represented had long stood in the churchyard, and during some repairs of the church the fragments were taken out of the walls, into which they had been built as materials, and re-united. Subsequently, having been injured by a storm, they were removed to the tower. It is elaborately sculptured with knot-work, the only figure being a Holy Lamb, rudely sculptured. The second cross at Aycliffe is of very curious character, greatly resembling the sculptured crosses preserved in various parts of Ireland. Its dimensions are, about 434 ft. high, by 15 in. wide. On the eastern side appear three figures, and a crucifixion; adjoining to the crucifix appear figures holding up the spear and reed with a sponge; above the limbs appear the sun and moon, according to early conventional forms of representation. On the southern side is the Crucifixion of St. Peter, with elaborate knot-work; and other curious subjects decorate the western side.
NORMAN PERIOD.
Seal of Bishop Wolstan.
At the recent meeting of the Institute at York a remarkable original deed was exhibited, being a grant from St. Wolstan, bishop of Worcester, of fifteen hides of land in Alveston, formerly called from its Saxon occupant Eanulfestune, Warwickshire, to the monastery of Worcester. An impression of the episcopal seal was appended, and the deed bore date, the day of Pentecost, in the third year of king William, the younger, A.D. 1099. This document had been given by Dugdale in the Monasticon from transcripts in the Worcester Cartulary, Cott. MS. Tib. A. 13, and the Annales Wigornenses, Claud. A. 10. He had printed it also in his History of War- wickshire, from a very ancient register in the custody of the dean and chapter of Worcester; and it may be found in Heming's Cartulary, printed by Hearne, with the ancient Saxon description of the boundaries. The existence of Wolstan's original charter does not appear to have been noticed[1]. This deed, independently of its fine state of preservation, is of considerable interest, as fixing precisely the period of the completion of the new buildings, erected by Wolstan. After reciting his purpose and endeavours to augment the monastery constructed by St. Oswald, his pre-
- ↑ The various readings noticed on collation with the original have not appeared sufficiently material to justify the reprinting of this curious document at length. It deserves notice, however, that in the Monasticon the date had been erroneously printed m.lxxxviij. an error not noticed in the new edition. In the Hist. Warw., and Hearne's edition of Heming's Cartulary, it is correctly given.
