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The Ruthwell Cross is a sculptured monumental stone cross of the late seventh or early eightth century. Until the mid 17th century it was located near the altar of the church at Ruthwell in Dumfriesshire. One account of the cross survives from this period: that of Reginald Bainbrigg. Unfortunately in 1642 the cross was taken down and partially defaced; some parts were buried in the churchyard, and others were used as paving in the nave. The cross remained in the state for some 130 years, after which the remaining fragments (used as paving) were also buried in the churchyard.
However, in 1802 the minister, Henry Duncan, reconstructed the monument and in 1887 the monument was moved back into the church.
The cross consists of a tapering rectangular column, some 5.28 metres high. It tapers from 71 x 46 cm at ground level to 33 x 24 cm below the cross-head, as shown below:
The broader (North and South) faces of the cross are carved with biblical scenes surrounded by Latin inscriptions.
The narrower (East and West) faces are more decorative. These faces are carved with what has been termed the inhabited vine scroll. For our purposes, these narrower faces are more important as the carvings are surrounded by the runic inscriptions transcribed below. However, before transcribing this it is worth giving a description of the contents of the North and South panels and their inscriptions.
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The North face of the cross shows scenes of desert asceticism. The largest panel (labelled Judgement Panel in the figure) shows Christ in Judgement, with his right hand raised in benediction, a scroll held in his left hand. The surrounding inscription, a paraphrase of Psalm XC.13, reads:
+ IHS XPS IUDEX . AEQUITATIS . BESTIAE . ET . DRACONES . COGNOVERUNT . IN . DES . ERTO . SALVATOREM . MUNDI .
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The South face of the cross shows scenes from the Gospels, all apparently identified by inscriptions from the Vulgate textus receptus. The main panel (labelled Magdalene Panel) shows Mary Magdalene bending over the feet of Christ. Presumably, she is washing them. The inscription surrounding this reads:
+ ATTUL[IT ALABA]STRUM UNGUENTI & STANS RETRO SECUS PEDES . EIUS LACRIMIS . COEPIT RIGARE . PEDES EIUS . & CAPILLIS . CAPITIS SUI TERGEBAT
Below this there is a scene depicting Christ healing a blind man. This is surrounded by a paraphrase from Vulgate version of John ix.1:
+ ET PRAETERIENS . VIDI[T HOMINEM CAECUM] A NATIBITATE ET SA[NAVIT EUM A]B INFIRMITATE
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By correlating what is currently readable, and the drawings produced before the cross was broken up, the following transcription can be recreated:
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[+Ond]geredæ hinæ God almehttig,
þa he walde on galgu gistiga,
[m]odig f[ore allæ] men.
[B]ug[a ic ni dorstæ ...................]
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[Ahof] ic riicnæ Kyningc,
heafunæs Hlafard, hælda ic ni dorstæ.
Bismærædu ungket men ba ærgad[re]; ic [wæs] miþ blodæ [b]istemi[d],
bi[goten of ......]
[+]Krist wæs on rodi.
Hweþræ þer fusæ fearran kwomu
æþþilæ til anum. Ic þæt al bih[eald]
Sar[æ] ic wæs mi[þ] sorgum gidroe[fi]d, h[n]ag[ic ....]
miþ strelum giwundad.
Alegdun hiæ hinæ limwoerignæ, gistoddun him [...] licæs [hea]f[du]m;
[bi]hea[l]du[n] hi[æ] þe[r ....]
Copyright © 1994, Tony Jebson <aj@wg.icl.co.uk>, all rights reserved. Last modified 2nd March 1995.