A prized fragment of the Croft Cross, is now on display at the Yorkshire Museum, thanks to the churchwardens of St Peters Church, Croft-on-Tees in the north of our diocese.
The base piece of the medieval standing cross is a beautiful example of elaborate and skilled stone carving and religious expression from the late 8th Century and is now for all to see at the popular York centre museum.
Andrew Woods, Senior Curator at the Yorkshire Museum, said, “We are delighted to put the cross shaft from Croft-on-Tees on display at the Yorkshire Museum.
“This is an outstanding object, beautifully carved by master craftspeople over 1000 years ago. By placing it in Yorkshire Museum’s medieval gallery, it will help us to tell the story of conversion to Christianity and York’s connections to Europe in the Early Medieval period.”
The Croft-on-Tees cross shaft is an exquisite example of the labour of skilled artisans who were influenced by the spread of Christianity across the north of England during the 8th Century.
The Rt Revd Anna Eltringham, Bishop of Ripon added: “The Diocese of Leeds is delighted that this treasure from the parish church at Croft-on-Tees is to be on display in one of Yorkshire’s premier Museums.
“The Croft Cross, with its intricate carving and ancient symbolism, is a tangible connection to the region’s early Christian history kept safe for all these years in a church which is still active in serving local people in the present day.”
The Croft-on-Tees cross shaft is a significant archaeological and religious object as it displays motifs of vines, birds and beasts.
This iconography is both of international and local significance. Thought to be quarried from Tadcaster stone, the cross is a high-quality piece of northern heritage, a symbol of social and religious transformation.
Pam Dunn, on behalf of the Parochial Church Council said, “St Peter’s Church attracts a lot of visitors who take a keen interest in its history. The Saxon Cross Shaft (of which a replica is displayed in the church) is a prominent feature of these guided tours. We are proud of our heritage and pleased that the original is now on display in the Yorkshire Museum where more people can view it and it can be preserved for future generations.” 
Pam is pictured with Kathryn Streatfield, PCC secretary at St Peter’s and Margaret Horseman, a sidesperson and newsletter editor and they are in front of a replica of the cross fragment which is intended to be on display in the church.
The Croft Cross stands alongside other amazing medieval treasures spanning the period such as the Coppergate Helmet, the Middleham Jewel, St Mary’s Figure of Christ and other exquisite finds from Yorkshire. It enriches the knowledge and understanding of life during this period as another medium of symbolic artistry. The Croft Cross fragment will be on display until 2026 and is included in Yorkshire Museum general admission tickets.