Sheffield Cross facts for kids
The Sheffield Cross is a very old stone cross from the Anglo-Saxon period, around the early 800s. It is actually the long, main part (called the shaft) of a much taller stone cross known as a high cross. This important piece of history was found in a surprising place: it was hollowed out and being used as a water trough in a metalworker's shop in the Peak District near Sheffield.
A person named William Staniforth rescued the cross and kept it in his garden for a while. Later, in 1924, it was given to the British Museum in London, where it is now kept. The cross shaft has beautiful carvings of a vine plant. Hidden among the vine's twisting branches is a figure holding a bow and arrow. Similar figures can be seen on other famous old crosses, like the Ruthwell Cross, and on an ivory carving in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Experts have talked a lot about what these figures might mean. The top part of the Sheffield Cross is missing.
What Kind of Cross Is It?
The style of the Sheffield Cross is called "Mercian." This means it looks like other crosses made in the old kingdom of Mercia, which was a powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom in central England. The Sheffield Cross is the most northern example of this style that we know of.
It looks a lot like other crosses found in nearby places such as Bakewell and Eyam. A historian named David Hey noticed how similar the vine carvings are on the Eyam and Sheffield crosses. He thought that maybe the same skilled artist or craftsperson carved both of them.
Where Did the Sheffield Cross Stand?
When the Sheffield Cross was first found, many people thought it originally stood where the Sheffield Parish Church (which is now Sheffield Cathedral) is today. Records show that a cross outside that church was taken down in 1570 during a time called the English Reformation.
However, another idea is that the cross originally came from Derbyshire, a county south of Sheffield.
Many other crosses in Sheffield, like the Market Cross, Irish Cross, and Townhead Cross, managed to survive the Reformation. But sadly, all of those crosses are now lost.
See also
In Spanish: Cruz de Sheffield para niños
