40 THE RUTHWELL CROSS. 
knots of the base are those of the Northallerton Cross (Fig. 
13), which bears also scrolls, developed from the Hexham 
Spital type, and two unusual motives—a key-pattern and a 
chevron border. The chevron is seen also in crossheads at 
Ripon and Carlisle, and in the very beautiful ‘‘ Loaves and 
Fishes ’’ cross at Hornby, in North Lancashire (Fig. 14), 
with a bit of inscription in Anglian minuscules, and rather late 
Anglian plaits, but no scroll-work. 
One of the finest Yorkshire crosses was that at Otley 
(Fig. 15, restored from four fragments). It combines most 
of the motives so far noticed; and what remains of the group 
of the monk kneeling before the angel holding a cross (the 
foot of which is seen) is beautifully carved. The scroll-work 
is fine and bold, derived from Hexham, but developed, as it 
would be, towards the end of the 8th century. 
We have already collected enough examples—though 
these are a very small part of the whole mass of remains— 
to show that Northumbria in the 8th century was the home of 
a considerable school of decorative art. To form such a school 
there must be circumstances favourable to their work. If 
the picture usually drawn of Anglian history is true—Rivoira 
sums it as “‘ discord, revolt, and slaughter; fire, pestilence, 
famine ’’ (Lomb, Arch., ii., 155)—how could the favouring cir- 
cumstances be found? 
Closer knowledge of the period shows that it was really 
an age of peace and plenty, following an era of great activity 
in the 7th century. The few wars were mainly victorious, and 
the troubles of the royal families—for late in the 8th century 
there were two rival dynasties—do not seem to have affected 
the people in general. There were court intrigues and faction 
fights between the retainers of the royal houses; but the real 
ruler of the people was the Church, and its organisation con- 
tinued unbroken. The Church was patron of the arts, espe- 
cially of monumental sculpture. Many of the sites where 
crosses of this age are found are known to have been 
abbeys; and as persons of importance were usually buried at 
abbeys, it is probable that all Anglian crosses were set up as 
memorials at some kind of religious house. And the activity 
