Holyrood (cross) facts for kids

The Holyrood or Holy Rood is a special Christian relic. A relic is something old and important from a holy person or event. The Holyrood is believed to be a small piece of the True Cross, which is the cross Jesus died on.

The word "rood" comes from an old English word meaning "pole" or "cross." So, "Holy Rood" simply means "Holy Cross." Over time, several important relics in England, Ireland, and Scotland were known by this name.

The Black Rood of Scotland

Saint Margaret's Holy Cross

Saint Margaret (who lived from about 1045 to 1093) was a princess from England. She was born in Hungary. After a big event called the Norman Conquest in 1066, she moved to Scotland. There, she married Malcolm III, who was the King of Scotland.

It is said that Saint Margaret brought a special piece of Christ's cross with her to Scotland. This piece was known as the Black Rood of Scotland. Some stories say she brought it from Hungary, and others say from England.

Journey of the Black Rood

The Black Rood was kept in Holyrood Abbey, a church built by Saint Margaret's son in Edinburgh. This abbey was named after the relic.

Later, in 1296, Edward I of England took the relic from Scotland. He also took other important Scottish treasures, like the Stone of Scone. However, the Black Rood was given back to Scotland in 1328.

But the English got it back again after a battle called the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. After this, the Black Rood was kept in Durham Cathedral in England. During a time called the English Reformation around 1540, many religious items were destroyed, and it is thought that the Black Rood was lost forever then.

What the Black Rood Looked Like

A writer named Aelred of Rievaulx described the Black Rood in the 1150s. He said it was about an ell long (which is about 45 inches or 1.1 meters). It was made of pure gold and was very well crafted. It could open like a small box. Inside, there was a piece of the Lord's Cross. It also had a figure of Jesus carved from ivory, decorated with gold.

Another description from 1296, when it was taken from Edinburgh Castle, called it "a silver-gilt casket in which lies the cross called the Black Rood."

Holy Cross Abbey in Ireland

A Relic in Tipperary

A piece of the Holy Rood was brought to a Cistercian Abbey in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. This happened because of Isabella of Angoulême, who was the wife of King John of England. Because of this special relic, the Abbey became known as Holy Cross Abbey.

The relic was lost during the Cromwellian war in Ireland. However, it was found again later and is now kept safely in Holy Cross Abbey.

Waltham Abbey in England

The Black Flint Cross

The name "Holy Rood" also refers to a black flint cross that was once kept at Waltham Abbey in Essex, England. This Holy Rood was a very important item for people on pilgrimage (religious journeys) during the middle ages. But it disappeared when the Abbey was closed down in 1540.

The Legend of Waltham's Cross

There's a local story from Somerset, England, that says the flint cross (or crosses) was found on St Michael's Hill in a place called Montacute.

The story goes that around the year 1030, a local blacksmith had dreams where the Devil told him where to dig. He dug on St Michael's Hill and found a black flint crucifix, or Holy Rood. Some versions of the story say two crosses were found, one large and one small. Another version says the second cross was made of wood and came with a bell and a book.

A man named Tofig, who worked for the Danish King Canute, loaded the life-sized cross onto a cart. The oxen pulling the cart (some stories say six red and six white oxen) refused to move until Tofig said "Waltham" in Essex. Tofig owned a hunting lodge there. The oxen then started moving and didn't stop until they reached Waltham. Where they stopped, Tofig decided to build a church to house the cross. This church later became Waltham Abbey.

The Cross and King Harold

The cross at Waltham became a very important place for pilgrims. Even Harold Godwinson, who later became King Harold, visited it. "Holy Cross" even became the battle-cry for Harold's armies at the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings.

There's a legend that the Holy Rood foretold Harold's defeat at Hastings. On his way to the battle, he stopped at Waltham Abbey to pray. The story says the cross "bowed down" off the wall as he prayed, which was seen as a sign of bad luck to come.

Some people think that the smaller cross found at Montacute might have been the "Holy Rood" that was later taken to Scotland by Saint Margaret from Waltham Abbey.

See also