GM207

Court Herbert Cross & Grave Slab  

 

Designated  

Neath Port Talbot  

Dyffryn Clydach  

274089  

197635  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Cross  

Early Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of a free standing pillar-stone with two incised crosses probably dating to the early medieval or medieval period standing in a grassed area within a housing development near Court Herbert. The naturally shaped stone is 2.13m in height and 0.48m in width at its widest point with a depth of 0.15m. The north face of the stone is inscribed with a cross measuring, 0.5m in height and 0.22m in width with bifurcated upper terminals and plain but abraded foot. The slightly larger and more refined cross on the southern face has expanded, almost wedge-shaped, upper terminals and a plain foot but is cut as a wider groove. Originally situated within same enclosure were the fragments of a medieval grave slab depicting a figure in robes, now very worn these have now been removed and are kept in the dormitory under croft of the abbey, The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the organisation and practice of Christianity. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. A cross may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value. The scheduled area comprises the remains described.