The crux gemmata of Lichfield–a must see icon

The Chapter house of Lichfield Cathedral has a replica on display of the folded cross found in the “Hammerwich Hoard”. It shows the cross straightened out and all the missing garnets added and is stunning. This “crux gemmata”, or jewelled cross, is a very early icon of Christianity and the earliest known was held by Helena, mother of Constantine the emperor who converted to be Christian. The strange splayed ends of the arms is said to represent the growth of the cross as a “tree of life” and clearly appear leaf-like in shape. The four outer garnets could be a reminder of the four gospels. The large central garnet is a guess, and might instead have been some depiction of Christ. Behind the garnets are small holes which might have been how the cross was attached to the leather binding of a gospel book. The fine decoration was made separately and then soldered onto the gold base, and so was made in many layers. The gold is of high quality.

This kind of cross was first known from the 4th century. The hoard item is a “treasure of early England” and is possibly the finest icon to see in any Cathedral. The replica is a wonderful piece of modern craftsmanship. The original is a “must-see” artefact.

Sunny days make everything sing

Fallow and frog from Cannock Chase

And now green hairstreak (May 3).

Letter to the recent issue of “British Archaeology”

Kingsbury

Recent visitors to the garden

 

Was Hammerwich a Saxon hamlet?

The dig at Hammerwich Hall Farm, described fully in the Archaeology page, uncovered a single potsherd that has been dated to early/middle Saxon times (6th to 8th century).

This sherd is rare for Staffordshire. In 1959 a symposium on Anglo-Saxon pottery contained the statement, “No middle-Saxon handmade pottery is known in Lincolnshire and the Midlands.” Vince in 2002 listed the following sites in Staffordshire where Saxon pottery has been found: Catholme, Berth Hill (one sherd), Stafford (only late Saxon), Stapenhill, Wolseley bridge and Wychnor (quarry finds only). Surprisingly, only late Saxon sherds have been found in Lichfield. There have been recent finds of Saxon pieces at Packington, near Hints.
                                                                                                                             The Saxon pendent (left), the Hammerwich Hoard and this roundel found about 100metres away from the hoard have been found by metal detecting in the last decade.
Neolithic and Roman finds suggest occupancy prior to any possible Saxon settlement.
But does this all add up to Hammerwich (almost certainly a Saxon name) having a Saxon hamlet? For certainty, it needs the discovery of Saxon houses. It also needs far more Saxon finds in this part of Saxon Offlow, especially since it is not near any major river or burial mounds (the nearest are at Barton and the Trent). It also needs stressing that Hammerwich was a boundary area (Tamworth/Penkridge tribes, south and north Mercia, west and east of Watling street, heathland from Sutton Park to woodland and Canke forest), since boundaries were very important to the Mercians.
What is needed is to establish whether the hoard area has other Saxon artefacts, whether Knaves Castle was Saxon, is there a Roman settlement at Hammerwich Hall Farm which is then reused by local British/Saxon people, determine the relationship between Saxon Lichfield and Wall with Hammerwich, determine the importance of Saxon Ogley Hay (it is daft to call the hoard site after Ogley Hay without knowing the provenance of this name and area).
So is Hammerwich a significant Saxon site? No. But could be.