Pillar slab which had been built into a wall at St Ninian’s Cave, Isle of Whithorn. The front of the stone is carved with three crosses in circles. The top circle encloses an equal-armed cross with a small cross marking the circle. The arms of the two lower crosses are marked by four smaller circles. This design appears repeatedly on St Ninian’s Cave sculpture, and bears similarities both to the encircled cross-of-arcs on 2 and to the heads of the ‘Whithorn School’ crosses. The stones from St Ninian’s Cave had all been moved from their original positions before discovery. The cave was probably an early medieval chapel. This stone, which was designed to stand upright, may have marked a grave or an important location in or around the chapel. On display in Whithorn Priory Museum, Dumfries and Galloway.

Details

Date Made
10th century-11th century
Dimensions
980 x 250 x 330mm
Property Information
Whithorn Priory Museum
Object Number
WHP.C.05
Access Status
Display

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