the simple crosshatching may be compared with Frome 1 (Ills. 221–2), whilst the beaded animal body may have been wider — compare West Camel (Ills. 346–8). See introduction p. 42.

Date

Eighth to ninth century

References

Browne 1894, 275; Buckle 1894, 32; Robinson 1914, 112, pl. XII, fig. 14; Cottrill 1931, 28–9; Cottrill 1935, 149, 151; Rodwell 1982a, 20; Foster 1984, 99, no. 70; Plunkett 1984, I, 182, 190, II, 308; Foster 1987, 55, 77, no. 55; Cramp 2001, 157; West 2001, 489–91, no. 2, fig. 488, pl. XIV

Endnotes

None