Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/458

336 336 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE. single full-length figures (the apostles ?) and a monstrous dragon ; the south side has an elegant flowing ornament of branches and leaves, with figures of animals and birds interspersed, very much in the style of the illuminations of MSS. of the Norman period, but terminating at top in an interlaced ribbon- pattern, of the Anglo-Saxon style. He also exhibited rubbings and drawings of a number of Welch grave-stones, ornamented with the cross flory, of dif- ferent ages. The earliest appeared to be those having the cross with four equal limbs, of the Maltese form", as on the cross of St. Brynach, in Neverne church, Pembi'okeshire. This form, found upon stones gradually narrowed from the top to the bottom, ornamented with the addition of a terminal fleur- de-lys to each of the four limbs, subsequently appeared, with the addition of a long basal stem, as on a slab at the eastern extremity of the north aisle, at Llandaff cathedral. To this succeeded the more regularly shaped Calvaiy cross, with limbs of unequal length, the basal one being by far the longest, and the three upper ones only terminated by fleurs-de-lys, or other ornaments, as on a grave-stone forming the step at the entrance of the chancel of Penarth church, Glamorganshire. These were followed hj cross-stones bear- ing a personal indication of the deceased. Of these a drawing of a curious example from Margam abbey was exhibited, bearing a plain Calvary cross, with a key on its left side. This is represented on a stone gradually 7viden- ing from the top to the bottom, suggesting the possibility that it may be a palimpsest, which has not hitherto, he believed, been found to be the case with these slabs. Another beautiful specimen at Margam is a singular and very beautiful example bearing two crosiers, and inscriptions, and having the head of the cross ornamented with six fleurs-de-lys, pointing inwardly to the centre of the circle, so that all trace of a cruciform design is lost. Another specimen, forming the step of the western gateway at Diserth church-yard, Flintshire, has the head of the cross formed of a circle, inclosing four smaller circles, each bearing a fleur-de-lys in its centre, and has a long sword on its right side. A specimen from Brecon priory church-yard, in addition to a beautifully ornamented Calvary cross, bears a hatchet on the left side, and the name of the deceased, %Qi IctogS, over the head of the cross. Another specimen, now built into the south wall of the new church of Llanfihangel-Crom-du, Brecknockshire, has the head of the cross ornamented with a very beautiful geometrical pattern in a circle, and bears a coat of arms on each side, whilst a rubbing of a splendid specimen from Brecknock priory was exhibited, bearing six coats of arms arranged at the sides of the cross, the head of which was formed of four fleurs-de-lys in a circle, and with a long Latin inscription round the edge of the stone, bearing the date 1569 ; thus proving the very late date to which the practice of ornamenting the grave-stones with these crosses flory was retained in Wales, and especi- ally, in Brecknockshire. Rubbings of two other very beautifully orna- mented slabs from Llandudno church on the Great Orme's Head, made by the Rev. H. L. Jones, were also exhibited by Mr. Westwood. " Mr. Westwood had nowhere met with and P, found in Cornwall by Mr. Haslam . any stones in Wales marked with the See Jour-nal, vol. iv. p. 302. Consta;itine monogram composed of X