Summary. A pectoral cross, c, 7th-century, in the Staffordshire (Lichfield) Hoard must have once belonged to an important early bishop, perhaps, Chad.
In the Staffordshire (Lichfield) Hoard was a pectoral cross[1] suitable for a bishop or abbot to wear on their chest. It had an eyelet at the top and the little wear inside the eyelet suggested a leather thong or silk thread threaded through to hang the cross around a neck. The wearer would then turn it upside down and perhaps kiss it. It would be prominent and an obvious symbol of office.
Replica of the Staffordshire pectoral cross. It does not show one arm was broken.
The Cuthbert cross
has cloisonne cell-work infilled with garnets.[2] Both
have a box structure with a space below the central, prominent cabochon garnet
which might have contained some relic making them an encolpion. The date of
Cuthbert’s cross has been estimated to be 650–670 and the Hoard cross could be similar.
Drawing of the Winster Moor Cross which can be seen in Weston Park Museum, Sheffield.
The Holderness[4] cross[5] is
equal-armed being 49mm long and wide. It has cloisonne cell-work infilled with
garnets like the Cuthbert cross. Bishop John of Beverley served not very far
away. A general date of 7th-century has been given.
Holderness Cross, from Commons Wikimedia, D. Pett, The Portable Antiquities Scheme/The Trustees of the British Museum.
The Ixworth cross found at Stanton, near Ixworth. Suffolk, c. 1856, is
450mm high. Again, only a general date
of 7th-century has been ascribed. It could be connected to the centre at
Rendlesham palace 35 miles away.
Drawing of the Ixworth Cross, from the Proceedings of the
Suffolk Institute of Archaeology, Volume 3, 1863, 296.
Three further crosses include those found at Wilton, Norfolk (560 mm high), datable to between 613 and 630, Thurnham, Kent (350 mm diameter) and Milton Regis, Kent, (310 mm diameter). Smaller crosses attached to necklets have also been found, as well as disc shaped crosses. There is a distinct similarity in the filigree work on the face of the cross with two items found in an archaeological excavation at Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland. The Hunterston brooch (c700) also has this feature.
A pectoral cross found not far
from Lichfield and dateable to the 7th-century could have belonged to any of
four bishops from Chad to Headda. All had an association with Lindisfarne so it
is not surprising for anyone of them to have had a similar sign of office as
worn by Cuthbert. If you accept the Staffordshire (Lichfield) Hoard was buried
much later, such as in the 9th century[6]
then many more known clergy can be invoked, including an archbishop.
[1]
Tag: Staffordshire Hoard, Pectoral Cross. The top arm was broken off and
another one bent before it was buried, possibly as a deliberate act to damage a
faith object. A pectoral cross was mentioned in connection with Pope Hilarius
in 461, so wearing such a pendant has a long history.
[2] Four garnets around the centre symbolising the
apostles and twelve along each arm denoting the disciples.
[3] Winster is by the river Derwent which flows into the
Trent south of Derby. It is approximately 40 miles (65 km) from Lichfield.
[4] Holderness is north of the Humber, but not too far
from the mouth of the river Trent. It is approximately 125 miles (200 km) from
Lichfield.
[5]
A. MacGregor, ‘A seventh-century pectoral cross from Holderness, East Yorkshire.’ Medieval
Archaeology (2000), 44, 217-222.
[6]
R. F. Sharp, The hoard and its history. Staffordshire’s secrets revealed, (Studley:
2016) Chapter 7.