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 Bede's Cross Sunderland, UK Posted by:  dtrebilc
N 54° 55.612 W 001° 22.019
30U E 604646 N 6087874
This cross on a small headland was erected in 1904 and is dedicated to the Venerable Bede.
Waymark Code: WM19RC0
Location: North East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/04/2024
Views: 0
An information board next to the cross has the following information.
Bede's Cross - a special story
This cross was erected in 1904 as a memorial to the Venerable Bede, the father of English history who lived at the monastery of St. Peter's in the late seventh to eighth century.
The Venerable Bede
Bede was born on land belonging to the monastery of St. Peter at Wearmouth, one half of the famous Wearmouth-Jarrow monastery. Bede entered the monastery when he was just seven years old and spent the rest of his life as a monk-scholar at the twin monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow.
Bede was the greatest scholar of his day and his fame today derives mainly from his work as an historian. His ecclesiastical History of the English People was the first history of the English people and is still in print today. Other than his historical works, Bede's scholarship covered a wide range of other subjects including theology, astronomy, science, music and language. Most of his life and his scholarly work was directed towards the study of the Bible and the arts of computus, the calculation of dates and times.
The Cross
Until the erection of this cross in 1904 there was no memorial to Bede in the North East. A committee was set up in 1903, chaired by the Mayor of Sunderland to raise money for the memorial. The £300 required for the cross was easily raised from members of the public, which included local landowners and shipbuilders. The cross was designed by Charles Clement Hodges and sculpted by G. W. Milburn of York.
The cross has been sculpted in the style of Anglo-Saxon stone carvings popular in Bede's day. It is decorated with extracts from Bede's work and images that represent many aspects of Bede's life.
The main inscription on the west face of the cross are extracts from Bede's Life of St. Cuthbert and his Ecclesiastical History.
The head of the cross has intricate knot-work design on the boss with serpent like animals on the arms.
You can visit nearby St. Peter's Church to learn more about Bede's life.
The story of the cross
East Side
The east side of the cross tells the story of the life of Bede. The patterns between each scene are based on those of the porch on the tower of St. Peter's Church. :- Bede comes to Jarrow, Bede writing the History and Bede's last moments.
North Side
The north side of the cross shows Bede's contemporaries each linked with a vine pattern. :- King Ceolwulf, Abbot Hwaetberht and Bishop Acca.
World Wars
The cross was dismantled for safe keeping during both World Wars when the area was used as a gun battery.
There are also inscriptions on three sides of the base of the cross.
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF
HIS SERVANT BEDE THE VENERABLE WHO
WAS BORN BETWEEN WEAR AND TYNE DCLXXIII
AND DIED AT JARROW ASCENSION DAY DCCXXXV
UNVEILED 11TH OCTOBER 1904
THIS MEMORIAL CROSS WAS REMOVED IN 1914
FOR SAFETY DURING THE GREAT WAR
AND RE-ERECTED IN 1921
Type of cross: Celtic cross
Material used: Stone (granite, sandstone, marble, ...)
Characteristics of this cross:
A large grey stone Northumbrian cross on a grey stone base, surrounded by a low wooden fence. The west face is carved with the main inscription. The south face is carved to a depth of 3 cm with a relief of birds and animals intertwined within foliage. The east face is carved with scenes from the life of Bede. The north face has relief carvings of bishops.
Describe the location:
In Roker Cliff Park; above Parson's Rocks.
Year of manufacture: 01/01/1904
Is this cross commemorative ?: Yes
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