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St Edrins 2, Incised and Inscribed Stone, Church of The Holy Martyrs, Mathry

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NPRN423596
Map ReferenceSM83SE
Grid ReferenceSM8793132007
Unitary (Local) AuthorityPembrokeshire
Old CountyPembrokeshire
CommunityMathry
Type Of SiteCROSS INCISED STONE
PeriodEarly Medieval
Description
St Edrins 2 is a cross-carved sandstone boulder with inscriptions. It is presently located in the Church of the Holy Martyrs, Mathry (NPRN 403060), on the north side of the sanctuary, but was moved here from St Edren's Church, St Edrens (NPRN 400109). The stone was first discovered in August 1883 lying at the foot of the tower, and in 1893 was fixed to the north wall of the chancel. By the 1980s the church had become a ruin. The stone was stolen but was subsequently rediscovered at Pwllderi youth hostel, when it was moved to its current location. With St Edrins 3 and 4 (NPRNs 423597 & 423598) it belongs to a group of monuments (with scared monogram inscriptions around a cross) mainly associated with St Davids and its environs: see St davids 4 (NPRN 423493), St Davids 5 (NPRN 423494) and Walton West 1 (NPRN 423677). St Edrins 2 is one of five early medieval carved stones found at St Edren's Church (see NPRNs 423595, 423597, 423598, 423599).

The boulder has been roughly carved into a quadrangular block with rounded top (now missing) and base, tapering towards the base. It is thought to have functioned as a grave marker. Dimensions are given as 61cm height x 25.5cm width x 11.5cm max. diameter. The stone is carved on one of its broad faces, with an outline Latin cross and four inscriptions above and below the cross-arms. The four inscriptions, which read clockwise, are translated as `Alpha, Omega, Jesus Christ?. The carving is thought to be 9th-century in date.

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

N Vousden, 6 November 2018