Unknown. Copies of unpublished photographs, including a scale, were provided by Mrs V. Dawson.

Found in course of excavation [in 1909] at the extreme south-west corner of the nave, and just outside the line of the foundations of the great tower which stood at this point. This would therefore bring the site of the discovery into the area of the monks' graveyard' (Bond 1913, 62–3).

the Blessed Virgin Mary

Unobtainable

'Two fragments of a cross ... From the shape of the fragments they would appear to be parts of the head of a cemetery cross, having four equal arms, terminating in circular segments, and separated by circular hollows. The larger fragment bears on its face a circular sunk panel containing a symbolic figure, having the appearance of a winged skeleton. The eyes of the figure are deeply hollowed, as for a skull. On the reverse is the rope-plait, and the sides have another rope ornament' (Bond 1913, 61, 63).

From the small drawing which Bond published, this seems to have been an important crosshead with interlace on one face of the head and a winged figure on the other. On the basis of the drawing in Bond 1913 and a photograph in the possession of the Abbey Museum (Ill. 253), I have considered that the image in the cross-arm could have been an angel with the gaunt features and hollowed eyes which distinguish so many human or angelic depictions in Mercian sculpture (Cramp 2001, 155). For example, on a stone from Hanley Castle in Worcestershire there is on one face a figure with pointed face and deeply hollowed eyes, which might have held settings of glass or paste (Brown 1937, pl. LXXXVIII, 1), and on the cross at Eyam in Derbyshire similar angels fill each cross-arm (see Ill. 542). This piece therefore could reflect the influence of Mercian styles in the period when Glastonbury was directly involved with the Mercian kings (see introduction p. 6).

Eighth century(?)

Bond 1913, 61–3, fig. 1; Bond 1926, 13–19; Foster 1984, 70, nos. 26–7; Foster 1987, 73–4, nos. 25–6; Cramp 2001, 155, fig. 1a

None