17.5 



EAKLY CR08S AT MARSKE-BY-THE-SEA 



By T. M. Fallow, MA., F.S.A. 



(Jii January 24th, 1901, tlie Coa.>^tguard, stationed at Mar.skc, 

 finding tliat the door of tlie ol)Servation liut, which had been 

 moved to a new position on the cliff, would not open properly, 

 proceeded to examine the spot. He then discovered that the 

 obstruction was caused by a large stone underground, wliich he 

 ■enileavoured to dig out, but unfortunately broke it in two in the 



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l)rocess. AVhen extricated, it \\'as seen that the stone formed the 

 tijiper part of the shaft and the head of an elaborately-designed 

 cross. The base with the lower part of the .shaft had stood close 

 by from time immemorial till about a year before, when some 

 thoughtless lads displaced and hurled it down to the .sands 

 below. The base, shaft, and head have since been i)ieced 

 together again, and the cross thus restored has been placed for 

 preservation inside St. Mark's Church. This has been done at 

 the cost of the Marquis of Zetland. Canon Greenwell, to whom 

 a photograph of the head of the cross was sent at the time of its 

 discovery, points out that not merely is the design a very fine 

 one, but that it is also unusual, and he says that he does not 

 rememT)er seeing anything like it elsewhere. The liead of the 

 •cross measures 2.5 inches across each Avay, and the total height is 

 7 feet 6|- inches. The date cannot be later than circa 1 230. 



(Tlie Soek'ty i.s iiulolited to the Rev. F. (!iant .Tames for loan of the 

 Illusti'atious of the Font and the Cross.) 



