509 
crosses to which we can assign a date, the fragments at 
Dewsbury and the crosses at Bewcastle and Ruthwell, the 
representations of human figures are very respectable. The 
former probably belong to the school of art established by 
the first missionaries, St. Paulinus and his brethren ; the 
latter belong to the time when St. Wilfrid's influence 
prevailed in Northumbria. On the fragments of a later 
cross, found at Alnmouth, in Northumberland, on which 
the Irish artist, Myredeh, has inscribed his name, the 
human figures are very rude. 
The inscriptions which remain upon some of these crosses 
are our only certain guide in determining the period at which 
they were erected, and a comparison of the workmanship of 
these, will assist us in forming conclusions as to the age of 
others. 
I have already alluded to the fragments at Dewsbury. 
These, however, seem to have belonged rather to a memorial 
cross, than to a sepulchral monument ; but of course it is 
impossible to speak with certainty on this point, since an 
inscription commemorative of an event in the history of the 
place, might have been placed on a monument to the memory 
of some person departed. However, Leland tells us that 
he saw at Dewsbury a very ancient cross, on which was an 
inscription— " Paulinus hie celebravit et prsedicavit ;" and 
an old ballad, in which a former Vicar of Dewsbury records 
the ancient glories of his parish, mentions this cross, with 
the additional information that it was carved with figures of 
the Apostles. 
" In the churchyard once a cross did stand, 
" Of Apostles sculptured there ; 
" And had engraven thereupon, 
" 6 Paulinus preached here.' " 
These notices seem to have been confirmed by the dis- 
covery some years ago, in the course of repairs of the 
