A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



The analogy of the Halton cross and others indicates a pre-Norman date, 

 which is helped by the mention of the church of this place in the Domesday 

 Book. Mr. Taylor believes that a cross from Simonswood, which is not 

 to be found, may have been pre-Norman. 1 In the east wall of Ormskirk 

 church is part of a cross-shaft, the exposed face showing two human figures 

 side by side. 



At Manchester, in the Cathedral Library, is a well-known sculptured 

 stone, believed to be of pre-Norman date, on which is the inscription, ' In 

 manus tuas domine commendo (meum) spiritum.' 2 The sculpture represents 

 an angel, in archaic fashion, and recalls, as Mr. Taylor points out, those over 



CROSS IN BOLTON PARISH CHURCH, LANCASHIRE. 



the chancel arch in the pre-Norman church at Bradford-on-Avon. In the 

 Manchester Museum, at the University of that city, there is a fragment of stone 

 found during the excavation of the Ship Canal in the Barton reach. It is 

 recognizably a portion of a Saxon cross-shaft bearing a deeply cut and un- 

 usual device. 



Elsewhere in this hundred of Salford are a portion of a cross found 

 on the banks of the Irwell near Eccles, and a cross and other early sculptures 

 at Bolton le Moors. The latter cross illustrates some interesting varieties of 

 decoration, as indicated by Mr. Allen, in twisted bands, with and without 



1 Lane, and Cbes. Hist. Soc. Trans. (1894), 172. 



264 



Ibid. (1905), Phelps. 



