The Ruthwell Cross. This Anglo-Saxon cross, inside Ruthwell Parish Church ( 48232), dates from a time when Ruthwell lay within the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria. It was smashed up in the seventeenth century on the orders of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was later restored from as many pieces as could be found, and was moved inside the church in 1887.

The cross bears pictorial carvings on all sides, some Latin texts, and Runic inscriptions that are said to be excerpts from "The Dream of the Rood", one of the earliest surviving Old English poems ("rood" is an old word for "cross").

The carvings on the north and south sides are thought to be mainly of scenes from the Gospels. The south side is seen in this photo. The crosspiece itself is a reconstruction based on conjecture; aside from that, starting from the top and working down, the carvings visible in the photo are considered by some to represent: an archer (seen shooting towards the upper right); Mary and Elizabeth meeting (two figures standing together); the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair; and the healing of the man born blind.

There are further illustrations, not visible here because they are below floor level; the cross is too tall for the ceiling of the church, and stands in a specially-constructed pit. The north side carries similar images, while the east and west sides have vine-tracery surrounded by runes.

For another view, see: 116180.

Outside the church, an information panel on the "Ruthwell Connection" mentions that the history of the cross is closely associated with three former ministers of this parish; one of these, Henry Duncan, the restorer of this cross, also founded the Savings Bank in the village of Ruthwell, where there is a museum commemorating his life and work: 663444.