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St Davids 8, Incised and Inscribed Stone, Porth y Twr, St Davids Cathedral

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NPRN423497
Map ReferenceSM72NE
Grid ReferenceSM7520425363
Unitary (Local) AuthorityPembrokeshire
Old CountyPembrokeshire
CommunitySt Davids and the Cathedral Close
Type Of SiteINCISED STONE
PeriodEarly Medieval
Description
St Davids 8 is an incomplete, inscribed, sandstone cross-slab. It is located in the lapidarium Porth y T'r, St Davids Cathedral (NPRN 306). It was first discovered in1891, when rubble, built into the wall in 1509-1523, was removed from the west wall of the Lady Chapel above the entrance arches. It was built into the wall of the south transept, before being moved to its current location in 2000.
Dimensions are given as 68cm height 19cm width max. x 7.5cm diameter. The stone is carved on two faces, with that surviving on face A in better condition than face C. Face A has a finely-incised, horizontal roman-letter inscription in its top-left corner. It has been translated as `Here rest Hed and Isac the sons of Bishop Abraham?. This gives the inscription a terminus post quem of 1078.

Underneath is an equal-arm ring and circle cross, intricately carved in medium to high relief. The centre of the cross-head is carved with an interlace cruciform shape. Springing from the top of this is a medium-relief Latin cross with slightly splayed arms. In the interspaces are finely incised horizontal inscriptions, translated as `Alpha, Omega, Jesus Christ?. The layout of both inscriptions suggest they were added as an afterthought.
Face C has an incomplete, plain Latin outline-cross. The cross has splayed arms and is carved in high relief. Part of the left cross-arm and part of the shaft are missing. The carving on both faces is thought to date to the 11th or early 12 century.

Sources include:
Edwards, N. 2007, Corpus of Early Medieval Inscribed Stones and Stone Sculpture in Wales

N Vousden, 26 October 2018