The image below comprises four screen shots from an interactive 3D model of a newly discovered ancient monument which is now known as the ‘Carlton/Thorpe’ cross shaft.
In 2010 Thorpe Thewles History Group (TTHG) began a search for information, and any remains of, a lost free standing medieval cross which once stood in the vicinity of Thorpe Thewles. The cross is mentioned in a two land charters (Egerton 512 and 514, now both in the British Library) which cover the exchange of parcels of land in and around the village in c.1199.
With help from members of the local community this search eventually led to the discovery of three sculptured magnesian limestone blocks in the front garden rockeries of the former Lilac House Farm in Carlton. Once recovered, washed and re-arranged it was discovered that the three stones formed the adjoining sections of the lower part of a tapering shaft of a sculptured early medieval cross.
This discovery eventually led to TTHG winning grant funding from both The National Heritage Lottery Fund and Point North to research and fully record their discovery with the help of experts at the Department of Archaeology at Durham University.
The find was declared by the Durham University as of being of ‘national importance’. They confirmed that it formed part of an early 10th century Anglo-Scandinavian cross shaft. Its sculptured surfaces bear both pagan and Christian imagery.
While it can’t be proven that TTHG’s discovery is part of the now lost ‘Thorpe Cross’ there is a good probability that it is. Details of the full story of the cross shaft’s discovery along with Durham University’s subsequent research report on it can be found on the TTHG’s website at the link below.
This web page also contains links to a short video presentation about the discovery as well as to an interactive 3D model of the remaining three parts of the cross shaft.