A Viking cross around a thousand years old has been returned to public view at the Royal Chapel of St John, on the Isle of Man.
Osruth’s Cross was discovered in 1847 when a previous chapel was being demolished.
The cross dates back to the 10th or 11th century.
The island came to the attention of Norse raiders in the 8th century, and by the 10th century, substantial numbers of Norse settlers had established themselves.
Unlike many parts of the British Isles, where the Vikings took over as a ruling elite, the Isle of Man’s population was largely a mix of Viking and Gaelic stock.
Osruth’s Cross dates back to this time and is named after a runic inscription, which states, “But Osruth carved these runes.” Some scholars suggest the “But” indicates the inscription is the second half of a sentence, with the missing first half possibly being a memorial or dedication.
It is believed that the cross was actually being used as the lintel of a door or window, and that as a result it had lost its head. Much of the original thickness of the stone cross has been lost.
In 2019 the cross was placed at risk when it came loose. The cross was then removed so that it could be conserved by Manx National Heritage.
After several years of planning and preparation the cross has now been placed in the chapel in a new location on the chancel wall, supported by a metal bracket designed by metal fabricator Phil Wall.
One of those involved in the process, Chris Weeks, Conservator for Manx National Heritage said, “Manx National Heritage thanks all who supported the project, especially the Reverend Joanna Fisher and the Parochial Church Council of St John the Baptist, Michael Quayle and his Department of Infrastructure team, and Phil for designing the bespoke support bracket”.
